Seasonal variation and physical properties of the cloud system over southeastern China derived from CloudSat products

Based on the National Centers for Environmental Prediction(NCEP) and Climate Prediction Center(CPC) Merged Analysis of Precipitation(CMAP) data and Cloud Sat products, the seasonal variations of the cloud properties, vertical occurrence frequency, and ice water content of clouds over southeastern China were investigated in this study. In the Cloud Sat data, a significant alternation in high or low cloud patterns was observed from winter to summer over southeastern China. It was found that the East Asian Summer Monsoon(EASM) circulation and its transport of moisture leads to a conditional instability, which benefits the local upward motion in summer, and thereby results in an increased amount of high cloud. The deep convective cloud centers were found to coincide well with the northward march of the EASM, while cirrus lagged slightly behind the convection center and coincided well with the outflow and meridional wind divergence of the EASM. Analysis of the radiative heating rates revealed that both the plentiful summer moisture and higher clouds are effective in destabilizing the atmosphere. Moreover, clouds heat the mid-troposphere and the cloud radiative heating is balanced by adiabatic cooling through upward motion, which causes meridional wind by the Sverdrup balance. The cloud heating–forced circulation was observed to coincide well with the EASM circulation, serving as a positive effect on EASM circulation.     

A three-dimensional study of mesoscale model response to radiative forcing

An infrared radiation parameterization has been applied to a detailed three-dimensional mesoscale model in order to determine whether radiative forcing significantly affects mesoscale atmospheric processes. By taking into account water vapor, liquid water, and carbon dioxide absorption, the scheme differentiates between cloud and clear air regions. The parametric model is presented, along with an overview of the associated mesoscale model.Comparisons between a control run in which only a uniform cooling rate of l K day^–1 is specified, and runs with the infrared scheme are made for 12-hr simulations. The major feature of the radiative forcing is seen to be strong cloud-top cooling. This leads to enhanced destabilization of the upper cloud layer, which in turn results in faster growth of clouds (and which extend to higher levels) than in the control experiment. The deeper clouds force a more vigorous secondary circulation, in which thermodynamic feedbacks between clouds and their environment are substantially stronger than in the case with only a constant cooling rate. This confirms findings made in previous studies undertaken in small-scale numerical models. The discussion also focuses upon a simulation in which the cloud-top infrared cooling has been smoothed out over neighboring vertical levels, in order to represent a cloud-top height distribution crudely. The results indicate that although the absolute values of cloud-top cooling are reduced with respect to the unfiltered case, the fact that cooling extends even higher than previously predicted leads to the formation of thicker, more vigorous clouds. These clouds interact more intensely with their environment than in the unfiltered situation, thereby considerably modifying the mesoscale atmosphere.     

Comparison of model predicted cloud parameters and surface radiative fluxes with observations on the 100 km scale

Summary Cloud parameters and surface radiative fluxes predicted by regional atmospheric models are directly compared with observations for a 10-day period in late summer 1995 characterized by predominantly large-scale synoptic conditions. Observations of total cloud cover and vertical cloud structure are inferred from measurements with a ground-based network of Lidar ceilometers and IR-radiometers and from satellite observations on a 100 kilometer scale. Ground-based observations show that at altitudes below 3 km, implying liquid water clouds, there is a considerable portion of optically non-opaque clouds. Vertical distributions of cloud temperatures simultaneously inferred from the ground-based infrared radiometer network and from satellite can only be reconciled if the occurrence of optically thin cloud structures at mid- and high tropospheric levels is assumed to be frequent. Results of three regional atmospheric models, i.e. the GKSS-REMO, SMHI-HIRLAM, and KNMI-RACMO, are quantitatively compared with the observations. The main finding is that all models predict too much cloud amount at low altitude below 900 hPa, which is then compensated by an underestimation of cloud amount around 800 hPa. This is likely to be related with the finding that all models tend to underestimate the planetary boundary layer height. All models overpredict the high-level cloud amount albeit it is difficult to quantify to what extent due to the frequent presence of optically thin clouds. Whereas reasonably alike in cloud parameters, the models differ considerably in radiative fluxes. One model links a well matching incoming solar radiation to a radiatively transparent atmosphere over a too cool surface, another model underpredicts incoming solar radiation at the surface due to a too strong cloud feedback to radiation, the last model represents all surface radiative fluxes quite well on average, but underestimates the sensitivity of atmospheric transmissivity to cloud amount. Received August 31, 2000 Revised March 15, 2001     

