Impact of clouds on the surface radiation balance of the Arctic Ocean

Summary The relationship between clouds and the surface radiative fluxes over the Arctic Ocean are explored by conducting a series of modelling experiments using a one-dimensional thermodynamic sea ice model. The sensitivity of radiative flux to perturbations in cloud fraction and cloud optical depth are determined. These experiments illustrate the substantial effect that clouds have on the state of the sea ice and on the surface radiative fluxes. The effect of clouds on the net flux of radiation at the surface is very complex over the Arctic Ocean particularly due to the presence of the underlying sea ice. Owing to changes in surface albedo and temperature associated with changing cloud properties, there is a strong non-linearity between cloud properties and surface radiative fluxes. The model results are evaluated in three different contexts: 1) the sensitivity of the arctic surface radiation balance to uncertainties in cloud properties; 2) the impact of interannual variability in cloud characteristics on surface radiation fluxes and sea ice surface characteristics; and 3) the impact of climate change and the resulting changes in cloud properties on the surface radiation fluxes and sea ice characteristics.With 11 Figures     

中国大陆卫星反演云参数的评估

该文选取１９８３年７月和１９８４年１月份代表夏季和冬季，利用中国地面气象月报的云量资料以及多年平均的地面观测云气修资料，与中国大陆地区ＩＳＣＣＰ卫星反演的去量和云状资料进行了对比分析。参照大气环流和云天气气候特征，从卫星得到的从云状是比较合理的，但干旱沙漠地区的高云量的估计不足，低云估计偏多。     

气象卫星高空间分辨率数据的云量计算与检验

该文利用国家卫星气象中心1998—2008年NOAA卫星的存档数据,在再定标和精定位等数据再处理基础上,利用自行研发的云检测算法及云量计算方法,生成空间分辨率为0.01°×0.01°、时间尺度为10年的逐日云量数据,并利用ISCCP和地面观测数据对计算得到的云参数进行数据质量评估。评估结果显示:利用NOAA数据的抽样云检测结果与ISCCP-DX数据相比,晴空像元检测率具有0.70左右的一致性;有云像元检测率具有60%左右的一致性。卫星计算的总云量与地面观测总云量间的月平均相关系数大于0.70。     

Changes in Arctic clouds during intervals of rapid sea ice loss

We investigate the behavior of clouds during rapid sea ice loss events (RILEs) in the Arctic, as simulated by multiple ensemble projections of the 21st century in the Community Climate System Model (CCSM3). Trends in cloud properties and sea ice coverage during RILEs are compared with their secular trends between 2000 and 2049 during summer, autumn, and winter. The results suggest that clouds promote abrupt Arctic climate change during RILEs through increased (decreased) cloudiness in autumn (summer) relative to the changes over the first half of the 21st century. The trends in cloud characteristics (cloud amount, water content, and radiative forcing) during RILEs are most strongly and consistently an amplifying effect during autumn, the season in which RILEs account for the majority of the secular trends. The total cloud trends in every season are primarily due to low clouds, which show a more robust response than middle and high clouds across RILEs. Lead-lag correlations of monthly sea ice concentration and cloud cover during autumn reveal that the relationship between less ice and more clouds is enhanced during RILEs, but there is no evidence that either variable is leading the other. Given that Arctic cloud projections in CCSM3 are similar to those from other state-of-the-art GCMs and that observations show increased autumn cloudiness associated with the extreme 2007 and 2008 sea ice minima, this study suggests that the rapidly declining Arctic sea ice will be accentuated by changes in polar clouds.     

ISCCP产品和我国地面观测总云量差异

国际卫星云气候计划ISCCP是国际上较权威和客观的云气候性研究计划, 自1983年以来为研究全球云和辐射平衡、云水资源分布等提供了有价值的数据。在分析总云量卫星和地面两种观测方式差异的基础上, 研究了1984-2006年ISCCP D2产品和我国地面观测云资料数据集总云量空间及时间差异。尽管两套资料能一致揭示我国总云量的分布形势和气候变化特征, 但区域性差异仍比较明显。天基、地基数据可对比格点上, 全国平均而言总云量卫星观测结果比地面观测偏高8.46%, 华南地区差异最小、东北地区差异最大。气候变化趋势分析结果表明:近23年我国总云量呈减少趋势, ISCCP D2产品总云量每年减少速度为0.015%, 小于地面观测的总云量每年减少速度 (0.063%); 东北地区总云量缓慢增多, 而青藏高原、西北地区总云量减少。利用卫星和地面资料均以累积距平法检测出1984—2001年总云量减少、2002-2006年总云量显著增加。     

