A Climatology of Midlatitude Continental Clouds from the ARM SGP Central Facility. Part II: Cloud Fraction and Surface Radiative Forcing

2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 1765-1783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiquan Dong ◽  
Baike Xi ◽  
Patrick Minnis
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Surface Albedo ◽  
Cloud Fraction ◽  
Total Cloud Cover ◽  
Cloud Radiative Forcing ◽  
Low Clouds ◽  
High Clouds ◽  
Central Facility

Abstract Data collected at the Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) Central Facility (SCF) are analyzed to determine the monthly and hourly variations of cloud fraction and radiative forcing between January 1997 and December 2002. Cloud fractions are estimated for total cloud cover and for single-layered low (0–3 km), middle (3–6 km), and high clouds (>6 km) using ARM SCF ground-based paired lidar–radar measurements. Shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) fluxes are derived from up- and down-looking standard precision spectral pyranometers and precision infrared radiometer measurements with uncertainties of ∼10 W m−2. The annual averages of total and single-layered low-, middle-, and high-cloud fractions are 0.49, 0.11, 0.03, and 0.17, respectively. Both total- and low-cloud amounts peak during January and February and reach a minimum during July and August; high clouds occur more frequently than other types of clouds with a peak in summer. The average annual downwelling surface SW fluxes for total and low clouds (151 and 138 W m−2, respectively) are less than those under middle and high clouds (188 and 201 W m−2, respectively), but the downwelling LW fluxes (349 and 356 W m−2) underneath total and low clouds are greater than those from middle and high clouds (337 and 333 W m−2). Low clouds produce the largest LW warming (55 W m−2) and SW cooling (−91 W m−2) effects with maximum and minimum absolute values in spring and summer, respectively. High clouds have the smallest LW warming (17 W m−2) and SW cooling (−37 W m−2) effects at the surface. All-sky SW cloud radiative forcing (CRF) decreases and LW CRF increases with increasing cloud fraction with mean slopes of −0.984 and 0.616 W m−2 %−1, respectively. Over the entire diurnal cycle, clouds deplete the amount of surface insolation more than they add to the downwelling LW flux. The calculated CRFs do not appear to be significantly affected by uncertainties in data sampling and clear-sky screening. Traditionally, cloud radiative forcing includes not only the radiative impact of the hydrometeors, but also the changes in the environment. Taken together over the ARM SCF, changes in humidity and surface albedo between clear and cloudy conditions offset ∼20% of the NET radiative forcing caused by the cloud hydrometeors alone. Variations in water vapor, on average, account for 10% and 83% of the SW and LW CRFs, respectively, in total cloud cover conditions. The error analysis further reveals that the cloud hydrometeors dominate the SW CRF, while water vapor changes are most important for LW flux changes in cloudy skies. Similar studies over other locales are encouraged where water and surface albedo changes from clear to cloudy conditions may be much different than observed over the ARM SCF.

scholarly journals Responses of Tropical and Subtropical High-Cloud Statistics to Global Warming

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (20) ◽  
pp. 7753-7768 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. T. Noda ◽  
M. Satoh ◽  
Y. Yamada ◽  
C. Kodama ◽  
T. Seiki
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
High Cloud ◽  
Cloud Radiative Forcing ◽  
Almost All ◽  
High Clouds ◽  
Horizontal Grid

Abstract Data from global high-resolution, nonhydrostatic simulations, covering a 1-yr period and with horizontal grid sizes of 7 and 14 km, were analyzed to evaluate the response of high cloud to global warming. The results indicate that, in a warmer atmosphere, high-cloud cover increases robustly and associated longwave (LW) cloud radiative forcing (CRF) increases on average. To develop a better understanding of high-cloud responses to climate change, the geographical distribution of high-cloud size obtained from the model was analyzed and compared with observations. In warmer atmospheres, the contribution per cloud to CRF decreases for both the LW and shortwave (SW) components. However, because of significant increases in the numbers of high clouds in almost all cloud size categories, the magnitude of both LW and SW CRF increases in the simulations. In particular, the contribution from an increase in the number of smaller clouds has more effect on the CRF change. It was also found that the ice and liquid water paths decrease in smaller clouds and that particularly the former contributes to reduced LW CRF per high cloud.

scholarly journals Spectral and Broadband Longwave Downwelling Radiative Fluxes, Cloud Radiative Forcing, and Fractional Cloud Cover over the South Pole

2005 ◽  
Vol 18 (20) ◽  
pp. 4235-4252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael S. Town ◽  
Von P. Walden ◽  
Stephen G. Warren
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
South Pole ◽  
The South ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Cloud Radiative Forcing ◽  
Clear Sky ◽  
Fractional Cloud ◽  
Visual Observations

