Atmosphere‐Ocean Feedback From Wind‐Driven Sea Spray Aerosol Production

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dc.contributor.authorWotherspoon NE
dc.contributor.authorJones OJ
dc.contributor.authorBhatti YA
dc.contributor.authorWilliams JHT
dc.contributor.authorMackie SL
dc.contributor.authorMulcahy JP
dc.contributor.authorRevell, Laura
dc.date.accessioned2021-06-25T01:07:05Z
dc.date.available2021-06-25T01:07:05Z
dc.date.issued2021en
dc.date.updated2021-03-29T21:41:24Z
dc.description.abstractMarine aerosol production is influenced by wind speed, particularly over the Southern Ocean which is the windiest region on Earth year-round. Using climate model simulations with artificially enhanced sea spray aerosol (SSA), we show that Southern Ocean wind speeds are sensitive to SSA via surface cooling resulting from enhanced aerosol concentrations. The near-surface westerly jet weakens, therefore reducing SSA production. Comparing coupled and atmosphere-only simulations indicates that SSA partially regulates its own production via a feedback between the atmosphere and ocean. The decrease in radiative forcing in the coupled model is approximately one-quarter of that simulated by the atmosphere-only model, and the extent of the feedback also depends on the SSA source function used. Our results highlight the importance of understanding SSA emissions and their parameterization in climate models. Including a temperature dependence in SSA parameterizations can play a large role in the climate feedback, but further investigation is needed. Plain Language Summary Atmospheric aerosols can have a cooling influence on Earth's climate by scattering sunlight and seeding cloud formation. Over oceans, aerosols often contain a high fraction of sea spray, and their abundance is strongly dependent on wind speed. High wind speeds cause wave breaking and bubble bursting, which emit sea spray aerosol (SSA). Previously SSA has been shown to have a cooling influence on surface climate. We show that when we artificially enhance SSA emissions in a coupled Earth system model that about half of the cooling influence is offset by the ocean response; more SSA emitted from the ocean leads to surface cooling, and therefore wind speeds weaken and produce less SSA. This is particularly important over the Southern Ocean which is the windiest region on Earth year-round. We show that, in a climate model, the strength of the feedback depends on how SSA emission is represented by the model. Therefore in a warmer, windier climate, simulating SSA accurately will be critical for understanding natural versus human influences on climate.en
dc.identifier.citationRevell LE, Wotherspoon NE, Jones OJ, Bhatti YA, Williams JHT, Mackie SL, Mulcahy JP (2021). Atmosphere‐Ocean Feedback From Wind‐Driven Sea Spray Aerosol Production. Geophysical Research Letters. 48(7).en
dc.identifier.doihttp://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl091900
dc.identifier.issn0094-8276
dc.identifier.issn1944-8007
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10092/102104
dc.languageen
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)en
dc.rightsAll rights reserved unless otherwise stateden
dc.rights.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10092/17651en
dc.subject.anzsrcFields of Research::37 - Earth sciences::3701 - Atmospheric sciences::370103 - Atmospheric aerosolsen
dc.subject.anzsrcFields of Research::37 - Earth sciences::3701 - Atmospheric sciences::370105 - Atmospheric dynamicsen
dc.subject.anzsrcFields of Research::37 - Earth sciences::3702 - Climate change science::370202 - Climatologyen
dc.titleAtmosphere‐Ocean Feedback From Wind‐Driven Sea Spray Aerosol Productionen
dc.typeJournal Articleen
uc.collegeFaculty of Science
uc.departmentSchool of Physical & Chemical Sciences
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