scholarly journals Radiative budget and cloud radiative effect over the Atlantic from ship based observations

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 2011-2042 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kalisch ◽  
A. Macke
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Type ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Radiative Fluxes ◽  
Stratus Clouds ◽  
Solar Cooling ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effect ◽  
Single Column ◽  
Single Column Model ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effects ◽  
The Mean

Abstract. The aim of this study is to determine cloud-type resolved cloud radiative budgets and cloud radiative effects from surface measurements of broadband radiative fluxes over the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, based on simultaneous observations of the state of the cloudy atmosphere a radiative closure study has been performed by means of the ECHAM5 single column model in order to identify the models ability to realistically reproduce the effects of clouds on the climate system. An extensive data base of radiative and atmospheric measurements has been established along five meridional cruises of the German research icebreaker POLARSTERN. Besides pyranometer and pyrgeometer for downward broadband solar and thermal radiative fluxes, a sky imager and a microwave radiometer have been utilized to determine cloud fraction and cloud type on the one hand and temperature and humidity profiles as well as liquid water path for warm non-precipitating clouds on the other hand. Averaged over all cruise tracks we obtain a total net (solar + thermal) radiative flux of 144 W m−2 that is dominated by the solar component. In general, the solar contribution is large for cirrus clouds and small for stratus clouds. No significant meridional dependencies were found for the surface radiation budgets and cloud effects. The strongest surface longwave cloud effects were shown in the presence of low level clouds. Clouds with a high optical density induce strong negative solar radiative effects under high solar altitudes. The mean surface net cloud radiative effect is −34 W m−2. For the purpose of quickly estimating the mean surface longwave, shortwave and net cloud effects in moderate, subtropical and tropical climate regimes a new parameterisation was created, considering the total cloud amount and the solar zenith angle. The ECHAM5 single column model provides a surface net cloud effect that is more cooling by 16 W m−2 compared to the radiation observations. This overestimation in solar cooling is mostly caused by the shortwave impact of convective clouds. The latter show a large overestimation in solar cooling of up to 112 W m−2. Mean cloud radiative effects of cirrus and stratus clouds were simulated close to the observations.

scholarly journals Radiative budget and cloud radiative effect over the Atlantic from ship-based observations

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. 2391-2401 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kalisch ◽  
A. Macke
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Type ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Radiative Fluxes ◽  
Stratus Clouds ◽  
Solar Cooling ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effect ◽  
Single Column ◽  
Single Column Model ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effects ◽  
The Mean

Abstract. The aim of this study is to determine cloud-type resolved cloud radiative budgets and cloud radiative effects from surface measurements of broadband radiative fluxes over the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, based on simultaneous observations of the state of the cloudy atmosphere, a radiative closure study has been performed by means of the ECHAM5 single column model in order to identify the model's ability to realistically reproduce the effects of clouds on the climate system. An extensive database of radiative and atmospheric measurements has been established along five meridional cruises of the German research icebreaker Polarstern. Besides pyranometer and pyrgeometer for downward broadband solar and thermal radiative fluxes, a sky imager and a microwave radiometer have been utilized to determine cloud fraction and cloud type on the one hand and temperature and humidity profiles as well as liquid water path for warm non-precipitating clouds on the other hand. Averaged over all cruise tracks, we obtain a total net (solar + thermal) radiative flux of 144 W m−2 that is dominated by the solar component. In general, the solar contribution is large for cirrus clouds and small for stratus clouds. No significant meridional dependencies were found for the surface radiation budgets and cloud effects. The strongest surface longwave cloud effects were shown in the presence of low level clouds. Clouds with a high optical density induce strong negative solar radiative effects under high solar altitudes. The mean surface net cloud radiative effect is −33 W m−2. For the purpose of quickly estimating the mean surface longwave, shortwave and net cloud effects in moderate, subtropical and tropical climate regimes, a new parameterisation was created, considering the total cloud amount and the solar zenith angle. The ECHAM5 single column model provides a surface net cloud effect that is more cooling by 17 W m−2 compared to the radiation observations. This overestimation in solar cooling is mostly caused by the shortwave impact of convective clouds. The latter show a large overestimation in solar cooling of up to 114 W m−2. Mean cloud radiative effects of cirrus and stratus clouds were simulated close to the observations.

