海-陆-气全球耦合模式能量收支的误差

通过分析GOALS模式两个版本GOALS 1.1和GOALS 2的能量收支 ,并与观测对比 ,结果表明 :模式模拟的地表净短波辐射通量在高纬地区偏低 ,而净长波辐射通量又偏高 ,导致极地表面温度偏低 ,感热通量在高纬地区为很高的负值。而在陆地上感热加热作用显著偏强 ,使地表有较大的向上净能量给大气 ,引起陆地上有些暖中心也偏强 ,这也解释了模式模拟地表面空气温度场的误差原因。海洋上潜热通量偏低 ,特别是在副热带洋面上偏少更明显。陆地上的欧亚和北美大陆大部分地区潜热通量仍偏低。这也是模式降水在大部分地区偏少的重要原因。两模式大气顶OLR偏低的模拟主要是在中低纬度 ,大气顶净短波辐射通量的模拟在中低纬度虽然与NCEP结果接近 ,但与地球辐射收支试验ERBE资料比较仍偏小较多 ,说明改进中低纬度云 辐射参数化方案对改进全球能量收支的模拟有重要意义。GOALS 2模式中诊断云方案模拟的云量除赤道地区外普遍偏小 ,尤以中纬度为甚 ,造成那里能量收支出现大的误差 ,这表明了更好的云参数化方案的引入是今后模式发展的重要任务之一     

南海夏季风爆发前后海-气界面热交换特征

文中利用 2 0 0 0与 2 0 0 2年二次南海海 气通量观测资料和同期西沙站资料 ,研究了南海夏季风爆发前后海洋表面热收支变化特征。研究表明 :南海夏季风爆发前后 ,影响海面热收支变化的主要分量是净短波辐射通量和潜热通量 ,在季风爆发前后不同阶段 ,二个分量的变化有不同表现形式 ,但不论二者如何变化 ,季风爆发与活跃期 ,海面热收入减小或为净支出 ;季风爆发前及中断期间 ,海面热收入逐渐增加 ;由于大的热惯性 ,海温变化落后于海面热收支的变化 ,海温的这种滞后效应通过影响潜热通量调节海面热收支的变化 ,又反过来影响自身的变化 ,形成短期振荡过程 ,这种振荡过程与季风的活跃、中断过程相对应。     

LASG Global AGCM with a Two-moment Cloud Microphysics Scheme:Energy Balance and Cloud Radiative Forcing Characteristics

Cloud dominates influence factors of atmospheric radiation, while aerosol–cloud interactions are of vital importance in its spatiotemporal distribution. In this study, a two-moment(mass and number) cloud microphysics scheme, which significantly improved the treatment of the coupled processes of aerosols and clouds, was incorporated into version 1.1 of the IAP/LASG global Finite-volume Atmospheric Model(FAMIL1.1). For illustrative purposes, the characteristics of the energy balance and cloud radiative forcing(CRF) in an AMIP-type simulation with prescribed aerosols were compared with those in observational/reanalysis data. Even within the constraints of the prescribed aerosol mass, the model simulated global mean energy balance at the top of the atmosphere(TOA) and at the Earth's surface, as well as their seasonal variation, are in good agreement with the observational data. The maximum deviation terms lie in the surface downwelling longwave radiation and surface latent heat flux, which are 3.5 W m-2(1%) and 3 W m-2(3.5%), individually. The spatial correlations of the annual TOA net radiation flux and the net CRF between simulation and observation were around 0.97 and 0.90, respectively. A major weakness is that FAMIL1.1 predicts more liquid water content and less ice water content over most oceans. Detailed comparisons are presented for a number of regions, with a focus on the Asian monsoon region(AMR). The results indicate that FAMIL1.1 well reproduces the summer–winter contrast for both the geographical distribution of the longwave CRF and shortwave CRF over the AMR. Finally, the model bias and possible solutions, as well as further works to develop FAMIL1.1 are discussed.     

The role of shallow convection in the water and energy cycles of the atmosphere

The Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM4) is used to study the role of shallow convection in the hydrologic and energy cycles of the atmosphere. Sensitivity tests with AGCM4 show a marked effect of the parameterization of shallow convection in the model. In particular, including the parameterization of shallow convection produces considerably enhanced vertical mixing and decreased stratiform cloud amounts in the lower subtropical atmosphere over the oceans. The differences in simulated stratiform cloud amounts are associated with a change in the globally averaged outgoing shortwave radiative flux at the top of the atmosphere of about 11 W m⁻². Additionally, precipitation rates are considerably reduced for stratiform clouds and enhanced for convective clouds in the subtropics, if the parameterization of shallow convection is included in the model. Additional tests show that the simulated responses in cloud amounts and precipitation to the treatment of shallow convection are robust. Additional simulations with modified closures for deep convection and other changes to the treatment of convection in the model still lead to similar responses of the model results.     

