Sensitivity of modelled sulfate radiative forcing to DMS concentration and air-sea flux formulation

Abstract

Abstract. In this study, we use an atmospheric general circulation model with explicit aerosol chemistry (CanAM4.1) and several climatologies of surface ocean DMS concentration to assess uncertainties about the climate impact of ocean DMS efflux. Despite substantial variation in the spatial pattern and seasonal evolution of simulated DMS fluxes, the global mean radiative forcing is approximately linearly proportional to the global mean surface flux of DMS; the spatial and temporal distribution of ocean DMS efflux has only a minor effect on the global radiation balance. The effect of the spatial structure, however, generates statistically significant changes in the global mean concentrations of some aerosol species. The effect of seasonality on net radiative forcing is larger than that of spatial distribution, and is significant at global scale.