Surface Arctic Amplification Factors in CMIP5 Models: Land and Oceanic Surfaces and Seasonality

Arctic amplification (AA) is a major characteristic of observed global warming, yet the different mechanisms responsible for it and their quantification are still under investigation. In this study, the roles of different factors contributing to local surface warming are quantified using the radiative kernel method applied at the surface after 100 years of global warming under a representative concentration pathway 4.5 (RCP4.5) scenario simulated by 32 climate models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. The warming factors and their seasonality for land and oceanic surfaces were investigated separately and for different domains within each surface type where mechanisms differ. Common factors contribute to both land and oceanic surface warming: tropospheric-mean atmospheric warming and greenhouse gas increases (mostly through water vapor feedback) for both tropical and Arctic regions, nonbarotropic warming and surface warming sensitivity effects (negative in the tropics, positive in the Arctic), and warming cloud feedback in the Arctic in winter. Some mechanisms differ between land and oceanic surfaces: sensible and latent heat flux in the tropics, albedo feedback peaking at different times of the year in the Arctic due to different mean latitudes, a very large summer energy uptake and winter release by the Arctic Ocean, and a large evaporation enhancement in winter over the Arctic Ocean, whereas the peak occurs in summer over the ice-free Arctic land. The oceanic anomalous energy uptake and release is further studied, suggesting the primary role of seasonal variation of oceanic mixed layer temperature changes.