scholarly journals The Role of Cloud Radiative Heating in Determining the Location of the ITCZ in Aquaplanet Simulations

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 2741-2763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryce E. Harrop ◽  
Dennis L. Hartmann
Keyword(s):  
Hadley Circulation ◽  
Radiative Heating ◽  
Moisture Convergence ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Onset Of Convection ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effect ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effects ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The relationship between the tropical circulation and cloud radiative effect is investigated. Output from the Clouds On–Off Klimate Intercomparison Experiment (COOKIE) is used to examine the impact of cloud radiative effects on circulation and climate. In aquaplanet simulations with a fixed SST pattern, the cloud radiative effect leads to an equatorward contraction of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and a reduction of the double ITCZ problem. It is shown that the cloud radiative heating in the upper troposphere increases the temperature, weakens CAPE, and inhibits the onset of convection until it is closer to the equator, where SSTs are higher. Precipitation peaks at higher values in a narrower band when the cloud radiative effects are active, compared to when they are inactive, owing to the enhancement in moisture convergence. Additionally, cloud–radiation interactions strengthen the mean meridional circulation and consequently enhance the moisture convergence. Although the mean tropical precipitation decreases, the atmospheric cloud radiative effect has a strong meridional gradient, which supports stronger poleward energy flux and speeds up the Hadley circulation. Cloud radiative heating also enhances cloud water path (liquid plus ice), which, combined with the reduction in precipitation, suggests that the cloud radiative heating reduces precipitation efficiency in these models.

scholarly journals The Impact of Cloud Radiative Effects on the Tropical Tropopause Layer Temperatures

Atmosphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Fu ◽  
Maxwell Smith ◽  
Qiong Yang
Keyword(s):  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Heating Rates ◽  
Tropical Tropopause Layer ◽  
Tropical Tropopause ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effect ◽  
Single Column ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effects ◽  
Cold Point ◽  
The Impact

A single-column radiative-convective model (RCM) is a useful tool to investigate the physical processes that determine the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) temperature structures. Previous studies on the TTL using the RCMs, however, omitted the cloud radiative effects. In this study, we examine the impact of cloud radiative effects on the simulated TTL temperatures using an RCM. We derive the cloud radiative effects based on satellite observations, which show heating rates in the troposphere but cooling rates in the stratosphere. We find that the cloud radiative effect warms the TTL by as much as 2 K but cools the lower stratosphere by as much as −1.5 K, resulting in a thicker TTL. With (without) considering cloud radiative effects, we obtain a convection top of ≈167 hPa (≈150 hPa) with a temperature of ≈213 K (≈209 K), and a cold point at ≈87 hPa (≈94 hPa) with a temperature of ≈204 K (≈204 K). Therefore, the cloud radiative effects widen the TTL by both lowering the convection-top height and enhancing the cold-point height. We also examine the impact of TTL cirrus radiative effects on the RCM-simulated temperatures. We find that the TTL cirrus warms the TTL with a maximum temperature increase of ≈1.3 K near 110 hPa.

Reassessing the Effect of Cloud Type on Earth’s Energy Balance in the Age of Active Spaceborne Observations. Part I: Top of Atmosphere and Surface

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (19) ◽  
pp. 6197-6217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tristan S. L’Ecuyer ◽  
Yun Hang ◽  
Alexander V. Matus ◽  
Zhien Wang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Vertical Structure ◽  
Classical Problem ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Solar Absorption ◽  
Structure Information ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effect ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effects

