Lightning plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry and the initiation of wildfires, but impact global warming on lightning rates is poorly constrained. Here we propose that flash rate proportional to convective available potential energy (CAPE) times precipitation rate. Using observations, product CAPE explains 77% variance time series total cloud-to-ground flashes over contiguous United States (CONUS). Storms convert precipitated water mass discharged with efficiency 1%. When this...

Quantum simulation is an important application of future quantum computers with applications in chemistry, condensed matter, and beyond. fermionic systems presents a specific challenge. The Jordan-Wigner transformation allows for representation operator by O(n) qubit operations. Here, we develop alternative method simulating fermions qubits, first proposed Bravyi Kitaev [Ann. Phys. 298, 210 (2002); e-print arXiv:quant-ph/0003137v2], that reduces the cost to O(log n) operations one operation....

Abstract How will warming temperatures influence thunderstorm severity? This question can be explored by using climate models to diagnose changes in large-scale convective instability (CAPE) and wind shear, conditions that are known conducive the formation of severe thunderstorms. First, an ensemble from phase 5 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) is evaluated on its ability reproduce a radiosonde climatology such storm-favorable current climate’s spring summer seasons, focusing...

Quantum chemistry is an important area of application for quantum computation. In particular, algorithms applied to the electronic structure problem promise exact, efficient methods determination energy atoms and molecules. The Bravyi–Kitaev transformation a method mapping occupation state fermionic system onto qubits. This maps Hamiltonian n interacting fermions ‐local improvement in locality over Jordan–Wigner transformation, which results O ( )‐local qubit Hamiltonian. We present detail,...

Abstract Recent work has produced a theory for tropical convective available potential energy (CAPE) that highlights the Clausius‐Clapeyron (CC) scaling of atmosphere's saturation deficit as driver increases in CAPE with warming. Here we test this so‐called “zero‐buoyancy” by modulating cloud‐resolving simulations radiative‐convective equilibrium two ways: changing sea surface temperature (SST) and environmental relative humidity (RH). For earthlike warmer SSTs, undilute parcel buoyancy...

Abstract Tropical anvil clouds play a large role in the Earth's radiation balance, but their effect on global warming is uncertain. The conventional paradigm for these attributes existence to rapidly declining convective mass flux below tropopause, which implies source of detraining cloudy air there. Here we test this by manipulating sources and sinks cloud‐resolving simulations. We find that anvils form our simulations because long lifetime upper‐tropospheric cloud condensates, not an...

Abstract The Fixed Anvil Temperature (FAT) hypothesis proposes that upper tropospheric cloud fraction peaks at a special isotherm is independent of surface temperature. It has been argued FAT should result from simple ingredients: Clausius‐Clapeyron, longwave emission water vapor, and energy mass balance. Here the first cloud‐resolving simulations radiative‐convective equilibrium designed to contain only these basic ingredients are presented. This setup does not produce FAT: anvil...

Abstract Clear-sky CO 2 forcing is known to vary significantly over the globe, but state dependence which controls this not well understood. Here we extend formalism of Wilson and Gea-Banacloche (2012) obtain a quantitatively accurate analytical model for spatially-varying instantaneous forcing, depends only on surface temperature T s , stratospheric temperature, column relative humidity RH. This shows that can be considered swap emission emission, thus primarily surface-stratosphere...

Abstract Recent explorations of the state‐dependence Earth’s equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) have revealed a pronounced peak in ECS at surface temperature ∼310 K. This has been observed models spanning model hierarchy, suggesting robust physical source. Here, we propose an explanation for this using novel spectrally resolved decomposition clear‐sky longwave feedbacks. We show that interplay between spectral feedbacks H 2 O‐dominated and CO ‐dominated portions spectrum, along with...

Abstract The radiative forcing from carbon dioxide is approximately logarithmic in its concentration, producing about 4 W m −2 of global-mean for each doubling. Although these are basic facts climate science, competing explanations them have been given the literature. Here, reasons explored detail and a simplified model constructed. An essential component particular distribution absorption coefficients within 15- μ band dioxide. alternative explanation, which does not depend on spectrum but...

Abstract Although the scientific principles of anthropogenic climate change are well-established, existing calculations warming effect carbon dioxide rely on spectral absorption databases, which obscures physical foundations problem. Here, we show how CO 2 radiative forcing can be expressed via a first-principles description molecule’s key vibrational-rotational transitions. Our analysis elucidates dependence dioxide’s effectiveness as greenhouse gas Fermi resonance between symmetric stretch...

