Inter-model diversity of Arctic amplification caused by global warming and its relationship with the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone in CMIP5 climate models

Abstract

Surface-based Arctic amplification (AA) has experienced a remarkable increase in recent decades. Therefore, it is important to understand how Arctic warming might change in response to global warming. By analyzing the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) multi-model dataset, we examine how AA correlates with changes in tropical Pacific precipitation in response to global warming. It is found that that the changes in the latitudinal position of the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) are associated to the simulated AA strength in the CMIP5 climate models. Specifically, AA tends to be stronger (weaker) in models where the ITCZ shifts relatively more northward (southward). Further analysis indicates that the inter-model diversity of AA strength in the CMIP5 climate models is related to the changes in large-scale atmospheric circulation associated with the meridional shift of the ITCZ. These results emphasize a close relationship between AA and changes in tropical Pacific precipitation in response to global warming.