Changing Earth‐Sun Distance Drifts Global Circulation Patterns

Abstract Modern observations reveal that large‐scale ocean‐atmosphere circulation (OAC) is drifting toward higher latitudes under global warming. Paleoclimate proxies indicate that similar OAC drifts occurred on orbital timescale as well. However, the characteristics and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, by conducting simulations with different Earth's orbits, we investigate how changes in Earth‐Sun distance affect the OAC. We find that a closer Earth‐Sun distance (perihelion) causes a poleward drift of OAC. This drift in circulation is dynamically consistent with displacement of meridional temperature gradient. Precession alters the perihelion season on orbital timescales, leading to a seasonal poleward drift in OAC. This drift is amplified during the hemispheric summer, reaching magnitudes of 10° under high eccentricity. The identified OAC drifts reshape the seasonality of precipitation and temperature over land, as well as ocean upwelling and downwelling, ultimately affecting the distribution of Earth's terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

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Publication Details

Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
Published
2025-02-20
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024gl113066
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Climate variability and models
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.11

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article

Changing Earth‐Sun Distance Drifts Global Circulation Patterns

Tainã M. L. Pinho, Yufei Liu, Dake Chen, Hu Yang et al.
1 citations
Geophysical Research Letters
Climate variability and models
1.11
article

Changing Earth‐Sun Distance Drifts Global Circulation Patterns

Tainã M. L. Pinho, Yufei Liu, Dake Chen, Hu Yang, Xufeng Zheng, Yi Zhong, Gerrit Lohmann, Xiaoxu Shi, Jiping Liu, Qingsong Liu, Jingyu Zhang
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Abstract Modern observations reveal that large‐scale ocean‐atmosphere circulation (OAC) is drifting toward higher latitudes under global warming. Paleoclimate proxies indicate that similar OAC drifts occurred on orbital timescale as well. However, the characteristics and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, by conducting simulations with different Earth's orbits, we investigate how changes in Earth‐Sun distance affect the OAC. We find that a closer Earth‐Sun distance (perihelion) causes a poleward drift of OAC. This drift in circulation is dynamically consistent with displacement of meridional temperature gradient. Precession alters the perihelion season on orbital timescales, leading to a seasonal poleward drift in OAC. This drift is amplified during the hemispheric summer, reaching magnitudes of 10° under high eccentricity. The identified OAC drifts reshape the seasonality of precipitation and temperature over land, as well as ocean upwelling and downwelling, ultimately affecting the distribution of Earth's terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Geophysical Research LettersVol. 52(4)
Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (DE), Sun Yat-sen University (CN), Hainan University (CN), Southern University of Science and Technology (CN), Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) (CN), Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 27%
Climate variability and models
1.11
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