The Role of Convective Model Choice in Calculating the Climate Impact of Doubling CO2

The role of the parameterization of vertical convection in calculating the climate impact of doubling CO2 is assessed using both one-dimensional radiative-convective vertical models and in the latitude-dependent Hadley-baroclinic model of Lindzen and Farrell (1980). Both the conventional 6.5 K km−1 and the moist-adiabat adjustments are compared with a physically-based, cumulus-type parameterization. The model with parameterized cumulus convection has much less sensitivity than the 6.5 K km−1 adjustment model at low latitudes, a result that can be to some extent imitated by the moist-adiabat adjustment model. However, when averaged over the globe, the use of the cumulus-type parameterization in a climate model reduces sensitivity only ∼34% relative to models using 6.5 K km−1 convective adjustment. Interestingly, the use of the cumulus-type parameterization appears to eliminate the possibility of a runaway greenhouse.