Vertical Structures of Convective and Stratiform Clouds in Boreal Summer over the Tibetan Plateau and Its Neighboring Regions

Cloud is essential in the atmosphere, condensing water vapor and generating strong convective or large-scale persistent precipitation. In this work, the relationships between cloud vertical macro- or microphysical properties, radiative heating rate, and precipitation for convective and stratiform clouds in boreal summer over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are analyzed and compared with its neighboring land and tropical oceans based on CloudSat/CALIPSO satellite measurements and TRMM precipitation data. The precipitation intensity caused by convective clouds is twofold stronger than that by stratiform clouds. The vertical macrophysics of both cloud types show similar features over the TP, with the region weakening the precipitation intensity and compressing the cloud vertical expansion and variation in cloud top height, but having an uplift effect on the average cloud top height. The vertical microphysics of both cloud types under conditions of no rain over the TP are characterized by lower-level ice water, ice particles with a relatively larger range of sizes, and a relatively lower occurrence of denser ice particles. The features are similar to other regions when precipitation enhances, but convective clouds gather denser and larger ice particles than stratiform clouds over the TP. The atmospheric shortwave (longwave) heating (cooling) rate strengthens with increased precipitation for both cloud types. The longwave cooling layer is thicker when the rainfall rate is less than 100 mm d^?1, but the net heating layer is typically compressed for the profiles of both cloud types over the TP. This study provides insights into the associations between clouds and precipitation, and an observational basis for improving the simulation of convective and stratiform clouds over the TP in climate models.     

Relative effects of solar and infrared radiative forcing in a mesoscale model

A new efficient parameterization scheme for solar short-wave radiative heating, as a component of the net radiative effects in the atmosphere, is tested in a three-dimensional mesoscale model. This model is designed with moist convective processes in mind, so that the radiative parameterization (solar plus thermal infrared) are interactive with the cloud field. Previous work by the authors with only an infrared scheme has demonstrated that cloud-radiation interactions are characterized by strong cloud-top cooling, leading to upper cloud-layer destabilization. The effects of including solar heating are to modulate the strength of the strong infrared cooling, thereby leading to weaker interactions between clouds, radiation, and mesoscale fields. The present study shows that even on the mesoscale and for relatively short time-spans, radiative processes in the presence of clouds are not negligible.As a further step, a simple fractional cloud cover parameterization is introduced and the model response is compared with results omitting this parameterization.     

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.     

Upscale effects in simulations of tropical convection on an equatorial beta-plane

A cloud-resolving model is configured to span the full meridional extent of the tropical atmosphere and have sufficient zonal extent to permit the representation of tropical cloud super-clusters. This is made computationally feasible by the use of anisotropic horizontal grids where one horizontal coordinate direction has over an order of magnitude finer resolution than the other direction. Typically, the meridional direction is chosen to have the coarser resolution (40 km grid spacing) and the zonal direction has enough resolution to ‘permit’ crude convective squall line ascent (1 km grid spacing). The aim was to run in cloud-resolving model (CRM) mode yet still have sufficient meridional resolution and extent to capture the equatorial trapped waves and the Hadley circulation. The large-scale circulation is driven by imposed uniform tropospheric cooling in conjunction with a fixed sea surface temperature distribution. At quasi-equilibrium the flow is characterized by sub-tropical jetstreams, tropical squall line systems that form eastward-propagating super-clusters, tropical depressions and even hurricanes.Two scientific issues are briefly addressed by the simulations: what forces the Hadley circulation and the nature of stratospheric waves appearing in the simulation. It is found that the presence of a meridional sea surface temperature gradient is not sufficient on its own to force a realistic Hadley circulation even though convection communicates the underlying temperature gradient to the atmosphere. It is shown in a simulation that accounts for the observed time and zonal-mean momentum forcing effect of large-scale eddies (originating in middle latitudes) that the heaviest precipitation is concentrated near the equator in association with moisture flux convergence driven by the Trade winds.A spectral analysis of the stratospheric waves found on the equator using the dispersion relation for equatorially-trapped waves provides strong evidence for the existence of a domain-scale Kelvin wave together with eastward and westward propagating inertia-gravity waves. The eastward-propagating stratospheric waves appear to be part of a convectively coupled wave system travelling at about 15 ms⁻¹.     