Abstract In hydrogen-rich atmospheres with low mean molecular weight (MMW), an air parcel containing a higher-molecular-weight condensible can be negatively buoyant even if its temperature is higher than the surrounding environment. This should fundamentally alter dynamics of moist convection, but low-MMW regime has previously been explored primarily via 1D theories that cannot capture complexity turbulence. Here, we use 3D cloud-resolving model to simulate convection in wide range...

Abstract In a “hothouse” climate, warm temperatures lead to high tropospheric water vapor concentration. Sufficiently levels the closing of infrared window, which prevents radiative cooling lower troposphere. Because also weakly absorbs solar radiation, hothouse climates feature heating recent work, this was shown trigger shift into novel “episodic deluge” precipitation regime, where rainfall occurs in short, intense outbursts separated by multi‐day dry spells. Here, we further examine role...

Abstract There are large uncertainties in the potential impacts of solar radiation modification (SRM) and how these depend on way SRM is deployed. One open question concerns trade‐offs between latitudinal profiles insolation reduction climate response. Here, a moist energy balance model used to evaluate several proposals, providing fundamental insight into profile affects The optimal found intensity intervention, as most effective for moderate focuses at high latitudes, whereas strong...

Abstract When convective clouds grow above the melting line, where temperatures fall below 0°C, condensed water begins to freeze and vapor is deposited. These processes release latent heat of fusion, which warms cloud air, many previous studies have suggested that this heating from fusion increases buoyancy in upper troposphere. Here we use numerical simulations radiative‐convective equilibrium with without ice argue tropical not systematically higher a world than it. This insensitivity...

Abstract Solar radiation modification (SRM) reduces the CO 2 ‐induced change to mean global hydrological cycle disproportionately more than it increase in surface temperature. Thus, if SRM were used offset all warming, global‐mean precipitation would be less an unperturbed climate. Here, we show that mismatch between effects of and may partly alleviated by spectrally tuning intervention (reducing insolation at some wavelengths others). By concentrating solar dimming near‐infrared...

Abstract In Earth’s current climate, moist convective updraft speeds increase with surface warming. This trend suggests that very vigorous convection might be the norm in extremely hot and humid atmospheres, such as those undergoing a runaway greenhouse transition. However, theoretical numerical evidence is actually gentle water-vapor-dominated implying vigor may peak at some intermediate humidity level. Here, we perform small-domain convection-resolving simulations of an Earth-like...

<p>Instantaneous clear-sky CO2 forcing is known to vary significantly over the globe, but climate factors which control this are not well understood. Building upon work of Wilson (2012), we build a first-principles, analytical model for requires as input only temperatures at surface and roughly 20 hPa, column relative humidity. This quantitatively captures global variations in forcing, shows that meridional gradient predominantly due temperature gradient, with modulation by...

Previous results indicate that the global hydrological cycle is more sensitive to Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) than surface temperature. Thus, it expected restoring temperature with SRM would decrease evaporation and precipitation. However, here we show a complete radiative antidote CO2 can be obtained by spectrally tuning intervention, reducing insolation at some wavelengths others. By concentrating solar dimming near-infrared wavelengths, where H2O has strong absorption bands, direct...

Abstract The climate sensitivity peaks around 310 K in a wide variety of models, ranging from idealized single column models to fully comprehensive models. Here, we increase CO 2 using clear‐sky three‐dimensional atmospheric model with radiation scheme which maintains accuracy for high and temperature levels. In contrast, the Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity (ECS) our plateaus K. We show that this is due moistening subtropical regions caused by slowdown circulation, increases ECS at very...

Pressure-dependent, low-temperature inelastic light (Raman) scattering measurements of KCuF(3) show that applied pressure above P* ~ 7 kbar suppresses a previously observed structural phase transition temperature to zero in KCuF(3), resulting the development fluctuational (quasielastic) response near T 0 K. This pressure-induced response--which we associate with slow fluctuations CuF(6) octahedral orientation--is independent and exhibits characteristic fluctuation rate is much larger than...

Although the scientific principles of anthropogenic climate change are well-established, existing calculations warming effect carbon dioxide rely on spectral absorption databases, which obscures physical foundations problem. Here we show how CO2 radiative forcing can be expressed via a first-principles description molecule's key vibrational-rotational transitions. Our analysis elucidates dependence dioxide's effectiveness as greenhouse gas Fermi resonance between symmetric stretch mode...