A Nonlinear Dynamical Perspective on Climate Prediction

Abstract A nonlinear dynamical perspective on climate prediction is outlined, based on a treatment of climate as the attractor of a nonlinear dynamical system D with distinct quasi-stationary regimes. The main application is toward anthropogenic climate change, considered as the response of D to a small-amplitude imposed forcing f. The primary features of this perspective can be summarized as follows. First, the response to f will be manifest primarily in terms of changes to the residence frequency associated with the quasi-stationary regimes. Second, the geographical structures of these regimes will be relatively insensitive to f. Third, the large-scale signal will be most strongly influenced by f in rather localized regions of space and time. In this perspective, the signal arising from f will be strongly dependent of D’s natural variability. A theoretical framework for the perspective is developed based on a singular vector decomposition of D’s tangent propagator. Evidence for the dyamical perspective ...

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