线性准地转模型中基本流和辐射冷却对感热加热强迫的副热带高压形态的影响

通过求取定常线性准地转位涡模式的数值解,研究了感热型垂直非均匀分布的冷、热源强迫所激发的副热带环流的结构特征,讨论了副热带背景风场和洋面辐射冷却对洋面副热带高压“三角形偏心”结构形成的重要作用。结果表明,基本流对感热加热强迫的副热带环流有重要影响,当基本流为常数时,感热加热强迫的气旋和反气旋主要集中在对流层中下层,且地面系统远强于中高层。当基本流为非常数时,其经向切变能改变气旋和反气旋中心的经向位置,使它移至0风速所在纬度附近;其垂直变化加强了中高层气旋和反气旋,中心位于对流层上层,与南亚高压的位置基本一致。研究结果还表明,在大洋东部洋面辐射冷却与副热带地区背景风场的共同作用下,形成了洋面副热带高压特有的“三角形偏心”结构。副热带高纬度的西风使感热强迫的洋面副热带高压东移,低纬度的东风使其西移,形成东北—西南走向的“平行四边形”结构,且中心位于大洋西部。大洋东部强洋面辐射冷却激发的洋面反气旋加强了大洋东部的副热带高压,使其中心东移至大洋东部,从而表现出东北—西南走向的“三角形偏心”结构。      

Cirrus cloud horizontal and vertical inhomogeneity effects in a GCM

Summary A set of the inhomogeneity factor for high-level clouds derived from the ISCCP D1 dataset averaged over a five-year period has been incorporated in the UCLA atmospheric GCM to investigate the effect of cirrus cloud inhomogeneity on climate simulation. The inclusion of this inhomogeneous factor improves the global mean planetary albedo by about 4% simulated from the model. It also produces changes in solar fluxes and OLRs associated with changes in cloud fields, revealing that the cloud inhomogeneity not only affects cloud albedo directly, but also modifies cloud and radiation fields. The corresponding difference in the geographic distribution of precipitation is as large as 7 mm day⁻¹. Using the climatology cloud inhomogeneity factor also produces a warmer troposphere related to changes in the cloudiness and the corresponding radiative heating, which, to some extent, corrects the cold bias in the UCLA AGCM. The region around 14 km, however, is cooler associated with increase in the reflected solar flux that leads to a warmer region above. An interactive parameterization for mean effective ice crystal size based on ice water content and temperature has also been developed and incorporated in the UCLA AGCM. The inclusion of the new parameterization produces substantial differences in the zonal mean temperature and the geographic distribution of precipitation, radiative fluxes, and cloud cover with respect to the control run. The vertical distribution of ice crystal size appears to be an important factor controlling the radiative heating rate and the consequence of circulation patterns, and hence must be included in the cloud-radiation parameterization in climate models to account for realistic cloud processes in the atmosphere.     

