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Temperature-Profile/Lapse-Rate Feedback: A Misunderstood Feedback of the Climate System
Climate Research Group, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, USA
Aviation Weather Center, National Weather Service, Kansas City, USA
I. M. Systems Group, Inc. at EMC/NCEP/NOAA, College Park, USA
- 1 Climate Research Group, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, USA
- 2 Aviation Weather Center, National Weather Service, Kansas City, USA
- 3 I. M. Systems Group, Inc. at EMC/NCEP/NOAA, College Park, USA
Atmospheric and Climate Sciences·Volume 02 (2012)·Pages 474–478·Published 31 October 2012·DOI10.4236/acs.2012.24041
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Abstract
This study shows that the heretofore assumed condition for no temperature-profile (TP)/lapse-rate feedback, for all altitudes z, or , in fact yields a negative feedback. The correct condition for no TP feedback is for all z, where Ts is the surface temperature. This condition translates into a uniform increase (decrease) in lapse rate with altitude for an increase (decrease) in Ts. The temperature changes caused by a change in solar irradiance and/or planetary albedo satisfy the condition for no TP feedback. The temperature changes caused by a change in greenhouse gas concentration do not satisfy the condition for no TP feedback and, instead, yield a positive feedback.
KeywordsClimate FeedbackFeedback AnalysisLapse-Rate Feedback
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