中国西北地区云的分布及其变化趋势

利用1983年7月—2001年9月ISCCP D2云的月平均资料,针对西北地区15种不同类型云的分布特征进行了分析,给出了中、低云量之和以及高云量在3个气候子区的多年变化趋势,初步探讨了其形成机制。结果表明:水层云、冰层云、水雨层云、冰雨层云和深对流云的光学厚度和云水路径值最大;水层云主要出现在天山山区、北疆地区和陕西南部,冰层云主要出现在北疆地区,水雨层云、冰雨层云和深对流云以及水高层云、冰高层云、卷层云的云量高值区在天山—昆仑山—祁连山一带以及陕南和/或陇南地区,因此上述地区也是有利于人工增水作业的地区。近20年中,高云量在3个气候区都呈明显下降趋势,中、低云量之和则呈上升趋势。西北地区云与地气系统之间可能存在这样一个过程:地面气温的升高,促使地面蒸发加剧,从而导致中、低云量增多而使降水增多,同时高云云量减少。     

Cloud climate investigations in the Nordic region using NOAA AVHRR data

Summary A method to estimate monthly cloud conditions (monthly cloud frequencies) from multispectral satellite imagery is described. The operational cloud classification scheme SCANDIA (the SMHI Cloud ANalysis model using DIgital AVHRR data), based on high resolution imagery from the polar orbiting NOAA-satellites, has been used to produce monthly cloud frequencies for the entire year of 1993 and some additional months in 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1995. Cloud analyses were made for an area covering the Nordic countries with a horizontal resolution of four km. Examples of seasonal, monthly and diurnal variation in cloud conditions are given and an annual mean for 1993 is presented.Comparisons with existing surface observations showed very good agreement for horizontal cloud distributions but approximately 5% smaller cloud amounts were found in the satellite estimations. The most evident problems were encountered in the winter season due to difficulties in identifying low-level cloudiness at very low sun elevations. The underestimation in the summer season was partly fictious and caused by the overestimation of convective cloud cover by surface observers.SCANDIA results were compared to ISCCP (International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project) cloud climatologies for two selected months in 1991 and 1992. ISCCP cloudiness was indicated to be higher, especially during the month with anticyclonic conditions where a cloudiness excess of more than 10% were found. The regional variation of cloud conditions in the area was found to be inadequately described by ISCCP cloud climatologies. An improvement of the horizontal resolution of ISCCP data seems necessary to enable use for regional applications.The SCANDIA model is proposed as a valuable tool for local and regional monitoring of the cloud climatology at high latitudes. More extensive comparisons with ISCCP cloud climatologies are suggested as well as comparisons with modelled cloudiness from atmospheric general circulation models and climate models. Special studies of cloud conditions in the Polar areas are also proposed.With 14 Figures     

中国地区云的气候特征分析

文中对比分析了国际卫星云气候计划(ISCC)的D2资料和地面测站云资料,发现二者总云量的整体分布和气候变化都比较一致,但定量上略有差别,尤其是中国北方地区差别较大。ISCCP资料比较齐全,尤其在站点稀少的高原、荒漠地区比其他云资料更有优势。文中分析了中国云的气候特征,发现在华北地区和南海北部的总云量有减少的趋势;四川盆地、长江三角洲等地区存在低云量异常减少的现象;而在天山、帕米尔高原、柴达木盆地、横断山脉等地区存在低云量增加的趋势。文中特别指出西北山区常年维持着的相对稳定的多云带,云层深厚、含水量大,有利于进行进行人工增雨作业。     

中国西北地区云时空分布特征的初步分析

利用国际卫星云气候计划（ISCCP）获取的1983年7月－1993年12月的月平均云资料，分析了西北地区云的分布特片和季节变化，发现西北地区的云量与地形有很好的一致性；塔里木盆地是云量最少的地区，而且以云层较薄的积云和高云为主，在天山，昆仑山，祁连山一带，存在着云量的极大值区，其中云层较厚，水汽含量较高的层云，雨层云，深对流云占了很大的比例，值得注意的一点是，云的这种时空分布特征具有明显的地域性和稳定性，有利于开展人工增雨工作。     