基于CloudSat/CALIPSO卫星资料的青藏高原云辐射及降水的研究进展

青藏高原上空的云及其相关联的降水和辐射影响了高原上空非绝热加热的空间结构。2006年卫星发射升空的CloudSat/CALIPSO卫星提供了定量的、完整的云垂直结构信息。本文回顾了国内外基于该资料进行的青藏高原上云宏观和微观结构特征,云与降水相关性,云辐射效应以及模式中的云-辐射问题方面的研究。指出抬升的青藏高原上水汽较少,限制了高原上云的垂直高度,对云层厚度和层数有显著压缩作用。在云量及其季节变化上,单层云的相对贡献大于亚洲季风区的其他区域;夏季对流云比较浅薄,积云发生频率最高,云内滴谱较宽;降水云以积云和卷云为主,云对总降水的贡献随着云层数增多而减小,降水增强时高层冰粒子的密集度趋于紧密;夏季青藏高原地区云的净辐射效应在8 km高度存在一个厚度仅1 km左右但较强的辐射冷却层,而在其下（4~7 km高度之间）为强的辐射加热层。最后展望了未来需要进一步开展的研究。     

Upscale effects in simulations of tropical convection on an equatorial beta-plane

A cloud-resolving model is configured to span the full meridional extent of the tropical atmosphere and have sufficient zonal extent to permit the representation of tropical cloud super-clusters. This is made computationally feasible by the use of anisotropic horizontal grids where one horizontal coordinate direction has over an order of magnitude finer resolution than the other direction. Typically, the meridional direction is chosen to have the coarser resolution (40 km grid spacing) and the zonal direction has enough resolution to ‘permit’ crude convective squall line ascent (1 km grid spacing). The aim was to run in cloud-resolving model (CRM) mode yet still have sufficient meridional resolution and extent to capture the equatorial trapped waves and the Hadley circulation. The large-scale circulation is driven by imposed uniform tropospheric cooling in conjunction with a fixed sea surface temperature distribution. At quasi-equilibrium the flow is characterized by sub-tropical jetstreams, tropical squall line systems that form eastward-propagating super-clusters, tropical depressions and even hurricanes.Two scientific issues are briefly addressed by the simulations: what forces the Hadley circulation and the nature of stratospheric waves appearing in the simulation. It is found that the presence of a meridional sea surface temperature gradient is not sufficient on its own to force a realistic Hadley circulation even though convection communicates the underlying temperature gradient to the atmosphere. It is shown in a simulation that accounts for the observed time and zonal-mean momentum forcing effect of large-scale eddies (originating in middle latitudes) that the heaviest precipitation is concentrated near the equator in association with moisture flux convergence driven by the Trade winds.A spectral analysis of the stratospheric waves found on the equator using the dispersion relation for equatorially-trapped waves provides strong evidence for the existence of a domain-scale Kelvin wave together with eastward and westward propagating inertia-gravity waves. The eastward-propagating stratospheric waves appear to be part of a convectively coupled wave system travelling at about 15 ms⁻¹.     

单层不同类型云系统的特性及高云重叠的影响

通过时空匹配主动遥感产品（2B-CLDCLASS-LIDAR）的云类型参数与被动遥感产品（Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System-Single Scanner Footprint: CERES-SSF）的云宏微观物理特性和大气层顶处辐射通量参数（2007/01~2010/12），本文在全球尺度上统计分析了不同类型单层云以及高云重叠的双层云的云特性和大气层顶云辐射强迫。尽管主动和被动卫星遥感产品相互独立，但被动遥感反演的云光学厚度和云相态等参数能够合理反映不同类型云之间的差异。不同类型单层云表现出的云特性差异能进一步影响大气层顶的辐射能量收支。本文通过对比不同类型单层云的Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System（CERES）视场样本数量随短波和长波云辐射强迫的分布，发现它们的高值区形状、位置和面积存在差异，反映了其各自独特的辐射特性。层积云的CERES视场样本数量密集区类似椭球结构，而其它云类型则趋于指数曲线结构。当进一步考虑高云重叠的影响时，统计结果表明:重叠的高云比高云单层状态有更蔽光和更厚的云体；高云重叠的底层云类型则比其单层状态有更透光和更薄的云体；高云重叠的双层云（除了高云重叠积云）对地气系统的净冷却效应要弱于其低层云类型单层状态。本文研究结果旨在加深理解云辐射反馈机制，并为改进模式中云重叠参数化方案提供一定观测依据。     

