Increased variability of biomass burning emissions in CMIP6 amplifies hydrologic cycle in the CESM2 large ensemble

Project

Phase 6 used biomass burning emissions between 1997 and 2014 containing higher spatial and temporal variability compared to emission inventories specified for earlier years, and compared to emissions used in previous (e.g., CMIP5) simulation intercomparisons. Using the Community Earth System Model version 2 Large Ensemble, we show this increased biomass burning emissions variability leads to amplification of the hydrologic cycle poleward of 40 degrees N. Notably, the high variability of biomass burning emissions leads to increased latent heat fluxes, column-integrated precipitable water, and precipitation.