Climate sensitivity to ocean dimethylsulphide emissions

Gunson, J.R., Spall, S.A., Anderson, T.R., Jones, A., Roberts, D.L., Totterdell, I.J. and Woodage, M.J. (2006) Climate sensitivity to ocean dimethylsulphide emissions. Geophysical Research Letters, 33 (7), L07701. (doi:10.1029/2005GL024982).

Abstract

The production of dimethylsulphide (DMS) by ocean phytoplankton is hypothesized to form part of a feedback process on global climate. Changes in the DMS flux to the atmosphere cause changes to aerosols for cloud formation, leading to changes in the amount of radiation reaching the ocean, and hence on the planktonic production of DMS. This hypothesis has been investigated using a coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model (COAGCM) that includes an ocean ecosystem model and an atmospheric sulphur cycle. Ocean DMS concentrations are parameterised as a function of chlorophyll, nutrient and light. The results of several sensitivity experiments are presented showing significant global climate change responses to perturbations in ocean DMS production. A small negative feedback from climate change onto ocean DMS production is found and the implications are discussed.

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