Climate sensitivity study with energy balance models

In this thesis, the sensitivity of the Earth's climate is studied by modeling past climatic variations with two-dimensional seasonal energy balance model. This thesis consists of two parts. The first part is a study of the interaction between the seasonal cycle and the small ice cap instability, which is a possible mechanism for the initiation of glaciation in the northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere. Results from a two-dimensional energy balance model with a realistic land-ocean distribution show that the small ice cap instability exists in the southern hemisphere, but not in the northern hemisphere. A series of experiments with a one-dimensional energy balance model with idealized geography is used to study the roles of the seasonal cycle and the land-ocean distribution. The results indicate that the seasonal cycle and land-ocean distribution can influence the strength of the albedo feedback, which is responsible for the small ice cap instability, through two factors: the temperature gradient and the amplitude of the seasonal cycle.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Atmospheric Science

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Huang, Jin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bowman, Kenneth P.

• Physical Oceanography
• Paleoecology
• Physics, Atmospheric Science

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1991 Huang, Jin

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9210843
(UMI)AAI9210843

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/21016