Climate Feedback Parameter

A way to quantify the radiative response of the climate system to a global surface temperature change induced by a radiative forcing (units: W m^–2 °C^–1). It varies as the inverse of the effective climate sensitivity. Formally, the Climate Feedback Parameter (Λ) is defined as: Λ = (ΔQ – ΔF) / ΔT, where Q is the global mean radiative forcing, T is the global mean air surface temperature, F is the heat flux into the ocean and Δ represents a change with respect to an unperturbed climate.

Definition courtesy of IPCC AR4.