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Ringberg15: Earth's Climate SensitivitiesTo assess gaps in understanding of Earth's climate sensitivities a workshop was organised under the auspices of the WCRP (World Climate Research Programme) Grand Science Challenge on Clouds, Circulation and Climate Sensitivity (Ringberg15). The workshop took place in March 2015 and gathered together over thirty experts from around the world for one week. Attendees each gave short presentations and participated in moderated discussions of specific questions related to understanding Earth's climate sensitivities. Most of the time was focused on understanding of the equilibrium climate sensitivity, defined as the equilibrium near-surface warming associated with a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The workshop produced nine recommendations, many of them focusing on specific research avenues that could be exploited to advance understanding of climate sensitivity. Many of these dealt, in one fashion or another, with the need to more sharply focus research on identifying and testing story lines for a high (larger than 4 degrees Kelvin) or low (less than 2 degrees Kelvin) equilibrium climate sensitivity. Additionally, a subset of model intercomparison projects (CFMIP (Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project), PMIP (Palaeoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project), PDRMIP (Precipitation Driver and Response Model Intercomparison Project), RFMIP (Radiative Forcing Model Intercomparison Project) and VolMIP (Volcanic Forcings Model Intercomparison Project)) that have been proposed for inclusion within CMIP were identified as being central to resolving important issues raised at the workshop; for this reason modelling groups were strongly encouraged to participate in these projects. Finally the workshop participants encouraged the WCRP to initiate and support an assessment process lead by the Grand Science Challenge on Clouds, Circulation and Climate Sensitivity on the topic of Earth's Climate Sensitivities, culminating in a report that will be published in 2019, forty years after the seminal report by Charney and co-authors.
Document ID
20160002106
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Stevens, Bjorn
(Max-Planck-Inst. fuer Meteorologie Hamburg, Germany)
Abe-Ouchi, Ayako
(Tokyo Univ. Kashiwa, Japan)
Bony, Sandrine
(Laboratoire de Meteorologie Dynamique Paris, France)
Hegerl, Gabi
(Edinburgh Univ. United Kingdom)
Schmidt, Gavin
(NASA Goddard Inst. for Space Studies New York, NY, United States)
Sherwood, Steven
(New South Wales Univ. Australia)
Webb, Mark
(Meteorological Office Bracknell, United Kingdom)
Date Acquired
February 22, 2016
Publication Date
May 1, 2015
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Report/Patent Number
WCRP Rept. No. 11/2015
GSFC-E-DAA-TN29062
Meeting Information
Meeting: WCRP Grand Science Challenge on Clouds, Circulation and Climate Sensitivity: Ringberg Meeting
Location: Schloss Ringberg
Country: Germany
Start Date: March 22, 2015
End Date: March 28, 2015
Sponsors: World Meteorological Organization
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Sensitivity
Computer models
Climate

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