RADIATIVE AND MICROPHYSICAL EFFECTS OF ICE CLOUDS ON A TORRENTIAL RAINFALL EVENT OVER HUNAN, CHINA

The radiative and microphysical effects of ice clouds on a torrential rainfall event over Hunan,China in June 2004 are investigated by analyzing the sensitivity of cloud-resolving model simulations.The model is initialized by zonally-uniform vertical velocity,zonal wind,horizontal temperature and vapor advection from National Centers for Environmental Prediction(NCEP) /National Center for Atmospheric Research(NCAR) reanalysis data.The exclusion of radiative effects of ice clouds increases model domain mean surface rain rates through the increase in the mean net condensation associated with the increase in the mean radiative cooling during the onset phase and the increases in the mean net condensation and the mean hydrometeor loss during the mature phase.The decrease in the mean rain rate corresponds to the decreased mean net condensation and associated mean latent heat release as the enhanced mean radiative cooling by the removal of radiative effects of ice clouds cools the mean local atmosphere during the decay phase.The removal of microphysical effects of ice clouds decreases the mean rain rates through the decrease in the mean net condensation during the onset phase,while the evolution of mean net condensation and the mean hydrometeor changes from decrease to increase during the mature phase.The reduction in the mean rain rate is primarily associated with the mean hydrometeor change in the absence of microphysical effects of ice clouds during the decay phase.     

云辐射效应在华北持续性大雾维持和发展中的作用

观测研究发现华北地区的持续性大雾天气通常伴随高层云的存在,具有云-雾共存结构特征,为揭示云在持续性大雾维持和发展中的作用,利用中尺度数值模式WRF,结合华北雾霾观测试验期间的卫星、探空、地面观测、系留气艇、微波辐射计等观测资料,研究了2011年12月3—6日和2013年1月28—31日两次华北持续性大雾天气形成和发展演变过程。在模拟与观测对比检验研究的基础上,重点开展了云辐射效应在大雾维持和发展中作用的探讨。研究结果表明:两次大雾过程持续时间超过48 h,近地面具有偏南暖湿平流,在持续性大雾发展过程中,均出现了由单层雾发展为云-雾共存结构,一般是雾形成24 h以后有中高云移到雾层之上,云底高度在3 km以上,云厚超过3.5 km,云中以冰晶和雪晶为主。白天云-雾共存结构出现后,云-雾的反照率效应使地表接收的短波辐射减少71%—84%,地面增温效应显著减小,从而阻碍了大雾的消散过程,使大雾天气得以维持,同时由于云-雾产生的温室效应,湍流过程加强,使地面雾向上扩展,雾在稳定层内维持;夜晚云-雾共存时,由于云-雾温室效应使地表净长波辐射增大超过70 W/m2,导致地面长波辐射冷却过程减弱,并不利于雾的加强,但云对雾的增温效应有利于混合层内的湍流扩散过程,促使雾在更高的空间内得以维持。可见,在云-雾共存结构中,云辐射效应有利于低层大雾的长时间维持,对持续性大雾的形成和发展产生了重要作用。      