Abstract Annual cycles of downwelling broadband infrared radiative flux and spectral downwelling infrared flux were determined using data collected at the South Pole during 2001. Clear-sky conditions are identified by comparing radiance ratios of observed and simulated spectra. Clear-sky fluxes are in the range of 110–125 W m−2 during summer (December–January) and 60–80 W m−2 during winter (April–September). The variability is due to day-to-day variations in temperature, strength of the surface-based temperature inversion, atmospheric humidity, and the presence of “diamond dust” (near-surface ice crystals). The persistent presence of diamond dust under clear skies during the winter is evident in monthly averages of clear-sky radiance. About two-thirds of the clear-sky flux is due to water vapor, and one-third is due to CO2, both in summer and winter. The seasonal constancy of this approximately 2:1 ratio is investigated through radiative transfer modeling. Precipitable water vapor (PWV) amounts were calculated to investigate the H2O/CO2 flux ratio. Monthly mean PWV during 2001 varied from 1.6 mm during summer to 0.4 mm during winter. Earlier published estimates of PWV at the South Pole are similar for winter, but are 50% lower for summer. Possible reasons for low earlier estimates of summertime PWV are that they are based either on inaccurate hygristor technology or on an invalid assumption that the humidity was limited by saturation with respect to ice. The average fractional cloud cover derived from the spectral infrared data is consistent with visual observations in summer. However, the wintertime average is 0.3–0.5 greater than that obtained from visual observations. The annual mean of longwave downwelling cloud radiative forcing (LDCRF) for 2001 is about 23 W m−2 with no apparent seasonal cycle. This is about half that of the global mean LDCRF; the low value is attributed to the small optical depths and low temperatures of Antarctic clouds.

scholarly journals Climatology of Surface Meteorology, Surface Fluxes, Cloud Fraction, and Radiative Forcing over the Southeast Pacific from Buoy Observations

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (20) ◽  
pp. 5527-5540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virendra P. Ghate ◽  
Bruce A. Albrecht ◽  
Christopher W. Fairall ◽  
Robert A. Weller
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Latent Heat Flux ◽  
Seasonal Variability ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Cloud Fraction ◽  
Cloud Radiative Forcing ◽  
Southeast Pacific ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Highly Correlated

Abstract A 5-yr climatology of the meteorology, including boundary layer cloudiness, for the southeast Pacific region is presented using observations from a buoy located at 20°S, 85°W. The sea surface temperature and surface air temperature exhibit a sinusoidal seasonal cycle that is negatively correlated with surface pressure. The relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction show little seasonal variability. But the advection of cold and dry air from the southeast varies seasonally and is highly correlated with the latent heat flux variations. A simple model was used to estimate the monthly cloud fraction using the observed surface downwelling longwave radiative flux and surface meteorological parameters. The annual cycle of cloud fraction is highly correlated to that of S. A. Klein: lower-tropospheric stability parameter (0.87), latent heat flux (−0.59), and temperature and moisture advection (0.60). The derived cloud fraction compares poorly with the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP)-derived low-cloud cover but compares well (0.86 correlation) with ISCCP low- plus middle-cloud cover. The monthly averaged diurnal variations in cloud fraction show marked seasonal variability in the amplitude and temporal structure. The mean annual cloud fraction is lower than the mean annual nighttime cloud fraction by about 9%. Annual and diurnal cycles of surface longwave and shortwave cloud radiative forcing were also estimated. The longwave cloud radiative forcing is about 45 W m−2 year-round, but, because of highly negative shortwave cloud radiative forcing, the net cloud radiative forcing is always negative with an annual mean of −50 W m−2.

scholarly journals Relationship between cloud radiative forcing, cloud fraction and cloud albedo, and new surface-based approach for determining cloud albedo

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 7155-7170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Liu ◽  
W. Wu ◽  
M. P. Jensen ◽  
T. Toto
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Cloud Fraction ◽  
Shortwave Radiation ◽  
Cloud Radiative Forcing ◽  
Analytical Expression ◽  
Cloud Albedo ◽  
Annual Variations ◽  
Hourly Data ◽  
Radiation Parameterizations

Abstract. This paper focuses on three interconnected topics: (1) quantitative relationship between surface shortwave cloud radiative forcing, cloud fraction, and cloud albedo; (2) surface-based approach for measuring cloud albedo; (3) multiscale (diurnal, annual and inter-annual) variations and covariations of surface shortwave cloud radiative forcing, cloud fraction, and cloud albedo. An analytical expression is first derived to quantify the relationship between cloud radiative forcing, cloud fraction, and cloud albedo. The analytical expression is then used to deduce a new approach for inferring cloud albedo from concurrent surface-based measurements of downwelling surface shortwave radiation and cloud fraction. High-resolution decade-long data on cloud albedos are obtained by use of this surface-based approach over the US Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiaton Measurement (ARM) Program at the Great Southern Plains (SGP) site. The surface-based cloud albedos are further compared against those derived from the coincident GOES satellite measurements. The three long-term (1997–2009) sets of hourly data on shortwave cloud radiative forcing, cloud fraction and cloud albedo collected over the SGP site are analyzed to explore the multiscale (diurnal, annual and inter-annual) variations and covariations. The analytical formulation is useful for diagnosing deficiencies of cloud-radiation parameterizations in climate models.

