Elevation-dependent cooling caused by volcanic eruptions during the last millennium

Amplified warming over high-elevation regions has been observed in recent decades, affecting mountain hydrological systems, ecosystems, and socioeconomic development. However, whether natural forcing in the past caused similar elevation-dependent temperature changes is unclear. Because limited observational data constrain our understanding of such elevation-dependent temperature changes and the corresponding mechanisms, here we use multi-model long-term simulations to show that elevation-dependent cooling (EDC) occurred after major volcanic eruptions during the last millennium. We propose two physical mechanisms responsible for the EDC: a reduction in latent heat release related to the tropical deep convection, serving as the large-scale background climate change; feedbacks involving snow albedo and surface received short-wave radiation, serving as the local processes. These findings improve our understanding of the physical mechanisms behind elevation-dependent temperature changes, and provide insights for future climate projections considering both natural forcing and greenhouse gas increases.