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    Original Research Papers

    Probabilistic hindcasts and projections of the coupled climate, carbon cycle and Atlantic meridional overturning circulation system: a Bayesian fusion of century-scale observations with a simple model

    Authors:

    Nathan M. Urban ,

    Department of Geosciences, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, US
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    Klaus Keller

    Department of Geosciences, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802; Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, US
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    Abstract

    How has the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) varied over the past centuries and what is the risk of an anthropogenic AMOC collapse?We report probabilistic projections of the future climate which improve on previous AMOC projection studies by (i) greatly expanding the considered observational constraints and (ii) carefully sampling the tail areas of the parameter probability distribution function (pdf).We use a Bayesian inversion to constrain a simple model of the coupled climate, carbon cycle and AMOC systems using observations to derive multicentury hindcasts and projections.

    Our hindcasts show considerable skill in representing the observational constraints. We show that robust AMOC risk estimates can require carefully sampling the parameter pdfs. We find a low probability of experiencing an AMOC collapse within the 21st century for a business-as-usual emissions scenario. The probability of experiencing an AMOC collapse within two centuries is 1/10. The probability of crossing a forcing threshold and triggering a future AMOC collapse (by 2300) is approximately 1/30 in the 21st century and over 1/3 in the 22nd. Given the simplicity of the model structure and uncertainty in the forcing assumptions, our analysis should be considered a proof of concept and the quantitative conclusions subject to severe caveats.

    How to Cite: Urban, N.M. and Keller, K., 2010. Probabilistic hindcasts and projections of the coupled climate, carbon cycle and Atlantic meridional overturning circulation system: a Bayesian fusion of century-scale observations with a simple model. Tellus A: Dynamic Meteorology and Oceanography, 62(5), pp.737–750. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0870.2010.00471.x
    46
    Citations
      Published on 01 Jan 2010
    Peer Reviewed
     CC BY 4.0
     Accepted on 11 Jun 2010            Submitted on 9 Mar 2010

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