2024/04/10 by Aaron Donohoe, Robert Fajber, Tyler Cox +3 · 1 voice
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics #Climate variability and models #Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes
paper · pdf · doi:10.1029/2023gl106639
openalex publication_date 2024/04/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Abstract The observed partitioning of poleward heat transport between atmospheric and oceanic heat transports (AHT and OHT) is compared to that in coupled climate models. Model ensemble mean poleward OHT is biased low in both hemispheres, with the largest biases in the Southern Hemisphere extratropics. Poleward AHT is biased high in the Northern Hemisphere, especially in the vicinity of the peak AHT near 40°N. The significant model biases are persistent across three model generations (CMIP3, CMIP5, CMIP6) and are insensitive to the satellite radiation and atmospheric reanalyzes products used to derive observational estimates of AHT and OHT. Model biases in heat transport partitioning are consistent with biases in the spatial structure of energy input to the ocean and atmosphere. Specifically, larger than observed model evaporation in the tropics adds excess energy to the atmosphere that drives enhanced poleward AHT at the expense of weaker OHT.