relatively standard. Thus, when an abrupt change in one grid is detected, it means that the difference between the two states before and after the abrupt change of this moment has the biggest amplitude by comparing with the other moment. Taking fig. A3 for example, we know that both the two series have two abrupt changes in moment t1 and t2 respectively. However, when we detect the abrupt chang...

Abrupt climate change The nonlinearity of the climate system may lead to abrupt climate change, sometimes called rapid climate change, abrupt events or even surprises. The term abrupt often refers to time scales faster than the typical time scale of the responsible forcing. However, not all abrupt climate changes need be externally forced. Some possible abrupt events that have been proposed inc...

Hypotheses and inferences concerning the nature of abrupt climate change, exemplified by the Dansgaard–Oeschger (D–O) events, are reviewed. There is little concrete evidence that these events are more than a regional Greenland phenomenon. The partial coherence of ice core yO and CH4 is a possible exception. Claims, however, of D–O presence in most remote locations cannot be distinguished from t...

First, we review the evidence that abrupt climate changes have occurred in the past and then demonstrate that climate models have developing capacity to simulate many of these changes. In particular, the processes by which changes in the ocean circulation drive abrupt changes appear to be captured by climate models to a degree that is encouraging. The evidence that past changes in the ocean hav...