[SLS] PJ Tuckman – Pre-Defense

“Tropical Dynamics and Warming in Simplified Atmosphere-Ocean Simulations”

Earth’s tropics exhibit many complexities, such as interactions across scales, land-ocean differences, and complicated radiative properties. In this presentation, we use simplified Atmosphere-Ocean simulations to see past these complicating factors and analyze how tropical phenomena such as the Hadley Circulation, the Subtropical Cells, and the ITCZ respond to warming. We begin by studying a system without ocean dynamics, and show that the Hadley circulation weakens with warming but transports more energy, leading to a smaller equator to pole temperature gradient in warmer climates. In simulations with ocean dynamics, ocean heat transport enhances poleward energy transport, further smoothing tropical SST gradients and creating an SST minimum at the equator. Changes in the Hadley Circulation with warming and the associated changes in SST structure are examined using an analytic framework based on a tropical energy balance model constructed from simple relationships between SST, mass transport, and energy transport.

Sack Lunch Seminar Series —

Informal seminar series within PAOC (Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate) that focuses on more specialized topics than the PAOC Colloquium. The presentations are either given by an invited speaker or by a member of PAOC and can focus on new research or discussion of a paper of particular interest.

Contact: sacklunch-committee@mit.edu