南半球中高纬度区域不同类型云的辐射特性

利用CloudSat的2B-CLDCLASS-LIDAR云分类产品和2B-FLXHR-LIDAR辐射产品4 a（2007-2010年）的数据,定量分析了单层云（高云、中云、低云）和3种双层云（如:高云与中云共存、高云与低云共存以及中云与低云共存）在南半球中高纬度（40°-65°S）的云量、云辐射强迫和云辐射加热率。其中云辐射加热率定义为有云时的大气加热率廓线与晴空大气加热率廓线的差值。结果表明:研究区域盛行单层低云和单层中云,其云量分别为44.1%和10.3%。并且,中云重叠低云在双层云中云量也是最大（8.7%）。不同类型云的云量也显著影响着其云辐射强迫。单层低云在大气层顶、地表以及大气中的净云辐射强迫分别是-64.8、-56.5和-8.4 W/m2,其绝对值大于其他类型云。虽然单层的中云在大气层顶和地表的净辐射强迫也为负值,但其在大气中的净云辐射强迫为正值（2.3 W/m2）。最后,讨论了不同类型云对大气中辐射能量垂直分布的影响。所有类型云的短波（或长波）云辐射加热率都随高度升高表现为由负值转为正值（或由正值转为负值）。对于大部分云,其净云辐射加热率主要由长波云辐射加热率决定。这些研究结果旨在为模式中云重叠参数化方案在区域的适用性评估及改进提供观测依据。      

Sensitivity experiments performed with an energy balance atmosphere model coupled to an advection-diffusion ocean model

Summary In this paper a simple climate model is presented which is used to perform some sensitivity experiments. The atmospheric part is represented by a vertically and zonally averaged layer in which the surface air temperature, radiative fluxes at the surface and at the top of the atmosphere, the turbulent fluxes between atmosphere and surface and the snow cover are calculated. This atmospheric layer is coupled to a two-dimensional advection-diffusion ocean model in which the zonal overturning pattern is prescribed. The ocean model evaluates the temperature distribution, the amount of sea-ice and the meridional and vertical heat fluxes. The present-day climate simulated by the model compares reasonably well with observations of the seasonal and latitudinal distribution of temperature, radiation, surface alebdo, sea-ice and snow cover and meridional energy fluxes. Then, the sensitivity of the model-simulated present-day climate to perturbations in the incident solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere is investigated. The temperature response displays large latitudinal and seasonal variations, which is in qualitative agreement with results obtained with other climate models. It is found that the seasonal variation of sea-ice cover (and hence, the effective oceanic heat capacity) is one of the most important elements determining seasonal variations in climate sensitivity. Differences in sensitivity between the seasonal and annual mean version of the model are discussed. Finally, the equilibrium response to perturbations in some selected model variables is presented; these variables include meridional diffusion coefficients, drag coefficient, sea-ice thickness, atmospheric CO₂-concentration and cloud optical thickness.With 13 Figures     

On the vertical extent of atmospheric feedbacks

This study addresses the question: what vertical regions contribute the most to water vapor, surface temperature, lapse rate and cloud fraction feedback strengths in a general circulation model? Multi-level offline radiation perturbation calculations are used to diagnose the feedback contribution from each model level. As a first step, to locate regions of maximum radiative sensitivity to climate changes, the top of atmosphere radiative impact for each feedback is explored for each process by means of idealized parameter perturbations on top of a control (1?×?CO₂) model climate. As a second step, the actual feedbacks themselves are calculated using the changes modelled from a 2?×?CO₂ experiment. The impact of clouds on water vapor and lapse rate feedbacks is also isolated using `clear sky' calculations. Considering the idealized changes, it is found that the radiative sensitivity to water vapor changes is a maximum in the tropical lower troposphere. The sensitivity to temperature changes has both upper and lower tropospheric maxima. The sensitivity to idealized cloud changes is positive (warming) for upper level cloud increases but negative (cooling) for lower level increases, due to competing long and shortwave effects. Considering the actual feedbacks, it is found that water vapor feedback is a maximum in the tropical upper troposphere, due to the large relative increases in specific humidity which occur there. The actual lapse rate feedback changes sign with latitude and is a maximum (negative) again in the tropical upper troposphere. Cloud feedbacks reflect the general decrease in low- to mid-level low-latitude cloud, with an increase in the very highest cloud. This produces a net positive (negative) shortwave (longwave) cloud feedback. The role of clouds in the strength of the water vapor and lapse rate feedbacks is also discussed.     