AbstractThis study revisits the classical problem of quantifying the radiative effects of unique cloud types in the era of spaceborne active observations. The radiative effects of nine cloud types, distinguished based on their vertical structure defined by CloudSat and CALIPSO observations, are assessed at both the top of the atmosphere and the surface. The contributions from single- and multilayered clouds are explicitly diagnosed. The global, annual mean net cloud radiative effect at the top of the atmosphere is found to be −17.1 ± 4.2 W m−2 owing to −44.2 ± 2 W m−2 of shortwave cooling and 27.1 ± 3.7 W m−2 of longwave heating. Leveraging explicit cloud base and vertical structure information, we further estimate the annual mean net cloud radiative effect at the surface to be −24.8 ± 8.7 W m−2 (−51.1 ± 7.8 W m−2 in the shortwave and 26.3 ± 3.8 W m−2 in the longwave). Multilayered clouds are found to exert the strongest influence on the top-of-atmosphere energy balance. However, a strong asymmetry in net cloud radiative cooling between the hemispheres (8.6 W m−2) is dominated by enhanced cooling from stratocumulus over the southern oceans. It is found that there is no corresponding asymmetry at the surface owing to enhanced longwave emission by southern ocean clouds in winter, which offsets a substantial fraction of their impact on solar absorption in summer. Thus the asymmetry in cloud radiative effects is entirely realized as an atmosphere heating imbalance between the hemispheres.

scholarly journals Impact of convective downdrafts on model simulations: results from aqua-planet integrations

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1877-1887 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sahany ◽  
R. S. Nanjundiah
Keyword(s):  
Convective Available Potential Energy ◽  
Cloud Forcing ◽  
Cumulus Scheme ◽  
Single Column ◽  
Single Column Model ◽  
Convective Scale ◽  
Low Cloud ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The role of convective scale downdrafts has been examined, using the NCAR-CAM3.0 aqua-planet configuration. We find that, convective downdrafts make the atmosphere more unstable thus increasing the convective available potential energy (CAPE) of the atmosphere. It is noticed that, although the rate of CAPE consumption increases with the incorporation of downdrafts, the generation of CAPE increases with a higher rate. Also, it is noted that there is a reduction in the deep convective rainfall, with the inclusion of downdrafts, which is primarily due to the re-evaporation of precipitation within the downdrafts. There is a large increase in the low cloud fraction and the shortwave cloud forcing with the inclusion of convective scale downdrafts in the cumulus scheme, which along with the evaporation within the downdraft causes cooling in the troposphere. This is in contrast to previous studies on the impact of downdrafts using single column models. In Zhang and McFarlane (1995), using a single column model, it was shown that with the increase in the strength of the downdrafts, there was a reduction in CAPE. In the present study, using an aqua-planet framework, it is shown that CAPE is actually found to increase when the downdrafts are incorporated into the cumulus scheme, as compared to the case when there are no downdrafts. The rate of CAPE consumption which, is the same as the rate of stabilization of the atmosphere, is found to increase, but the mean CAPE as such is higher compared to the case when there are no downdrafts.

scholarly journals Aerosol–cloud interactions studied with the chemistry-climate model EMAC

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 21975-22043 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Y. Chang ◽  
H. Tost ◽  
B. Steil ◽  
J. Lelieveld
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Osmotic Coefficient ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Aerosol Cloud ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effect ◽  
Albedo Effect ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effects ◽  
High Clouds