近20年中国地区云量变化趋势

利用国际卫星云气候学计划（ISCCP）最新的D2云气候资料集,给出总云量、高云量及中云量在我国地区的分布特征;分别对季节平均和年平均的时间序列进行线性趋势分析,并进行效果检验。结果表明：近20年来中国大部分地区总云量没有显著的变化趋势,但是,在华南地区和西北部分地区的总云量有增加的趋势,青藏高原中部的总云量有所减少;在不同季节,各地总云量、高云量和中云量的变化趋势是不同的。     

The Summer Arctic Boundary Layer during the Arctic Ocean Experiment 2001 (AOE-2001)

Boundary-layer measurements made from the Swedish icebreaker Oden during the Arctic Ocean Experiment 2001 (AOE-2001) are analysed. They refer mainly to ice drift in the central Arctic during the period 2–21 August 2001. On board Oden a remote sensing array with a wind profiler, cloud radar and a scanning microwave radiometer, and a regular weather station operated continuously; soundings were also released during research stations. Turbulence and profile measurements on an 18-m mast were deployed on the ice, along with two sodar systems, a microbarograph array and a tethered sounding system. Surface flux and meteorological stations were also deployed on nearby ice floes. There is a clear diurnal cycle in radiation and also in wind speed, cloud base and visibility. It is absent in temperature and humidity, probably due to the very strong control by melting/ freezing ice and snow. In the advection of warm air, latent heat of melting maintains the surface temperature at 0 °C, while with a negative energy balance the latent heat of freezing of the salty ocean water acts to maintain the surface temperature > −2 °C. The constant presence of water at the surface maintains a relative humidity close to 100%, and this is also often facilitated by an increasing specific humidity through the capping inversion, making entrainment a moisture source. This ensures cloudy conditions, with low cloud and fog prevailing most of the time. Intrusions of warm and moist air from beyond the ice edge are frequent, but the local Arctic boundary layer remains at a relatively constant temperature, and is shallow and well mixed with strong capping inversions. Power spectra of surface-layer wind speed sometimes show large variance at low frequency. A scanning radiometer provides a monitoring of the vertical thermal structure with a spatial and temporal resolution not seen before in the Arctic. There are often two inversions, an elevated main inversion and a weak surface inversion, and occasionally additional inversions occur. Enhanced entrainment across the main inversion appears to occur during frontal passages. Variance of the scanning radiometer temperatures occurs in large pulses rather than varying smoothly, and the height to the maximum variance appears to be a reasonable proxy for the boundary-layer depth.     

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.     

Simulations of 20th and 21st century Arctic cloud amount in the global climate models assessed in the IPCC AR4

Simulations of late 20th and 21st century Arctic cloud amount from 20 global climate models (GCMs) in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 (CMIP3) dataset are synthesized and assessed. Under recent climatic conditions, GCMs realistically simulate the spatial distribution of Arctic clouds, the magnitude of cloudiness during the warmest seasons (summer–autumn), and the prevalence of low clouds as the predominant type. The greatest intermodel spread and most pronounced model error of excessive cloudiness coincides with the coldest seasons (winter–spring) and locations (perennial ice pack, Greenland, and the Canadian Archipelago). Under greenhouse forcing (SRES A1B emissions scenario) the Arctic is expected to become cloudier, especially during autumn and over sea ice, in tandem with cloud decreases in middle latitudes. Projected cloud changes for the late 21st century depend strongly on the simulated modern (late 20th century) annual cycle of Arctic cloud amount: GCMs that correctly simulate more clouds during summer than winter at present also tend to simulate more clouds in the future. The simulated Arctic cloud changes display a tripole structure aloft, with largest increases concentrated at low levels (below 700 hPa) and high levels (above 400 hPa) but little change in the middle troposphere. The changes in cloud radiative forcing suggest that the cloud changes are a positive feedback annually but negative during summer. Of potential explanations for the simulated Arctic cloud response, local evaporation is the leading candidate based on its high correlation with the cloud changes. The polar cloud changes are also significantly correlated with model resolution: GCMs with higher spatial resolution tend to produce larger future cloud increases.     

