Tropical Deep Convection, Cloud Feedbacks and Climate Sensitivity

Abstract

This paper is concerned with how the diabatically-forced overturning circulations of the atmosphere, established by the deep convection within the tropical trough zone (TTZ), first introduced by Riehl and (Malkus) Simpson, in Contr Atmos Phys 52:287–305 (1979), fundamentally shape the distributions of tropical and subtropical cloudiness and the changes to cloudiness as Earth warms. The study first draws on an analysis of a range of observations to understand the connections between the energetics of the TTZ, convection and clouds. These observations reveal a tight coupling of the two main components of the diabatic heating, the cloud component of radiative heating, shaped mostly by high clouds formed by deep convection, and the latent heating associated with the precipitation. Interannual variability of the TTZ reveals a marked variation that connects the depth of the tropical troposphere, the depth of convection, the thickness of high clouds and the TOA radiative imbalance. The study examines connections between this convective zone and cloud changes further afield in the context of CMIP6 model experiments of climate warming. The warming realized in the CMIP6 SSP5-8.5 scenario multi-model experiments, for example, produces an enhanced Hadley circulation with increased heating in the zone of tropical deep convection and increased radiative cooling and subsidence in the subtropical regions. This impacts low cloud changes and in turn the model warming response through low cloud feedbacks. The pattern of warming produced by models, also influenced by convection in the tropical region, has a profound influence on the projected global warming.