Global coupled simulations of climate change due to increased atmospheric CO2 concentration

Two transient CO2 experiments using two coupled general circulation models developed by the French GASTON group have been realized using the same methodology. No flux corrections at the air-sea interface were used in these experiments. The main features of the present climate are reasonably well captured by both coupled models in the control simulations, although the biases are not the same. The transient CO2 simulations show a global warming, ranging between 1.6 and 2.0 degrees C at the time of CO2 doubling (+ 70 years). These values, and the main geographical characteristics of climate change, are in agreement with previous studies published by other research groups, using either flux corrected or non-flux corrected models. (C) Academie des sciences/Elsevier, Paris.