Climate change and the regulation of the surface moisture and energy budgets

The increase in the vigor of the hydrological cycle simulated in a 2 × CO₂ experiment with the Canadian Climate Centre general circulation model is smaller than that obtained by other models which have similar increases in mean surface temperature. The surface energy budget, which encompasses also the moisture budget for the oceans, is analyzed. Changes in the net radiative input to and sensible heat flux from the surface act to warm it. This is balanced, at the new equilibrium, by a change in the latent heat flux which acts to cool it. Although this same general behavior is seen in other models, the increase in radiative input to the surface in the CCC GCM is smaller than in other models while the change in the sensible heat flux is of similar size. As a consequence, the latent heat flux required for balance is smaller. The comparatively small increase in the net radiative input at the surface occurs because of a decrease in the solar component. On average the decrease in solar input in the tropical region outweighs the higher latitude increase associated with the snow/ice albedo feedback. The notable tropical decrease in solar input occurs because the albedo of the clouds increase enough in this region to outweigh a small decrease in cloud amount. The increase in cloud albedo in the warmer and moister tropical atmosphere is a consequence of the parameterized cloud optical properties in the model which play an important role in the regulation of the surface energy and moisture budgets. The results demonstrate some of the consequences of the negative feedback mechanism associated with increasing cloud albedo in the model. They also suggest that the simulated change in the vigor of the hydrological cycle is not a simple function of the average increase in surface temperature but is a consequence of all of the processes in the model which control the available energy at the surface as a function of latitude.     

Impacts of an improved low-level cloud scheme on the eastern Pacific ITCZ-cold tongue complex

A statistically-based low-level cloud parameterization scheme is introduced, modified, and applied in the Flexible coupled General Circulation Model (FGCM-0). It is found that the low-level cloud scheme makes improved simulations of low-level cloud fractions and net surface shortwave radiation fluxes in the subtropical eastern oceans off western coasts in the model. Accompanying the improvement in the net surface shortwave radiation fluxes, the simulated distribution of SSTs is more reasonably asymmetrical about the equator in the tropical eastern Pacific, which suppresses, to some extent, the development of the double ITCZ in the model. Warm SST biases in the ITCZ north of the equator are more realistically reduced, too. But the equatorial cold tongue is strengthened and extends further westward, which reduces the precipitation rate in the western equatorial Pacific but increases it in the ITCZ north of the equator in the far eastern Pacific. It is demonstrated that the low-level cloud-radiation feedback would enhance the cooperative feedback between the equatorial cold tongue and the ITCZ. Based on surface layer heat budget analyses, it is demonstrated that the reduction of SSTs is attributed to both the thermodynamic cooling process modified by the increase of cloud fractions and the oceanic dynamical cooling processes associated with the strengthened surface wind in the eastern equatorial Pacific, but it is mainly attributed to oceanic dynamical cooling processes associated with the strengthening of surface wind in the central and western equatorial Pacific.     

RegCM4区域气候模式对新疆地区冬季地表状态的模拟分析

利用区域气候模式Reg CM4.3(Regional Climate Mode version 4.3)对新疆地区冬季的地表状态进行了模拟分析,通过与ERA40再分析资料的对比分析发现,温度分布形势模拟较好,地面热力状态受地形影响显著,陡峭地形附近由于热性质差异大和非均匀性强会导致较大模拟误差;模式较好模拟出降水和潜热通量北疆多南疆少,山区多盆地少的分布特征,模拟出通过反照率影响,地表吸收的短波辐射呈现出沙漠腹地吸收多而天山地区吸收少的分布,对北疆呈感热通量汇而南疆呈感热通量源的感热分布形势也模拟较好;模拟的雪水当量与降水分布有较好的一致性,春季融雪径流与冬季雪水当量分布及降水均有较好的对应关系。通过模拟分析也发现,现有方案实际感热通量计算中以地面温度代替地面位温,造成感热通量偏小,因此会低估南疆感热源效应和高估北疆感热汇效应。此外,积雪量和地面温度模拟偏高可能是春季北疆主要积雪区径流偏强的原因。     