Abstract. This study uses the EMAC atmospheric chemistry-climate model to simulate cloud properties and estimate cloud radiative effects induced by aerosols. We have tested two prognostic cloud droplet nucleation parameterizations, i.e., the standard STN (osmotic coefficient model) and hybrid (HYB, replacing the osmotic coefficient by the κ hygroscopicity parameter) schemes to calculate aerosol hygroscopicity and critical supersaturation, and consider aerosol–cloud feedbacks with a focus on warm clouds. Both prognostic schemes (STN and HYB) account for aerosol number, size and composition effects on droplet nucleation, and are tested in combination with two different cloud cover parameterizations, i.e., a relative humidity threshold and a statistical cloud cover scheme (RH-CLC and ST-CLC). The use of either STN and HYB leads to very different cloud radiative effects, particularly over the continents. The STN scheme predicts highly effective CCN activation in warm clouds and hazes/fogs near the surface. The enhanced CCN activity increases the cloud albedo effect of aerosols and cools the Earth's surface. The cooler surface enhances the hydrostatic stability of the lower continental troposphere and thereby reduces convection and convective precipitation. In contrast, the HYB simulations calculate lower, more realistic CCN activation and consequent cloud albedo effect, leading to relatively stronger convection and high cloud formation. The enhanced high clouds increase greenhouse warming and moderate the cooling effect of the low clouds. With respect to the cloud radiative effects, the statistical ST-CLC scheme shows much higher sensitivity to aerosol–cloud coupling for all continental regions than the RH-CLC threshold scheme, most pronounced for low clouds but also for high clouds. Simulations of the short wave cloud radiative effect at the top of the atmosphere in ST-CLC are a factor of 2–8 more sensitive to aerosol coupling than the RH-CLC configurations. The long wave cloud radiative effect responds about a factor of 2 more sensitively. Our results show that the coupling with the HYB scheme (κ approach) outperforms the coupling with STN (osmotic coefficient), and also provides a more straightforward approach to account for physicochemical effects on aerosol activation into cloud droplets. Accordingly, the sensitivity of CCN activation to chemical composition is highest in HYB. Overall, the prognostic schemes of cloud cover and cloud droplet formation help improve the agreement between model results and observations, and for the ST-CLC scheme it seems to be a necessity.

scholarly journals Quantifying Diurnal Cloud Radiative Effects by Cloud Type in the Tropical Western Pacific

2015 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 1297-1312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Casey D. Burleyson ◽  
Charles N. Long ◽  
Jennifer M. Comstock
Keyword(s):  
Diurnal Cycle ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
Surface Radiation ◽  
Radiation Budget ◽  
Cloud Type ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Surface Radiation Budget ◽  
Tropical Western Pacific ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effects

AbstractCloud radiative effects are examined using long-term datasets collected at the U.S. Department of Energy’s three Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program Climate Research Facilities in the tropical western Pacific Ocean. The surface radiation budget, cloud populations, and cloud radiative effects are quantified by partitioning the data by cloud type, time of day, and large-scale modes of variability such as El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phase and wet/dry seasons at Darwin, Australia. The novel aspect of this analysis is the breakdown of aggregate cloud radiative effects by cloud type across the diurnal cycle. The Nauru Island (Republic of Nauru) cloud populations and subsequently the surface radiation budget are strongly impacted by ENSO variability, whereas the cloud populations over Manus Island (Papua New Guinea) shift only slightly in response to changes in ENSO phase. The Darwin site exhibits large seasonal monsoon-related variations. When present, deeper convective clouds have a strong influence on the amount of radiation that reaches the surface. Their limited frequency reduces their aggregate radiative impact, however. The largest source of shortwave cloud radiative effects at all three sites comes from low clouds. The observations are used to demonstrate that potential model biases in the amplitude of the diurnal cycle and mean cloud frequency would lead to larger errors in the surface energy budget when compared with biases in the timing of the diurnal cycle of cloud frequency. These results provide solid benchmarks to evaluate model simulations of cloud radiative effects in the tropics.

scholarly journals The Signature of Shallow Circulations, Not Cloud Radiative Effects, in the Spatial Distribution of Tropical Precipitation

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (23) ◽  
pp. 9489-9505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dagmar Fläschner ◽  
Thorsten Mauritsen ◽  
Bjorn Stevens ◽  
Sandrine Bony
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Velocity ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
General Circulation Models ◽  
Tropical Circulation ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Tropical Precipitation ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effects ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Moist Static Energy Budget ◽  
Static Energy

