For a fuller description of the paper itself, go to the end of this web page.
Each simulation published in this paper corresponds to a unique 5 or 6 character code on the web pages.
The following table lists the name of the simulation as used in the paper, and the corresponding code name
The webpage gives you the ability to examine the published simulations, but you can also download the raw (netcdf) files to perform your own analysis. Detailed instructions on how to use the webpages and access the data can be found here: Using_BRIDGE_webpages.pdf
There are 6 simulations used in this paper: 3 different ice sheet states on 2 different palaeogeographies at the EOT
You can have make you own analysis and plots by going here
| Simulation Name as in Paper | Simulation name on web pages |
|---|---|
| E - pre-industrial simulation | tcofa |
| Eociv - mid-Pliocene simulation | tcofb |
| Eo - pre-ind with Plio orography | tcofh |
| Ec - pre-ind with Plio CO2 | tcofd |
| Eoc - pre-ind with Plio orography and CO2 | tcofm |
This paper introduced the concept of Earth System Sensitivity. It is one of the only papers to make quantitative inferences about future climate change from palaeo evidence
| Name | Lunt et al |
|---|---|
| Brief Description | This paper introduced the concept of Earth System Sensitivity. It is one of the only papers to make quantitative inferences about future climate change from palaeo evidence |
| Full Author List | Daniel J. Lunt, Alan A. Haywood, Gavin A. Schmidt, Ulrich Salzmann, Paul J. Valdes and Harry Dowsett |
| Title | Earth system sensitivity inferred from Pliocene modelling and data |
| Year | 2010 |
| Journal | Nature Geoscience |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue | 3-4 |
| Pages | 60-64 |
| DOI | 10.1038/ngeo706 |
| Contact's Name | Dan Lunt |
| Contact's email | D.J.Lunt@bristol.ac.uk |
| Abstract | Quantifying the equilibrium response of global temperatures to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations is one of the cornerstones of climate research. Components of the Earth's climate system that vary over long timescales, such as ice sheets and vegetation, could have an important effect on this temperature sensitivity, but have often been neglected. Here we use a coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model to simulate the climate of the mid-Pliocene warm period (about three million years ago), and analyse the forcings and feedbacks that contributed to the relatively warm temperatures. Furthermore, we compare our simulation with proxy records of mid-Pliocene sea surface temperature. Taking these lines of evidence together, we estimate that the response of the Earth system to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations is 30-50% greater than the response based on those fast-adjusting components of the climate system that are used traditionally to estimate climate sensitivity. We conclude that targets for the long-term stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse-gas concentrations aimed at preventing a dangerous human interference with the climate system should take into account this higher sensitivity of the Earth system. |