Asymmetry of surface climate change under RCP2.6 projections from the CMIP5 models

The multi-model ensemble (MME) of 20 models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase Five (CMIP5) was used to analyze surface climate change in the 21st century under the representative concentration pathway RCP2.6, to reflect emission mitigation efforts. The maximum increase of surface air temperature (SAT) is 1.86°C relative to the pre-industrial level, achieving the target to limit the global warming to 2°C. Associated with the “increase-peak-decline” greenhouse gases (GHGs) concentration pathway of RCP2.6, the global mean SAT of MME shows opposite trends during two time periods: warming during 2006–55 and cooling during 2056–2100. Our results indicate that spatial distribution of the linear trend of SAT during the warming period exhibited asymmetrical features compared to that during the cooling period. The warming during 2006–55 is distributed globally, while the cooling during 2056–2100 mainly occurred in the NH, the South Indian Ocean, and the tropical South Atlantic Ocean. Different dominant roles of heat flux in the two time periods partly explain the asymmetry. During the warming period, the latent heat flux and shortwave radiation both play major roles in heating the surface air. During the cooling period, the increase of net longwave radiation partly explains the cooling in the tropics and subtropics, which is associated with the decrease of total cloud amount. The decrease of the shortwave radiation accounts for the prominent cooling in the high latitudes of the NH. The surface sensible heat flux, latent heat flux, and shortwave radiation collectively contribute to the especial warming phenomenon in the high-latitude of the SH during the cooling period.     

Influences of Two Convective Schemes on the Radiative Energy Budget in GAMIL1.0

The Grid-point Atmospheric Model of IAP LASG version 1.0 (GAMIL1.0) is used to investigate the impacts of different convective schemes on the radiative energy budget.The two convective schemes are Zhang and McFarlance (1995)/Hack (1994) (ZM) and Tiedtke (1989)/Nordeng (1994) (TN).Two simulations are performed:one with the ZM scheme (EX_ZM) and the other with the TN scheme (EX_TN).The results indicate that during the convective process,more water vapor consumption and temperature increment are found in the EX_ZM,especially in the lower model layer,its environment is therefore very dry.In contrast,there is a moister atmosphere in the EX_TN,which favors low cloud formation and large-scale condensation,and hence more low cloud fraction,higher cloud water mixing ratio,and deeper cloud extinction optical depth are simulated,reflecting more solar radiative flux in the EX_TN.This explains why the TN scheme underestimates the net shortwave radiative flux at the top of the atmosphere and at surface.In addition,convection influences longwave radiation,surface sensible and latent heat fluxes through changes in cloud emissivity and precipitation.     

两种对流参数化方案对辐射能量收支的影响研究

利用中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室的格点大气环流模式(GAMIL)1.0版设计了两组数值模拟实验来研究两种不同的对流参数化方案对辐射能量收支的影响.这两种对流参数化方案分别是:Zhang and McFarlance/Hack方案(简称ZM)和Tiedtke/Nordeng方案(简称 TN).对应的数值模拟实验分别取名为EX-ZM和EX-TN.通过对实验结果的分析表明:在对流过程中,EX-ZM允许深对流和浅对流同时发生,因此两种对流同时在模式低层消耗了更多的水汽,释放了更多的潜热,引起了更大的增温;EX_TN每次只允许一种对流发生,也就避免了不同类型的对流在同一层同时消耗水汽的现象.因此对流过后,EX-ZM的环境空气相对湿度较小,而EX-TN周围空气的相对湿度较大,有利于低云云量的生成和大尺度的凝结,因此EX-TN模拟的低云云量偏多,低层的云水含量偏高,模式低层的云光学厚度偏大,这就使得EX_TN中更多的太阳短波辐射通量被云反射掉,严重低估了模式对短波波段的辐射通量的模拟.此外,不同的对流参数化方案通过改变云的长波发射率和降水,进而影响了模式对长波波段的辐射通量、感热和潜热通量的模拟.     