scholarly journals Surface and top-of-atmosphere radiative feedback kernels for CESM-CAM5

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 317-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angeline G. Pendergrass ◽  
Andrew Conley ◽  
Francis M. Vitt
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Surface Albedo ◽  
Large Ensemble ◽  
Radiative Fluxes ◽  
Radiative Feedback ◽  
Ensemble Simulations ◽  
Temperature Water

Abstract. Radiative kernels at the top of the atmosphere are useful for decomposing changes in atmospheric radiative fluxes due to feedbacks from atmosphere and surface temperature, water vapor, and surface albedo. Here we describe and validate radiative kernels calculated with the large-ensemble version of CAM5, CESM1.1.2, at the top of the atmosphere and the surface. Estimates of the radiative forcing from greenhouse gases and aerosols in RCP8.5 in the CESM large-ensemble simulations are also diagnosed. As an application, feedbacks are calculated for the CESM large ensemble. The kernels are freely available at https://doi.org/10.5065/D6F47MT6, and accompanying software can be downloaded from https://github.com/apendergrass/cam5-kernels.

scholarly journals Arctic Cloud Fraction and Radiative Fluxes in Atmospheric Reanalyses

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 2316-2334 ◽  
Author(s):  
John E. Walsh ◽  
William L. Chapman ◽  
Diane H. Portis
Keyword(s):  
Surface Energy ◽  
Energy Budget ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Fraction ◽  
Surface Energy Budget ◽  
Japan Meteorological Agency ◽  
Central Research ◽  
Radiative Fluxes ◽  
Arctic Clouds ◽  
Cloud Radiative Forcing

Abstract Arctic radiative fluxes, cloud fraction, and cloud radiative forcing are evaluated from four currently available reanalysis models using data from the North Slope of Alaska (NSA) Barrow site of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM). A primary objective of the ARM–NSA program is to provide a high-resolution dataset of direct measurements of Arctic clouds and radiation so that global climate models can better parameterize high-latitude cloud radiative processes. The four reanalysis models used in this study are the 1) NCEP–NCAR global reanalysis, 2) 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40), 3) NCEP–NCAR North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR), and 4) Japan Meteorological Agency and Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry 25-yr Reanalysis (JRA25). The reanalysis models simulate the radiative fluxes well if/when the cloud fraction is simulated correctly. However, the systematic errors of climatological reanalysis cloud fractions are substantial. Cloud fraction and radiation biases show considerable scatter, both in the annual mean and over a seasonal cycle, when compared to those observed at the ARM–NSA. Large seasonal cloud fraction biases have significant impacts on the surface energy budget. Detailed comparisons of ARM and reanalysis products reveal that the persistent low-level cloud fraction in summer is particularly difficult for the reanalysis models to capture creating biases in the shortwave radiation flux that can exceed 160 W m−2. ERA-40 is the best performer in both shortwave and longwave flux seasonal representations at Barrow, largely because its simulation of the cloud coverage is the most realistic of the four reanalyses. Only two reanalyses (ERA-40 and NARR) capture the observed transition from positive to negative surface net cloud radiative forcing during a 2–3-month period in summer, while the remaining reanalyses indicate a net warming impact of Arctic clouds on the surface energy budget throughout the entire year. The authors present a variable cloud radiative forcing metric to diagnose the erroneous impact of reanalysis cloud fraction on the surface energy balance. The misrepresentations of cloud radiative forcing in some of the reanalyses are attributable to errors in both simulated cloud amounts and the models’ radiative response to partly cloudy conditions.

