Work

The Influence of Interactive Sea Surface Temperatures on Self‐Aggregation in Channel Domain Radiative‐Convective Equilibrium

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Convective self‐aggregation describes the spontaneous organization of convection that occurs in radiative‐convective equilibrium (RCE) simulations. Here, we conduct RCE simulations coupled to 2‐ and 20‐m slab ocean models in a 3D channel domain to assess the influence of interactive sea surface temperatures (SST) on self‐aggregation. Our results support previous findings that simulations coupled to shallower slab oceans experience delayed self‐aggregation onset compared to simulations coupled to deeper slab oceans. More notably, we find distinct aggregated states in the simulations. The 20‐m simulation reaches a relatively unchanging state after day 60, whereas the 2‐m simulation continuously evolves. Low cloud‐SST feedbacks drive initial increased variability in the 2‐m simulation by spurring the expansion of a dominant dry region. Later, SST gradients arising from differential shortwave heating within the dry region promote low‐level moistening and convective initiation. These findings are useful for understanding ocean feedbacks to real‐world convection under weak large‐scale forcing.

Source: Geophysical Research Letters

DOI: 10.1029/2025gl119314

Authors: Kyle Shackelford, Charlotte A. DeMott, Peter Jan van Leeuwen

Institution: Colorado State University

Language: English

Topic: Meteorological Phenomena and Simulations

Subfield: Atmospheric Science

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,190