Regional climate simulation with a high resolution GCM: surface radiative fluxes

The ability of a high resolution (T106) version of the ECHAM3 general circulation model to simulate regional scale surface radiative fluxes has been assessed using observations from a new compilation of worldwide instrumentally-measured surface fluxes (Global Energy Balance Archive, GEBA). The focus is on the European region where the highest density of observations is found, and their use for the validation of global and regional climate models is demonstrated. The available data allow a separate assessment of the simulated fluxes of surface shortwave, longwave, and net radiation for this region. In summer, the incoming shortwave radiation calculated by the ECHAM3/T106 model is overestimated by 45 W m^–2 over most of Europe, which implies a largely unrealistic forcing on the model surface scheme and excessive surface temperatures. In winter, too little incoming shortwave radiation reaches the model surface. Similar tendencies are found over large areas of the mid-latitudes. These biases are consistent with deficiencies in the simulation of cloud amount, relative humidity and clear sky radiative transfer. The incoming longwave radiation is underestimated at the European GEBA stations predominantly in summer. This largely compensates for the excessive shortwave flux, leading to annual mean net radiation values over Europe close to observations due to error cancellation, a feature already noted in the simulated global mean values in an earlier study. Furthermore, the annual cycle of the simulated surface net radiation is strongly affected by the deficiencies in the simulated incoming shortwave radiation. The high horizontal resolution of the GCM allows an assessment of orographically induced flux gradients based on observations from the European Alps. Although the model-calculated and observed flux fields substantially differ in their absolute values, several aspects of their gradients are realistically captured. The deficiencies identified in the model fields are generally consistent at most stations, indicating a high degree of representativeness of the measurements for their larger scale setting.     

Subdaily to Seasonal Change of Surface Energy and Water Flux of the Haihe River Basin in China: Noah and Noah-MP Assessment

The land surface processes of the Noah-MP and Noah models are evaluated over four typical landscapes in the Haihe River Basin(HRB) using in-situ observations. The simulated soil temperature and moisture in the two land surface models(LSMs) is consistent with the observation, especially in the rainy season. The models reproduce the mean values and seasonality of the energy fluxes of the croplands, despite the obvious underestimated total evaporation. Noah shows the lower deep soil temperature. The net radiation is well simulated for the diurnal time scale. The daytime latent heat fluxes are always underestimated, while the sensible heat fluxes are overestimated to some degree. Compared with Noah, Noah-MP has improved daily average soil heat flux with diurnal variations. Generally, Noah-MP performs fairly well for different landscapes of the HRB. The simulated cold bias in soil temperature is possibly linked with the parameterized partition of the energy into surface fluxes. Thus, further improvement of these LSMs remains a major challenge.     

Sensitivity of the Grid-point Atmospheric Model of IAP LASG （GAMILI.I.0） Climate Simulations to Cloud Droplet Effective Radius and Liquid Water Path

This paper documents a study to examine the sensitivity to cloud droplet effective radius and liquid water path and the alleviation the energy imbalance at the top of the atmosphere and at the surface in the latest version of the Grid-point Atmospheric Model of the State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics （LASG）, Institute of Atmospheric Physics （IAP） （GAMIL1.1.0）. Considerable negative biases in all flux components, and thus an energy imbalance, are found in GAMIL1.1.0. In order to alleviate the energy imbalance, two modifications, namely an increase in cloud droplet effective radius and a decrease in cloud liquid water path, have been made to the cloud properties used in GAMIL. With the increased cloud droplet effective radius, the single scattering albedo of clouds is reduced, and thus the reflection of solar radiation into space by clouds is reduced and the net solar radiation flux at the top of the atmosphere is increased. With the reduced cloud optical depth, the net surface shortwave radiation flux is increased, causing a net warming over the land surface. This results in an increase in both sensible and latent heat fluxes over the land regions, which is largely balanced by the increased terrestrial radiation fluxes. Consequently, the energy balance at the top of atmosphere and at the surface is achieved with energy flux components consistent with available satellite observations.     

SHAW模式的改进及其在黄土高原半干旱区的模拟研究

陆面过程模拟研究中的一个关键问题是如何准确的计算陆气间能量交换,但现有的陆面过程模式模拟的湍流通量与观测值间仍然存在较大偏差,因此改进湍流通量的参数化方案对于提高陆面过程模式模拟能力有重要意义。本研究通过改进陆面过程模式SHAW中的热力粗糙度方案,以及引入干表层蒸发方案,以期改善湍流通量的模拟能力。在此基础上利用黄土高原半干旱区SACOL站观测资料,进行模式改进前后的单点模拟对比试验,研究其参数化方案改进对陆面过程模拟的影响。结果表明:改进后的SHAW模式能够合理地模拟黄土高原半干旱区陆面特征的变化趋势,模拟值与观测值偏差较小。与原来的SHAW模式模拟结果相比,改进后的SHAW_MOD模式显著提高了湍流通量的模拟能力,并改善了净辐射和深层土壤温度的模拟,但对土壤湿度的改进并不明显,这可能与土壤内部水热传输过程及相关参数化方案有关,还有待做进一步研究。     

