Exploring the Climatic Effects of Anthropogenic Heat Release Due To Energy Consumption in Southwest China in Boreal Summer Using VR-CESM2

Abstract

With the growth of the economy and population, along with the development of urbanization in southwest China (SWC), the impacts of anthropogenic heat release (AHR) from energy consumption on the climate in this region have gradually increased. This study uses the high-resolution variable-resolution Community Earth System Model Version 2 (VR-CESM2) to simulate the impacts of AHR on the summer climate in SWC from 1995 to 2014 while also exploring the possible climate feedback mechanisms considering the complex terrain of SWC. The results indicate that AHR significantly enhanced southeastward moisture transport and weakened southwestward moisture transport in SWC. This shift results in increased vertical upward motion over the western Sichuan Basin and the western and southeastern parts of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, leading to increased precipitation with a regional average increase of 0.1 mm per day. AHR contributes to wetter summers in SWC and increased cloud cover, which further affects the surface energy balance. In the Sichuan Basin, AHR significantly raised summer temperatures, with a regional average increase of 0.04°C; in some areas, temperatures have risen by as much as 0.4°C. Compared to previous findings obtained from coarse-resolution models, the high-resolution VR-CESM model provided a more accurate simulation of the climatic effects of AHR, as it better accommodates the unique terrain of SWC. In summary, this study uses the high-resolution VR-CESM2 to explore the impacting mechanisms of AHR on the climate in SWC, which is crucial for understanding climate change in this region.