Impacts of greenhouse gases and aerosol direct and indirect effects on clouds and radiation in atmospheric GCM simulations of the 1930–1989 period

Among anthropogenic perturbations of the Earths atmosphere, greenhouse gases and aerosols are considered to have a major impact on the energy budget through their impact on radiative fluxes. We use three ensembles of simulations with the LMDZ general circulation model to investigate the radiative impacts of five species of greenhouse gases (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, CFC-11 and CFC-12) and sulfate aerosols for the period 1930–1989. Since our focus is on the atmospheric changes in clouds and radiation from greenhouse gases and aerosols, we prescribed sea-surface temperatures in these simulations. Besides the direct impact on radiation through the greenhouse effect and scattering of sunlight by aerosols, strong radiative impacts of both perturbations through changes in cloudiness are analysed. The increase in greenhouse gas concentration leads to a reduction of clouds at all atmospheric levels, thus decreasing the total greenhouse effect in the longwave spectrum and increasing absorption of solar radiation by reduction of cloud albedo. Increasing anthropogenic aerosol burden results in a decrease in high-level cloud cover through a cooling of the atmosphere, and an increase in the low-level cloud cover through the second aerosol indirect effect. The trend in low-level cloud lifetime due to aerosols is quantified to 0.5 min day^–1 decade^–1 for the simulation period. The different changes in high (decrease) and low-level (increase) cloudiness due to the response of cloud processes to aerosols impact shortwave radiation in a contrariwise manner, and the net effect is slightly positive. The total aerosol effect including the aerosol direct and first indirect effects remains strongly negative.     

Radiative energy partition and cloud radiative forcing at a Po valley site

Values of downward and upward flux densities of solar and terrestrial radiation were continuously recorded between 1 December 2001 and 30 November 2002 using a four-components radiometer at S. Pietro Capofiume (SPC) in northern Italy (44°39′N, 11°37′E, alt. 11 m a.m.s.l.), which is characterized by a weakly-reflective surface. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of clouds on surface radiation balance (SRB); the cloud fraction (N) has been retrieved through the inverted form of the parameterization proposed by Kasten and Czeplak [Solar Energy 24 (1980) 177] and cloud types estimated following the methodology of Duchon and O'Malley [J. Appl. Meteorol. 38 (1999) 132]. The cloud radiative forcing (CRF) was evaluated through the Bintanja and Van den Broeke [Int. J. Climatol. 16 (1996) 1281] formula and then associated with cloud type. Experimental results showed that during the measuring period the net shortwave (Sw) balance always decreased with increasing N, whereas the net longwave (Lw) balance increased in all seasons. The net radiation available at the surface decreased with increasing N in all seasons except in winter, where no significant dependency was detected.The analysis of the cloud radiative forcing indicates that all seasons were characterized by a net cooling of the surface except winter, where clouds seem to have no effects on the surface warming or cooling. Taking into account the dependence on solar radiation cycle, an intercomparison between the retrieved cloud types seems to indicate that the effect of stratus was a slight cooling whereas that of cumulus clouds was a stronger cooling of the surface. On the contrary, cirrus clouds seem to have slight warming effect on the surface.The annual trends of mean monthly values of shortwave and longwave radiation balances confirmed that the measurement site is characterized by a temperate climate. Moreover, in spite of the cooling effect of clouds, a monthly radiative energy surplus is available all year long for surface–atmosphere energy exchanges. The analysis is also instrumental for the detection of SRB variations.     

Implementation of turbulent mixing over a stratocumulus-topped boundary layer and its impact in a GCM

The effect of a vertical diffusion scheme over a stratocumulus topped boundary layer (STBL) was investigated using the YONU AGCM (Yonsei University Atmospheric General Circulation Model). To consider the impact of clouds on the turbulence production, the turbulence mixing term, driven by radiative cooling at the cloud top, is implemented as an extended non-local diffiusion scheme. In the model with this new scheme, the STBL parameterization significantly influences the lower atmosphere over the tropical and...