CLM在淮河流域数值模拟试验

文中利用 1998年HUCEX资料对CommonLandModel(CLM )的模拟能力进行了验证。结果表明 ,CLM不但能够较好地模拟陆 气间各种能量通量 ,而且还能模拟出土壤中温度的时空分布特征。春季 ,CLM对潜热模拟偏高 ,从而引起土壤温度模拟偏低 ;而在夏季 ,潜热模拟偏低 ,在旱地下垫面由于净辐射模拟偏低使土壤温度的模拟仍然偏低 ,水田下垫面的土壤温度模拟趋向合理。夏季的水田无论在对大气的能量输送还是土壤的温度分布上 ,都有其特殊性 ,需在陆面模式中予以特殊的考虑。     

气候模式中云的次网格结构对全球辐射影响的研究

利用一种用于大尺度天气、气候模式的随机云产生器(SCG)和独立气柱近似(ICA)辐射算法,研究了次网格云的水平结构以及垂直重叠结构对全球辐射场的影响.比较了水平非均匀云(IHCLD)和水平均匀云(HCLD)的辐射场差异以及云的最大.随机重叠(MRO)和一般重叠(GenO)的辐射场差异.结果显示,与HCLD相比,IHCLD一方面可增加地面净短波辐射通量,纬向平均最大值(约1W/m~2)和次大值(约0.6 W/m~2)分别位于高纬度低云密集地区和对流旺盛的热带地区;另一方面可增加大气顶的净长波辐射通量,纬向平均最大值(0.3 W/m~2)出现在热带地区.不同的重叠结构对短波和长波辐射收支也有很大的影响.MRO和GenO的短波辐射通量差异在热带辐合带最大.达到30-40W/m~2,在高纬度低云带的纬向平均也可达到5W/m~2左右;长波辐射通量差异具有相似的地区分布,但量值相对较小.不同重叠结构可以造成大气上下层的辐射加热率差异,影响大气热力层结.云的水平和垂直结构对有云区域辐射收支的影响将改变大气热力、动力状况以及水汽条件,从而影响模拟的气候系统的演变.文中采用单向云-辐射计算,排除了与气候系统其他过程复杂的相互作用,从而使其结果具有一定的普适性,可为不同大尺度模式进行次网格云辐射参数化提供参考.     

Understanding the Surface Temperature Cold Bias in CMIP5 AGCMs over the Tibetan Plateau

The temperature biases of 28 CMIP5 AGCMs are evaluated over the Tibetan Plateau(TP) for the period 1979–2005. The results demonstrate that the majority of CMIP5 models underestimate annual and seasonal mean surface 2-m air temperatures(T_(as)) over the TP. In addition, the ensemble of the 28 AGCMs and half of the individual models underestimate annual mean skin temperatures(T_s) over the TP. The cold biases are larger in T_(as) than in T_s, and are larger over the western TP. By decomposing the T_s bias using the surface energy budget equation, we investigate the contributions to the cold surface temperature bias on the TP from various factors, including the surface albedo-induced bias, surface cloud radiative forcing, clear-sky shortwave radiation, clear-sky downward longwave radiation, surface sensible heat flux, latent heat flux,and heat storage. The results show a suite of physically interlinked processes contributing to the cold surface temperature bias.Strong negative surface albedo-induced bias associated with excessive snow cover and the surface heat fluxes are highly anticorrelated, and the cancelling out of these two terms leads to a relatively weak contribution to the cold bias. Smaller surface turbulent fluxes lead to colder lower-tropospheric temperature and lower water vapor content, which in turn cause negative clear-sky downward longwave radiation and cold bias. The results suggest that improvements in the parameterization of the area of snow cover, as well as the boundary layer, and hence surface turbulent fluxes, may help to reduce the cold bias over the TP in the models.     

