Thermodynamics of Climate Change: Generalized Sensitivities

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how climate system thermodynamics respond to CO2 levels using a simplified model, revealing linear relationships and systemic changes in efficiency, irreversibility, and entropy production with warming.

Contribution

It introduces generalized sensitivities linking thermodynamic properties to CO2 concentration, providing new insights into climate system behavior under increased greenhouse gases.

Findings

Thermodynamic properties vary linearly with log(CO2)

Climate becomes less efficient and more irreversible with warming

Entropy production increases as the climate warms

Abstract

Using a recently developed formalism, we present an in-depth analysis of how the thermodynamics of the climate system varies with CO2 concentration by performing experiments with a simplified yet Earth-like climate model. We find that, in addition to the globally averaged surface temperature, the intensity of the Lorenz energy cycle, the Carnot efficiency, the entropy production and the degree of irreversibility of the system are linear with the logarithm of the CO2 concentration. The generalized sensitivities proposed here suggest that the climate system becomes less efficient, more irreversible, and features higher entropy production as it becomes warmer.