Enhanced upper ocean warming projected by the eddy-resolving Community
Earth System Model
Abstract
Ocean warming is a key factor impacting future changes in climate. Here
we investigate vertical structure changes in globally averaged ocean
heat content (OHC) in high- (HR) and low-resolution (LR) future climate
simulations with the Community Earth System Model (CESM). Compared with
observation-based estimates, the simulated OHC anomalies in the upper
700 m and 2000 m during 1960-2020 are more realistic in CESM-HR than
-LR. Under RCP8.5 scenario, the net surface heat into the ocean is very
similar in CESM-HR and -LR However, CESM-HR has a larger increase in OHC
in the upper 250 m compared to CESM-LR, but a smaller increase below 250
m. This difference can be traced to differences in eddy-induced vertical
heat transport between CESM-HR and -LR in the historical period.
Moreover, our results suggest that with the same heat input, upper-ocean
warming is likely to be underestimated by most non-eddy-resolving
climate models.