Mass flux estimates and their relationship to cloud-base cloudiness during the EUREC4A campaign

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphaela Vogel ◽  
Sandrine Bony ◽  
Anna Lea Albright ◽  
Bjorn Stevens ◽  
Geet George ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Flux ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Cloud Fraction ◽  
Cloud Feedback ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Entrainment Rate ◽  
Cumulus Cloud ◽  
Total Cloud Cover

<p>The trade-cumulus cloud feedback in climate models is mostly driven by changes in cloud-base cloudiness, which can largely be attributed to model differences in the strength of lower-tropospheric mixing. Using observations from the recent EUREC<sup>4</sup>A field campaign, we test the hypothesis that enhanced lower-tropospheric mixing dries the lower cloud layer and reduces near-base cloudiness. The convective mass flux at cloud base is used as a proxy for the strength of convective mixing and is estimated as the residual of the subcloud layer mass budget, which is derived from dropsondes intensively launched along a circle of ~200 km diameter. The cloud-base cloud fraction is measured with horizontally-pointing lidar and radar from an aircraft flying near cloud base within the circle area. Additional airborne, ground- and ship-based radar, lidar and in-situ measurements are used to estimate the total cloud cover, the surface fluxes and to validate the consistency of the approach.</p><p>Preliminary mass flux estimates have reasonable mean values of about 15 mm/s. 3- circle (i.e. 3h) averaged estimates range between 0-40 mm/s and reveal substantial day-to-day and daily variability. The day-to-day variability in the mass flux is mostly due to variability in the mesoscale vertical velocity, whereas the entrainment rate mostly explains variability on the daily timescale, consistent with previous large-eddy simulations. We find the mass flux to be positively correlated to both the cloud-base cloud fraction and the total cloud cover (R=0.55 and R~0.4, respectively). Other indicators of lower-tropospheric mixing due to convection and mesoscale circulations also suggest positive relationships between mixing and cloudiness. Implications of these analyses for testing the hypothesized mechanism of positive trade-cumulus cloud feedback will be discussed.</p>

scholarly journals Transmission of Solar Radiation by Clouds over Snow and Ice Surfaces. Part II: Cloud Optical Depth and Shortwave Radiative Forcing from Pyranometer Measurements in the Southern Ocean

2005 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 4637-4648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie F. Fitzpatrick ◽  
Stephen G. Warren
Keyword(s):  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Sea Ice ◽  
Optical Depth ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Surface Albedo ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Cloud Optical Depth ◽  
Cloud Radiative Forcing

Abstract Downward solar irradiance at the sea surface, measured on several voyages of an icebreaker in the Southern Ocean, is used to infer transmittance of solar radiation by clouds. Together with surface albedo estimated from coincident hourly sea ice reports, instantaneous cloud radiative forcing and effective cloud optical depth are obtained. Values of “raw cloud transmittance” (trc), the ratio of downward irradiance under cloud to downward irradiance measured under clear sky, vary from 0.1 to 1.0. Over sea ice, few values of trc were observed between 0.8 and 1.0, possibly due to the threshold nature of the aerosol-to-cloud-droplet transition. This sparsely populated region of transmittances is referred to as the Köhler gap. The instantaneous downward shortwave cloud radiative forcing is computed, as well as the time-averaged net forcing. The net forcing at a solar zenith angle of 60° is typically −250 W m−2 over open ocean, but only half this value over sea ice because of the higher surface albedo and less frequent occurrence of clouds. “Effective” optical depths τ (for a radiatively equivalent horizontally homogeneous cloud) are classified by season and surface type. The frequency distributions of τ are well fitted by decaying exponentials, giving a characteristic optical depth of 15 at 47°S, increasing to 24 in the region of maximum cloud cover at 58°S, and decreasing to 11 at 67°S near the coast of Antarctica.

scholarly journals Cloud radiative forcing intercomparison between fully coupled CMIP5 models and CERES satellite data

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 793-807 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Calisto ◽  
D. Folini ◽  
M. Wild ◽  
L. Bengtsson
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Cmip5 Models ◽  
Radiative Fluxes ◽  
Cloud Radiative Forcing ◽  
Summer Hemisphere ◽  
Intercomparison Project ◽  
Annual Means ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract. In this paper, radiative fluxes for 10 years from 11 models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and from CERES satellite observations have been analyzed and compared. Under present-day conditions, the majority of the investigated CMIP5 models show a tendency towards a too-negative global mean net cloud radiative forcing (NetCRF) as compared to CERES. A separate inspection of the long-wave and shortwave contribution (LWCRF and SWCRF) as well as cloud cover points to different shortcomings in different models. Models with a similar NetCRF still differ in their SWCRF and LWCRF and/or cloud cover. Zonal means mostly show excessive SWCRF (too much cooling) in the tropics between 20° S and 20° N and in the midlatitudes between 40 to 60° S. Most of the models show a too-small/too-weak LWCRF (too little warming) in the subtropics (20 to 40° S and N). Difference maps between CERES and the models identify the tropical Pacific Ocean as an area of major discrepancies in both SWCRF and LWCRF. The summer hemisphere is found to pose a bigger challenge for the SWCRF than the winter hemisphere. The results suggest error compensation to occur between LWCRF and SWCRF, but also when taking zonal and/or annual means. Uncertainties in the cloud radiative forcing are thus still present in current models used in CMIP5.

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