SENSITIVITY OF THE EQUILIBRIUM SURFACE-TEMPERATURE OF A GCM TO SYSTEMATIC CHANGES IN ATMOSPHERIC CARBON-DIOXIDE

The equilibrium response of surface temperature to atmospheric CO2 concentration, for six values between 100 and 1000 ppm, is calculated from a series of general circulation model experiments. This response is nonlinear, showing greater sensitivity for lower values of CO2 than for the higher values. It is suggested that changes in CO2 concentration of a given magnitude (e.g., 100 ppm) play a larger role in the Pleistocene ice age type temperature variations, than in causing global temperature changes due to anthropogenic increases. © 1990 by the Chinese Geophysical Society