title: Scaling of atmosphere and ocean temperature correlations in observations and climate models.
abstract: Power-law scaling of near surface air temperature fluctuations and its geographical distribution is analyzed in 100-yr observations and in a 1000-yr simulation of the present-day climate with a complex atmosphere-ocean model. In observations and simulation detrended fluctuation analysis leads to the scaling exponent alpha approximately 1 over the oceans, alpha approximately 0.5 over the inner continents, and alpha approximately 0.65 in transition regions [spectrum S(f) approximately f(-beta),beta=2alpha-1]. Scaling up to decades is demonstrated in observations and coupled atmosphere-ocean models with complex and mixed-layer oceans. Only with the complex ocean model the simulated power laws extend up to centuries.
authors.affiliation: Meteorologisches Institut, Universität Hamburg, Bundesstrasse 55, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany. fraedrich@dkrz.de
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fraedrich
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blender