A comparison of AMIP II model cloud layer properties with ISCCP D2 estimates

The cloud amounts and liquid and ice water paths as a function of height in five Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) II models have been compared to International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) d2 observations. The model layer data have been transformed to the ISCCP low, mid and height cloud amount and vertically integrated water values. In addition a simple radiative transfer model has been used to transform both model output and ISCCP cloud amount and water contents into top of atmosphere albedos for the low, mid and high cloud fractions. Overall, most models represent moderately well the spatial, seasonal and interannual variability of total cloud albedo, which is largely a function of the total cloud amount. The models also tend to predict moderately well the spatial, seasonal, and interannual variability of cloud fraction, but fail to display the observed spatial, and especially, seasonal and interannual variability in cloud water path. In particular nearly all models have mid and low cloud water path variabilities, which are much larger than those observed in the ISCCP observations. This increased cloud water path variability seems to compensate partially for smaller underestimates of cloud fraction variability in most models. Furthermore, variations in cloud amount and cloud water path are much more often negatively correlated in models than in the observations. A simple estimate of the influence of cloud overlap suggests that monthly mean model cloud layers are less stacked in the vertical in models than in an observational estimate based upon a combination of satellite and ground-based observations.     

Cloud Properties and Its Relation to Precipitation over Northwest China

The temporal and spatial distribution of cloud properties over Northwest China has been analyzed using the ISCCP (International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project) monthly mean D2 data from July 1983 to September 2001. The result shows that the regional average total cloud amount, optical thickness, and water path are 52.5%-58.3%, 2.6-6.6, and 44.9-77.6 g m-2, respectively. The major feature of spatial distribution is that higher value areas of cloud properties are all over Tianshan, Kunlun, and Qilian Mountains, while the lower values of cloud properties are over Tarim Basin, the western desert of Inner Mongolia, and the northwestern part of the Loess Plateau. The higher values of cloud amounts are generally associated with higher level of precipitation. For example, the amounts of stratiform clouds with large water path values are good consistent with precipitation. But the amounts of cumuliform and stratocumuliform clouds do not have de nite relation to precipitation.     

Declining summer snowfall in the Arctic: causes, impacts and feedbacks

Recent changes in the Arctic hydrological cycle are explored using in situ observations and an improved atmospheric reanalysis data set, ERA-Interim. We document a pronounced decline in summer snowfall over the Arctic Ocean and Canadian Archipelago. The snowfall decline is diagnosed as being almost entirely caused by changes in precipitation form (snow turning to rain) with very little influence of decreases in total precipitation. The proportion of precipitation falling as snow has decreased as a result of lower-atmospheric warming. Statistically, over 99% of the summer snowfall decline is linked to Arctic warming over the past two decades. Based on the reanalysis snowfall data over the ice-covered Arctic Ocean, we derive an estimate for the amount of snow-covered ice. It is estimated that the area of snow-covered ice, and the proportion of sea ice covered by snow, have decreased significantly. We perform a series of sensitivity experiments in which inter-annual changes in snow-covered ice are either unaccounted for, or are parameterized. In the parameterized case, the loss of snow-on-ice results in a substantial decrease in the surface albedo over the Arctic Ocean, that is of comparable magnitude to the decrease in albedo due to the decline in sea ice cover. Accordingly, the solar input to the Arctic Ocean is increased, causing additional surface ice melt. We conclude that the decline in summer snowfall has likely contributed to the thinning of sea ice over recent decades. The results presented provide support for the existence of a positive feedback in association with warming-induced reductions in summer snowfall.     

东西伯利亚——波弗特海海冰多年代际变率及其与大西洋多年代际振荡的联系

基于哈得来中心（Hadley Centre）逐月的海表温度、海冰密集度资料以及美国国家环境预报中心/国家大气研究中心（NCEP/NCAR）的大气环流再分析资料,分析了1950—2020年秋季（8—10月）东西伯利亚—波弗特海（East Siberian-Beaufort,EsCB）海冰年代际变化的时空特征,并阐述了大西洋多年代际振荡（Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation,AMO）对EsCB海冰年代际变率的可能调制作用。结果表明,EsCB是秋季北极海冰年代际变化最主要的区域,该区海冰密集度年代际变率可占其异常总方差的40%以上。进一步研究发现,AMO对秋季EsCB海冰存在明显的调制作用,在AMO正位相,北大西洋正海温异常激发向极传播的大气罗斯贝波列,有利于北极中部出现高压异常,相应的大气绝热下沉运动使得对流层低层出现明显的升温,从而有利于EsCB海冰的融化。与此同时,地表升温和EsCB海冰消融会引起局地云量的增多、大气向下长波辐射增大,这反过来又使得地表气温升高,这种地表气温-云-长波辐射的正反馈过程有利于年代际海冰信号的长时间维持。耦合模式的北大西洋“起搏...     

