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Increased Variability of Biomass Burning Emissions in CMIP6 Amplifies Hydrologic Cycle in the CESM2 Large Ensemble
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  • Kyle Benjamin Heyblom,
  • Hansi Alice Singh,
  • Philip J. Rasch,
  • Patricia DeRepentigny
Kyle Benjamin Heyblom
University of Victoria

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Hansi Alice Singh
University of Victoria
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Philip J. Rasch
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (DOE)
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Patricia DeRepentigny
University of Colorado Boulder
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Abstract

Historical simulations performed for the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) used biomass burning emissions between 1997–2014 containing higher spatial and temporal variability compared to emission inventories specified for earlier years, and compared to emissions used in previous (e.g., CMIP5) simulation intercomparisons. Using the Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2) Large Ensemble, we show this increased biomass burning emissions variability leads to amplification of the hydrologic cycle poleward of 40°N. Notably, the high variability of biomass burning emissions leads to increased latent heat fluxes, column-integrated precipitable water, and precipitation. Lower relative humidity, greater static stability, greater ocean heat uptake, and weaker meridional energy transport from the tropics act to moderate this hydrologic cycle amplification. Our results suggest it is not only the secular changes (on multidecadal timescales) in biomass burning emissions that impact the hydrologic cycle, but also the shorter timescale variability of their emissions.
16 Mar 2022Published in Geophysical Research Letters volume 49 issue 5. 10.1029/2021GL096868