Impact of Seasonality on Climate Outcomes for Mid Latitude Marine Cloud Brightening

Erin Emme; Chih Chieh Chen; Hannah M. Horowitz

doi:10.1029/2025GL115359

Impact of Seasonality on Climate Outcomes for Mid Latitude Marine Cloud Brightening

Erin Emme, Chih Chieh Chen, Hannah M. Horowitz

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Most previous studies on marine cloud brightening (MCB) have focused on deployment over the subtropical stratocumulus cloud decks which persistently result in non-uniform cooling and disruption of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). A recent study demonstrated that MCB deployment over mid-latitudes, instead, could alleviate such side effects. Here, with the Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2), we investigate the impact of seasonality on the mid-latitude MCB deployment strategy. Specifically, efficacy of MCB, induced response in surface temperature and precipitation patterns, and ENSO are examined. The results suggest that (a) single hemisphere MCB deployment in midlatitude regions shifts the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and (b) midlatitude MCB deployment over both hemispheres during fall and winter delivers climate outcomes with the least side effects.

Original language	English
Article number	e2025GL115359
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	52
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115359
State	Published - Jun 28 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

CESM2
GeoMIP
climate change
climate intervention
marine cloud brightening

Access to Document

10.1029/2025GL115359

Cite this

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title = "Impact of Seasonality on Climate Outcomes for Mid Latitude Marine Cloud Brightening",

abstract = "Most previous studies on marine cloud brightening (MCB) have focused on deployment over the subtropical stratocumulus cloud decks which persistently result in non-uniform cooling and disruption of the El Ni{\~n}o Southern Oscillation (ENSO). A recent study demonstrated that MCB deployment over mid-latitudes, instead, could alleviate such side effects. Here, with the Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2), we investigate the impact of seasonality on the mid-latitude MCB deployment strategy. Specifically, efficacy of MCB, induced response in surface temperature and precipitation patterns, and ENSO are examined. The results suggest that (a) single hemisphere MCB deployment in midlatitude regions shifts the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and (b) midlatitude MCB deployment over both hemispheres during fall and winter delivers climate outcomes with the least side effects.",

keywords = "CESM2, GeoMIP, climate change, climate intervention, marine cloud brightening",

author = "Erin Emme and Chen, \{Chih Chieh\} and Horowitz, \{Hannah M.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025. The Author(s).",

year = "2025",

month = jun,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1029/2025GL115359",

language = "English",

volume = "52",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of Seasonality on Climate Outcomes for Mid Latitude Marine Cloud Brightening

AU - Emme, Erin

AU - Chen, Chih Chieh

AU - Horowitz, Hannah M.

PY - 2025/6/28

Y1 - 2025/6/28

N2 - Most previous studies on marine cloud brightening (MCB) have focused on deployment over the subtropical stratocumulus cloud decks which persistently result in non-uniform cooling and disruption of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). A recent study demonstrated that MCB deployment over mid-latitudes, instead, could alleviate such side effects. Here, with the Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2), we investigate the impact of seasonality on the mid-latitude MCB deployment strategy. Specifically, efficacy of MCB, induced response in surface temperature and precipitation patterns, and ENSO are examined. The results suggest that (a) single hemisphere MCB deployment in midlatitude regions shifts the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and (b) midlatitude MCB deployment over both hemispheres during fall and winter delivers climate outcomes with the least side effects.

AB - Most previous studies on marine cloud brightening (MCB) have focused on deployment over the subtropical stratocumulus cloud decks which persistently result in non-uniform cooling and disruption of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). A recent study demonstrated that MCB deployment over mid-latitudes, instead, could alleviate such side effects. Here, with the Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2), we investigate the impact of seasonality on the mid-latitude MCB deployment strategy. Specifically, efficacy of MCB, induced response in surface temperature and precipitation patterns, and ENSO are examined. The results suggest that (a) single hemisphere MCB deployment in midlatitude regions shifts the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and (b) midlatitude MCB deployment over both hemispheres during fall and winter delivers climate outcomes with the least side effects.

KW - CESM2

KW - GeoMIP

KW - climate change

KW - climate intervention

KW - marine cloud brightening

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105007889548

U2 - 10.1029/2025GL115359

DO - 10.1029/2025GL115359

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105007889548

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 52

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 12

M1 - e2025GL115359

ER -

Impact of Seasonality on Climate Outcomes for Mid Latitude Marine Cloud Brightening

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Keywords

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