Arctic Climate Change for the Last Glacial Maximum Derived from PMIP2 Coupled Model Results

Abstract

The Arctic climate change for the Last Glacial Maximum(LGM) occurred at 21,000 years ago (21ka) was investigated using simulation results of atmosphere-ocean coupled models from the second phase of the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Program(PMIP2). In the analysis, we used seven models, the NCAR CCSM of USA, ECHAM3-MPIOM of German Max-Planxk Institute, HadCM3M2 of UK Met Office, IPSL-CM4 of France Laplace Institute, CNRM-CM3 of France Meteorological Institute, MIROC3.2 of Japan CCSR at University of Tokyo, and FGOALS of China Institute of Atmospheric Physics. All the seven models reproduces the Arctic climate features found in the present climate at 0ka(pre-industrial time) in a reasonable degree in comparison to observations. During the LGM, the atmospheric CO₂ concentration and other greenhouse gases were reduced, the ice sheets were expanded over North America and northern Europe, the sea level was lowered by about 120m, and orbital parameters were slightly different. These boundary conditions were implemented to simulated LGM climate. With the implemented LGM conditions, the biggest temperature reduction by more than 24℃ is found over North America and northern Europe owing to ice albedo feedback and the change in lapse rate by high elevation. Besides, the expansion of ice sheets leads to the marked temperature reduction by more then 10℃ over the Arctic Ocean. The temperature reduction in northern winter is larger than in summer around the Arctic and the annual mean temperature is reduced by about 14℃. Compared to low mid-latitudes, the temperature reduction is much larger in high northern altitudes in the LGM. This results mirror the larger warming around the Artic in recent century. We could draw some information for the future under global warming from the knowledge of the LGM.