Polar amplification in a coupled climate model with locked albedo

In recent years, a substantial reduction of the sea ice in the Arctic has been observed. At the same time, the near-surface air in this region is warming at a rate almost twice as large as the global average—this phenomenon is known as the Arctic amplification. The role of the ice-albedo feedback for the Arctic amplification is still a matter of debate. Here the effect of the surface-albedo feedback (SAF) was studied using a coupled climate model CCSM3 from the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Experiments, where the SAF was suppressed by locking the surface albedo in the entire coupled model system, were conducted. The results reveal polar temperature amplification when this model, with suppressed albedo, is forced by a doubling of the atmospheric CO₂ content. Comparisons with variable albedo experiments show that SAF amplifies the surface-temperature response in the Arctic area by about 33%, whereas the corresponding value for the global-mean surface temperature is about 15%. Even though SAF is an important process underlying excessive warming at high latitudes, the Arctic amplification is only 15% larger in the variable than in the locked-albedo experiments. It is found that an increase of water vapour and total cloud cover lead to a greenhouse effect, which is larger in the Arctic than at lower latitudes. This is expected to explain a part of the Arctic surface–air-temperature amplification.     

Integrated Analysis of Physical and Biological Pan-Arctic Change

We investigate the recent large changes that have occurred in the Arctic over the period of 1965–1995 through examination of 86 regionally-dispersed time series representing seven data types: climate indices, atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial, sea ice, fisheries, and other biological data. To our knowledge, this is the first semi-quantitative analysis of Arctic data that spans multiple disciplines and geographic regions. Although visual inspection and Principal Component Analysis of the data collection indicate that Arctic change is complex, three patterns are evident. The temporal pattern of change calculated as the first Principal Component (PC1), representing 23% of the variance, has a single regime-like shift near 1989 based on a large number of time series, which include projections from a strong stratospheric vortex in spring, the Arctic Oscillation, sea ice declines in several regions, and changes in selected mammal, bird, and fish populations. The pattern based on the second Principal Component (PC2) shows interdecadal variability over the Arctic Ocean Basin north of 70° N; this variability is observed in surface wind fields, sea ice, and ocean circulation, with the most recent shift near 1989. Contributions to PC1 cover a larger geographic area than PC2, and are consistent with a recent amplification of the interdecadal mode due to polar processes such as increased incidence of cold stratospheric temperature anomalies or internal feedbacks. Most land processes – such as snowcover, greenness, Siberian runoff, permafrost temperatures – and certain subarctic sea ice records show a third pattern of a linear trend over the 30-year interval, which is qualitatively different than either PC1 or PC2. These variables are from lower latitudes and often integrate the atmospheric or oceanographic influence over several seasons including summer. That more than half of the data collection projects strongly onto one of the three patterns, suggests that the Arctic is responding as a coherent system over the previous three decades. However, no single index or class of observations exclusively tracks change in the Arctic, a conclusion that emerges from a multivariate analysis.     

基于CloudSat和ISCCP资料的中国及周边地区云量分布的对比分析

利用2006年7月至2007年6月的CloudSat 2B-GEOPROF-LIDAR产品资料和国际卫星云气候计划(ISCCP)D2月平均云量数据, 统计分析了中国及周边地区午间、凌晨年平均总云量的分布特征, 并对两种探测手段得到的年平均总云量及其昼夜变化进行了对比分析。结果表明, ISCCP与CloudSat总云量的分布形势在午间和凌晨均具有较好的一致性, 即相对多云与少云中心的位置吻合较好。但是, 两种资料得到的总云量在量值上存在一定差异。对于整个研究区域而言, 午间ISCCP较CloudSat平均总云量偏低8.9%, 凌晨偏低15.1%。除了中国北方少云带和日本岛以北海域等区域ISCCP云量高于CloudSat云量外, 其他区域ISCCP云量普遍低于CloudSat云量, 且在青藏高原、帕米尔高原、横断山脉、云贵高原以及印度半岛南端和热带部分岛屿等区域尤其显著。进一步对比表明, ISCCP与CloudSat云量差值总体上随CloudSat云量的增大而呈线性变化, 在CloudSat少云区ISCCP略有偏高, 而在多云区则显著偏低。此外, 对云量昼夜变化的对比分析发现, 青藏高原地区ISCCP云量昼夜变化量显著大于CloudSat。