利用生物圈模型 (SiB2) 模拟青藏高原那曲草原近地面层能量收支

模式所需要的参数被合理地设置之后, 根据GAME/ Tibet (GEWEX亚洲季风试验/青藏高原试验) 那曲近地层观测站的资料, 将大气强迫变量代入SiB2(Simple Biosphere model version2), 文章模拟了该观测站地表能量收支。结果表明:SiB2能够较好地模拟青藏高原的能量收支情况, 净辐射、潜热通量和土壤热通量的模拟值和观测值吻合, 它们的相对误差分别为8% (低估)、6% (低估) 和3 %(低估)。同时, SiB2高估感热通量达40%。文章还给出了能量各分量的详细比较分析。     

Causes of WRF surface energy fluxes biases in a stratocumulus region

In this study, we evaluate the ability of the Weather Research and Forecasting model to simulate surface energy fluxes in the southeast Pacific stratocumulus region. A total of 18 simulations is performed for the period of October to November 2008, with various combinations of boundary layer, microphysics, and cumulus schemes. Simulated surface energy fluxes are compared to those measured during VOCALS-REx. Using a process-based model evaluation, errors in surface fluxes are attributed to errors in cloud properties. Net surface flux errors are mostly traceable to errors in cloud liquid water path (LWP_cld), which produce biases in downward shortwave radiation. Two mechanisms controlling LWP_cld are diagnosed. One involves microphysics schemes, which control LWP_cld through the production of raindrops. The second mechanism involves boundary layer and cumulus schemes, which control moisture available for cloud by regulating boundary layer height. In this study, we demonstrate that when parameterizations are appropriately chosen, the stratocumulus deck and the related surface energy fluxes are reasonably well represented. In the most realistic experiments, the net surface flux is underestimated by about 10 W m^?2. This remaining low bias is due to a systematic overestimation of the total surface cooling due to sensible and latent heat fluxes in our simulations. There does not appear to be a single physical reason for this bias. Finally, our results also suggest that inaccurate representation of boundary layer height is an important factor limiting further gains in model realism.     

The disposition of radiative energy in the global climate system: GCM-calculated versus observational estimates

 A comprehensive dataset of direct observations is used to assess the representation of surface and atmospheric radiation budgets in general circulation models (GCMs). Based on combined measurements of surface and collocated top-of-the-atmosphere fluxes at more than 700 sites, a lack of absorption of solar radiation within the atmosphere is identified in the ECHAM3 GCM, indicating that the shortwave atmospheric absorption calculated in the current generation of GCMs, typically between 60 and 70 Wm^-2, is too low by 10–20 Wm^-2. The surface and atmospheric radiation budgets of a new version of the Max-Planck Institute GCM, the ECHAM4, differ considerably from other GCMs in both short- and longwave ranges. The amount of solar radiation absorbed in the atmosphere (90 Wm^-2) is substantially larger than typically found in current GCMs, resulting in a lower absorption at the surface (147 Wm^-2). It is shown that this revised disposition of solar energy within the climate system generally reduces the biases compared to the observational estimates of surface and atmospheric absorption. The enhanced shortwave absorption in the ECHAM4 atmosphere is due to an increase in both simulated clear-sky and cloud absorption compared to ECHAM3. The increased absorption in the cloud-free atmosphere is related to an enhanced absorption of water vapor, and is supported in stand-alone comparisons of the radiation scheme with synchronous observations. The increased cloud absorption, on the other hand, is shown to be predominantly spurious due to the coarse spectral resolution of the ECHAM4 radiation code, thus providing no physical explanation for the “anomalous cloud absorption” phenomenon. Quantitatively, however, an additional increase of atmospheric absorption due to clouds as in ECHAM4 is, at least at low latitudes, not in conflict with the observational estimates, though this does not rule out the possibility that other effects, such as highly absorbing aerosols, could equally contribute to close the gap between models and observations. At higher latitudes, however, the increased cloud absorption is not supported by the observational dataset. Overall, this study points out that not only the clouds, but also the cloud-free atmosphere might be responsible for the discrepancies between observational and simulated estimates of shortwave atmospheric absorption. The smaller absorption of solar radiation at the surface in ECHAM4 is compensated by an increased downward longwave flux (344 Wm^-2), which is larger than in other GCMs. The enhanced downward longwave flux is supported by surface measurements and by a stand-alone validation of the radiation scheme for clear-sky conditions. The enhanced flux also ensures that a sufficient amount of energy is available at the surface to maintain a realistic intensity of the global hydrological cycle. In contrast, a one-handed revision of only the shortwave radiation budget to account for the increased shortwave absorption in GCM atmospheres may induce a global hydrological cycle that is too weak. Received: 26 February 1998 / Accepted: 18 May 1998