Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2598
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2598
08 Jul 2025
 | 08 Jul 2025
Status: this preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).

The impact of model resolution on the North Atlantic response to anthropogenic aerosols

Wah Kin Michael Lai, Jon Robson, Laura Wilcox, Nick Dunstone, and Rowan Sutton

Abstract. A set of novel, idealised, single-forcing experiments were performed to isolate the impact of anthropogenic sulphur dioxide emissions on North Atlantic SST variability. The medium-resolution (60 km atmosphere, 0.25° ocean) and low-resolution (135 km atmosphere, 1° ocean) of the HadGEM3-GC3.1 model were used to investigate the impact of resolution on the forced response. The SST response at both resolutions is timescale dependent: a fast, large-scale surface cooling is followed by a slow, ocean-driven warming responses. Warming of the sub-polar North Atlantic is due to a strengthening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and is stronger at the medium resolution. This difference is related to surface density fluxes across the subpolar North Atlantic. The growth of Labrador Sea ice is stronger at low-resolution which inhibits air-sea interaction and reduces surface buoyancy forcing, leading to a weaker AMOC response. There is also evidence of a stronger AMOC positive feedback involving salt-advection at medium-resolution. These results show that the large-scale North Atlantic response to external forcing can be sensitive to regional differences, such as model climatology of Labrador Sea ice and its response to aerosol cooling.

Competing interests: Laura Wilcox is a member of the ACP editorial board.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this paper. While Copernicus Publications makes every effort to include appropriate place names, the final responsibility lies with the authors. Views expressed in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
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Wah Kin Michael Lai, Jon Robson, Laura Wilcox, Nick Dunstone, and Rowan Sutton

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  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2598', Fernanda DI Alzira Oliveira Matos, 28 Jul 2025 reply
Wah Kin Michael Lai, Jon Robson, Laura Wilcox, Nick Dunstone, and Rowan Sutton
Wah Kin Michael Lai, Jon Robson, Laura Wilcox, Nick Dunstone, and Rowan Sutton

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Short summary
In a climate model at two different resolutions, anthropogenic aerosols induce a fast cooling followed by a delayed warming in the subpolar North Atlantic. The delayed warming is stronger at higher resolution due to a stronger Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) response. This difference is due to the lower resolution model having more sea ice which insulates the ocean. This result show that the North Atlantic response to external forcing is sensitive to regional differences.
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