Earth System Dynamics www.earth-syst-dynam.net 2190-4979 2190-4987 2 2 2011 10.5194/esd-2-213-2011 http://www.earth-syst-dynam.net/2/213/2011/ http://www.earth-syst-dynam.net/2/213/2011/esd-2-213-2011.html http://www.earth-syst-dynam.net/2/213/2011/esd-2-213-2011.pdf 213 221 2011-12-15 The magnitudes and timescales of global mean surface temperature feedbacks in climate models A. Jarvis a.jarvis@lancs.ac.uk Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK Because of the fundamental role feedbacks play in determining the response of surface temperature to perturbations in radiative forcing, it is important we understand the dynamic characteristics of these feedbacks. Rather than attribute the aggregate surface temperature feedback to particular physical processes, this paper adopts a linear systems approach to investigate the partitioning with respect to the timescale of the feedbacks regulating global mean surface temperature in climate models. 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