The Effect of Eurasian Snow Cover on Global Climate

Barnett, T. P.; Dümenil, Lydia; Schlese, Ulrich; Roeckner, Erich

doi:10.1126/science.239.4839.504

Cited by 216 publications

(115 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…It is important to understand the control of snow cover evolution because most of the interannual variability in mid-and high-latitude planetary albedo is caused by changes in snow and sea-ice cover (Qu and Hall, 2006). Modeling studies have shown that the long-term average of snow accumulation or melt patterns may significantly alter global and regional climate and have a strong impact upon the general circulation and hydrological cycle (e.g., Barnett et al, 1988;Qian et al, 2009a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensitivity studies on the impacts of Tibetan Plateau snowpack pollution on the Asian hydrological cycle and monsoon climate

et al. 2011

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Abstract. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has long been identified to be critical in regulating the Asian monsoon climate and hydrological cycle. In this modeling study a series of numerical experiments with a global climate model are designed to simulate radiative effect of black carbon (BC) and dust in snow, and to assess the relative impacts of anthropogenic CO 2 and carbonaceous particles in the atmosphere and snow on the snowpack over the TP and subsequent impacts on the Asian monsoon climate and hydrological cycle. Simulations results show a large BC content in snow over the TP, especially the southern slope. Because of the high aerosol content in snow and large incident solar radiation in the low latitude and high elevation, the TP exhibits the largest surface radiative flux changes induced by aerosols (e.g. BC, Dust) in snow compared to any other snow-covered regions in the world.Simulation results show that the aerosol-induced snow albedo perturbations generate surface radiative flux changes of 5-25 W m −2 during spring, with a maximum in April or May. BC-in-snow increases the surface air temperature by around 1.0 • C averaged over the TP and reduces spring snowpack over the TP more than pre-industrial to present CO 2 increase and carbonaceous particles in the atmosphere. As a result, runoff increases during late winter and early spring but decreases during late spring and early summer (i.e. a trend toward earlier melt dates). The snowmelt efficacy, defined as the snowpack reduction per unit degree of warming induced by the forcing agent, is 1-4 times larger for BC-in-snow than CO 2 increase during April-July, indicating that BC-in-snow more efficiently accelerates snowmelt because the increased net solar radiation induced by reduced albedo melts the snow more efficiently than snow melt due to warming in the air.Correspondence to: Y. Qian (yun.qian@pnl.gov)The TP also influences the South (SAM) and East (EAM) Asian monsoon through its dynamical and thermal forcing. Simulation results show that during boreal spring aerosols are transported by southwesterly, causing some particles to reach higher altitude and deposit to the snowpack over the TP. While BC and Organic Matter (OM) in the atmosphere directly absorb sunlight and warm the air, the darkened snow surface polluted by BC absorbs more solar radiation and increases the skin temperature, which warms the air above through sensible heat flux. Both effects enhance the upward motion of air and spur deep convection along the TP during the pre-monsoon season, resulting in earlier onset of the SAM and increase of moisture, cloudiness and convective precipitation over northern India. BC-in-snow has a more significant impact on the EAM in July than CO 2 increase and carbonaceous particles in the atmosphere. Contributed by the significant increase of both sensible heat flux associated with the warm skin temperature and latent heat flux associated with increased soil moisture with long memory,

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensitivity studies on the impacts of Tibetan Plateau snowpack pollution on the Asian hydrological cycle and monsoon climate

et al. 2011

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“…A lower land surface temperature delays monsoon onset and reduces summer monsoon rainfall (Fein and Stephens, 1987). In general, the second effect of soil moisture was considered to be more important than the albedo effect (Barnett et al, 1988(Barnett et al, , 1989Douville and Royer, 1996;Dong and Valdes, 1998 Figure 2. Mean Julian dates of starting continuous snow cover during Precipitation data are from the Global Gridded Monthly Precipitation at 0.5°by 0.5°resolution by Willmott and Matsuura (2001) available from the University of Delaware (http://climate.geog.udel.edu/∼climate).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Connections of Siberian snow onset dates to the following summer's monsoon conditions over Southeast Asia

Zhaorigetu

Feng

2005

Int. J. Climatol.

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This is an exploratory study of possible links between the conditions of early season Eurasian snowfall and the following year's Southeast Asian summer monsoon. Forty years of historical records are used to examine the statistical connections between early season snow cover onset dates over northern Eurasia and the following year's summer monsoon over Southeast Asia. We found that the time of snow onset is significantly associated with warm season rainfall over Southeast Asia. The most persistent connection is between northeastern Siberian snow onsets and summer monsoon strength over India and northeastern China. This connection seems to be more clearly shown during the mature stage and monsoon withdrawal and is reflected in all three aspects of monsoon characteristics. In other words, the earlier snow cover onset (more snow cover during the early season) over northeastern Siberia, the more precipitation and moisture convergence, the higher prevalence of a southwesterly monsoon wind, and the later monsoon withdrawal over Southeast Asia. The revealed connection is likely through atmospheric circulation associated with early season land surface snow cover processes independent of ElÑino conditions. The authors suggest that more studies are needed to fully understand the circuitous connections between Eurasian snowfall and the Southeastern Asian monsoon.

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“…They have also found that snow volume has a larger impact on monsoon rainfall than spatial snow coverage (e.g. Barnett et al, 1988Barnett et al, , 1989Douville and Royer, 1996;Dong and Valdes, 1998). This suggests that the hydrological changes caused by melting snow play a more significant role than the albedo effect in altering the surface and atmospheric energy budgets.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lagged teleconnections between snow depth in northern Eurasia, rainfall in Southeast Asia and sea‐surface temperatures over the tropical Pacific Ocean

Zhaorigetu

2001

Intl Journal of Climatology

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This study shows that above-(below-)normal winter snow depth over European Russia and corresponding below-(above-)normal snow depth over central Siberia is associated with reduced (increased) summer monsoon rainfall over southern and western India and eastern Pakistan, and above-(below-)normal sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) over the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean during the following winters. The connection is slightly stronger when snow depth over European Russia is above normal than below normal. These results are derived from an examination of 60 years of winter snow depth data and SSTs, and 45 years (1951 -1995) of summer precipitation records. The results of this study suggest that winter snow depth over the western rather than the eastern portion of Eurasia is critical to Southeast Asian summer monsoon rainfall and eastern tropical Pacific SSTs during the following seasons.

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The Effect of Eurasian Snow Cover on Global Climate

Cited by 216 publications

References 23 publications

Sensitivity studies on the impacts of Tibetan Plateau snowpack pollution on the Asian hydrological cycle and monsoon climate

Sensitivity studies on the impacts of Tibetan Plateau snowpack pollution on the Asian hydrological cycle and monsoon climate

Connections of Siberian snow onset dates to the following summer's monsoon conditions over Southeast Asia

Lagged teleconnections between snow depth in northern Eurasia, rainfall in Southeast Asia and sea‐surface temperatures over the tropical Pacific Ocean

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