Recent research suggests cloud–radiation interaction as key for intermodel differences in tropical precipitation change with warming. This motivates the hypothesis that intermodel differences in the climatology of precipitation, and in its response to warming, should reduce in the absence of cloud–radiation interaction. The hypothesis is explored with the aquaplanet simulations by the Clouds On-Off Klimate Intercomparison Experiment performed by seven general circulation models, wherein atmospheric cloud radiative effects (ACREs) are active (ACRE-on) and inactive (ACRE-off). Contrary to expectation, models’ climatology of tropical precipitation are more diverse in the ACRE-off experiments, as measured by the position of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), the subtropical precipitation minima, and the associated organization of the tropical circulation. Also the direction of the latitudinal shift of the ITCZ differs more in simulations with inactive cloud radiative effects. Nevertheless, both in ACRE-on and ACRE-off, the same relationship between tropical precipitation and the mean vertical velocity (zonally, temporally, and vertically averaged) emerges in all models. An analysis framework based on the moist static energy budget and used in the moisture space is then developed to understand what controls the distribution of the mean vertical velocity. The results suggest that intermodel differences in tropical circulation and zonal-mean precipitation patterns are most strongly associated with intermodel differences in the representation of shallow circulations that connect dry and moist regions.

Regional and Seasonal Influence of Cloud Radiative Effects on CMIP6 Model Climate Sensitivity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bithi De ◽  
George Tselioudis
Keyword(s):  
Climate Sensitivity ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Seasonal Influence ◽  
Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effect ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effects ◽  
The Relationship

<p>Recent analyses of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) models have shown higher climate sensitivities than previously reported, and this increase has been preliminary attributed to the simulation of anomalous Shortwave Cloud Radiative Effect (SWCRE) over the southern midlatitude regions. In this work, we further explore how the seasonal and annual SWCRE over different regions of the globe influence the model climate sensitivities. Our study suggests a significant contribution of SWCRE on climate sensitivities in both northern and southern midlatitudes; and the relationship remains robust across the seasons. Additionally, we assess the underlying physics of the inter-model spread to diagnose model biases. The results will contribute to quantify the severity of the Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity, as simulated by the CMIP6 models.</p>

scholarly journals Cloud Properties Simulated by a Single-Column Model. Part I: Comparison to Cloud Radar Observations of Cirrus Clouds

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 1428-1445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yali Luo ◽  
Steven K. Krueger ◽  
Shrinivas Moorthi
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Radar Observations ◽  
Column Model ◽  
Cloud Radar ◽  
Single Column ◽  
Single Column Model ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Horizontal Inhomogeneity ◽  
Ice Water

Abstract This study describes and demonstrates a new method for identifying deficiencies in how cloud processes are represented in large-scale models. Kilometer-scale-resolving cloud radar observations and cloud-resolving model (CRM) simulations were used to evaluate the representation of cirrus clouds in the single-column model (SCM) version of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Global Forecast System model for a 29-day period during June and July 1997 at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program site in Oklahoma. To produce kilometer-scale cirrus statistics from the SCM results, synthetic subgrid-scale (SGS) cloud fields were generated using the SCM’s cloud fraction and hydrometeor content profiles, and the SCM’s cloud overlap and horizontal inhomogeneity assumptions. Three sets of SCM synthetic SGS cloud fields were analyzed. Two NOSNOW sets were produced in which clouds did not include snow; one set used random overlap, the other, maximum/random. In the SNOW set, clouds included snow and random overlap was used. The three sets were sampled in the same way as the cloud-radar-detected cloud fields and the CRM-simulated cloud fields. The mean cirrus cloud occurrence frequency for the SCM NOSNOW cloud fields agrees with the observed value as well as the CRM’s does, while that for SCM SNOW cloud fields is only half that observed. In most aspects, the SCM’s cirrus properties differ significantly from the cloud radar’s and the CRM’s, which generally agree. In comparison, there are too many physically thin SCM NOSNOW cirrus layers (most occupy only a single model layer) and too many physically thick SCM SNOW cirrus layers (most are thicker than 4 km). For the optically thin subset of cirrus layers, 1) the mean, mode, and median ice water path, and layer-mean ice water content (IWC) values for the SCM are significantly larger than the observed and CRM values; 2) the SCM layer-mean IWCs decrease with cloud physical thickness, opposite to the observations and CRM results; and 3) the range of layer-mean effective radii in the SCM thin cirrus is too narrow.

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