July 17, 2023 – Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) have identified similar patterns of greenhouse gas warming on Earth and temperate terrestrial planets, which could provide new insights for predicting and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

A new study published in Nature Scientific Reports explores the effects of adding greenhouse gases to the atmospheres of Earth and TRAPPIST-1e, an Earth-like exoplanet, located in a region outside the solar system where liquid water is most likely to be present.

Researchers found that adding CO₂ leads to heightened warming in those areas shielded from direct sunlight, specifically the night side and polar regions. These localized temperature changes can bring about significant alterations in global circulation.

Using ExoCAM and CMIP6 climate model simulations, the researchers found that introducing a greater amount of CO2 into the atmosphere enhances temporal stability near the surface but decreases stability at low pressures. Surprisingly, this observation holds true for both Earth and TRAPPIST-1e, despite their distinct climate states.

According to Dr. Assaf Hochman, from the Hebrew University Institute of Earth Sciences, “These findings shed light on the complex interactions between greenhouse gases and climate dynamics, offering crucial insights into exoplanet habitability. Studying Earth’s climate dynamics also becomes pivotal in identifying and characterizing potentially habitable worlds beyond our solar system.”

Dr. Thaddeus D. Komacek from the University of Maryland, College Park, and Paolo De Luca from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center were co-researchers in this study.