SENSITIVITY OF THE IAP 2-LEVEL AGCM TO SURFACE ALBEDO VARIATIONS

Two numerical experiments were performed for sensitivity study of surf ace albedo, one was a control run in which the albedo values for snow- free surfaces were prescribed as constant; the other was a sensitivity run in which an albedo with seasonal variation was incorporated into the model show that the simulation of precipitation is sensitive to th e surface albedo variations, especially those over Eastern Asia and th e Sahara. Changes in surface albedo also have an impact on the monthly mean sea level pressure, especially on the July-mean Western Pacific subtropical high. Surface air temperature decreased over most of the E astern Asia but increases over most of the Antarctica in July.