Sensitivity Study of Anthropogenic Aerosol Indirect Forcing through Cirrus Clouds with CAM5 Using Three Ice Nucleation Parameterizations

Quantifying the radiative forcing due to aerosol–cloud interactions especially through cirrus clouds remains challenging because of our limited understanding of aerosol and cloud processes. In this study, we investigate the anthropogenic aerosol indirect forcing (AIF) through cirrus clouds using the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5) with a state-of-the-art treatment of ice nucleation. We adopt a new approach to isolate anthropogenic AIF through cirrus clouds in which ice nucleation parameterization is driven by prescribed pre-industrial (PI) and presentday (PD) aerosols, respectively. Sensitivities of anthropogenic ice AIF (i.e., anthropogenic AIF through cirrus clouds) to different ice nucleation parameterizations, homogeneous freezing occurrence, and uncertainties in the cloud microphysics scheme are investigated. Results of sensitivity experiments show that the change (PD minus PI) in global annual mean longwave cloud forcing (i.e., longwave anthropogenic ice AIF) ranges from 0.14 to 0.35 W m^–2, the change in global annual mean shortwave cloud forcing (i.e., shortwave anthropogenic ice AIF) from–0.47 to–0.20 W m^–2, and the change in net cloud forcing from–0.12 to 0.05 W m^–2. Our results suggest that different ice nucleation parameterizations are an important factor for the large uncertainty of anthropogenic ice AIF. Furthermore, improved understanding of the spatial and temporal occurrence characteristics of homogeneous freezing events and the mean states of cirrus cloud properties are also important for constraining anthropogenic ice AIF.     

Impact of primary ice nucleation parameterizations on the formation and maintenance of cirrus

Different ice nucleation algorithms are implemented in a cloud microphysical scheme and numerical simulations of clouds are performed using a three-dimensional mesoscale model. The predicted ice crystal fields are found to be sensitive to the different modes of calculation of the number of deposition/ condensation freezing nuclei and contact freezing nuclei. Also a time and supercooling dependence of this sensitivity is established.The general features of the cirrus clouds observed by the research aircraft Falcon during the 1989 (International Cirrus Experiment) mission ICE212 are compared to those of the cirrus clouds generated by the model. The cloud top height, the cloud ice content and the ice number concentrations seem to be reproduced well.     

合肥上空卷云和沙尘气溶胶退偏振比的激光雷达探测

研制了一台L300偏振激光雷达,用于卷云和沙尘气溶胶后向散射光退偏振比的探测研究.介绍了偏振激光雷达的探测原理,叙述了L300偏振激光雷达的结构、技术参数、测量方法和数据处理方法.初步的探测结果表明,合肥西郊上空高度在10 km左右的卷云的退偏振比在0.4～0.5之间,沙尘气溶胶的退偏振比在0.2～0.3范围内,但是剧烈沙尘暴的气溶胶的退偏振比可达到0.4左右.     

Determination of cirrus radiative parameters from combination between active and passive remote sensing measurements during FRENCH/DIRAC 2001

In the context of the next AQUA Train satellite experiment, airborne measurements were carried out to simulate satellite measurements. They were conducted between September 25 and October 12, 2001, off the coast of southern France over the Atlantic Ocean and over the Mediterranean Sea, respectively. During the intensive Field Radiation Experiment on Natural Cirrus and High-level clouds (FRENCH/DIRAC 2001), natural ice clouds were sampled from in situ and remote sensing measurements. On October 5 and 7, 2001, cirrus cloud decks were described by a complete data set acquired by: (i) in situ microphysical instruments onboard the TBM-700 aircraft: PMS probe, and Polar Nephelometer (ii) and downward-looking radiative instruments onboard the Mystère 20 aircraft: an infrared radiometer, a lidar, a visible imager with polarisation capabilities, and a middle infrared radiometer. Moreover, classical thermodynamical measurements were carried out onboard the Mystère 20. Mean microphysical characteristics of cirrus deck are derived from interpretation of remote sensing measurements. These properties are compared with those derived from in situ microphysical measurements in order to evaluate the radiative impact of natural cirrus clouds.     

A comparison of evaporative cooling with infrared heating beneath a cirrus cloud

Data for this study were collected by the instruments mounted on the NCAR King Air and rawinsonde during the First ISCCP (International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project) Regional Experiment (FIRE) on 19 October, 1986. The main purpose of this study is to understand the basic concept of evaporative cooling in a dry layer below a cirrus generating cell. Relative humidity with respect to liquid water RH_W and temperature lapse rate γ_e below the cirrus base at about 6.7 km were about 40% and 3.7°C km⁻¹, respectively. Evaporative cooling rate (ECR) in the 1.5 km thick subcloud layer was estimated to be approximately 0.1 to 2°C h⁻¹ and it was found to be comparable with the infrared heating rate calculated from radiation measurements. Because of ice crystal evaporation, RH_W in the same layer may reach saturation with respect to ice in 1.5 hours.     

Depositional ice nucleation on NX illite and mixtures of NX illite with organic acids

Mineral dust particles are known to be efficient ice nuclei in the atmosphere. Previous work has probed heterogeneous ice nucleation on various laboratory dust samples including Arizona Test Dust, kaolinite, montmorillonite, and illite as atmospheric dust surrogates. However, it has recently been suggested that NX illite may be a better representation of atmospheric dust. Hiranuma et al. (2015) performed a laboratory comparison for immersion ice nucleation on NX illite, but here we focus on depositional ice nucleation because of its importance in low temperature cirrus cloud formation. A Raman microscope setup was used to examine the ice-nucleating efficiency of NX illite. Organic coatings on the NX illite particles were also investigated using a mixture of 5 dicarboxylic acids (M5). The ratio of NX illite to M5 was varied from 1:10 to 100:1. It was found that NX illite efficiently nucleates ice with S_ice = 1.07 ± 0.01 at ?47 °C, with S_ice slightly increasing at lower temperatures. In contrast, pure M5 is a poorer ice nucleus with S_ice = 1.30 ± 0.02 at ?40 °C, relatively independent of temperature. Further, it was found that M5 coatings on the order of several monolayers thick hindered the ice nucleating ability of NX illite. Optical images suggest that at colder temperatures (< ?50 °C) 1:1 NX illite:M5 particles and pure M5 particles nucleate ice depositionally, while at warmer temperatures (> ?50 °C) subsaturated immersion ice nucleation dominates. These experiments suggest that mineral dust particles may become less active towards ice nucleation as they age in the atmosphere.     

Two-moment bulk stratiform cloud microphysics in the grid-point atmospheric model of IAP LASG (GAMIL)

A two-moment bulk stratiform microphysics scheme, including recently developed physically-based droplet activation/ice nucleation parameterizations has been implemented into the Grid-point Atmospheric Model of IAP LASG (GAMIL) as an effort to enhance the model’s capability to simulate aerosol indirect effects. Unlike the previous one-moment cloud microphysics scheme, the new scheme produces a reasonable representation of cloud particle size and number concentration. This scheme captures the observed spatial variations in cloud droplet number concentrations. Simulated ice crystal number concentrations in cirrus clouds qualitatively agree with in situ observations. The longwave and shortwave cloud forcings are in better agreement with observations. Sensitivity tests show that the column cloud droplet number concentrations calculated from two different droplet activation parameterizations are similar. However, ice crystal number concentration in mixed-phased clouds is sensitive to different heterogeneous ice nucleation formulations. The simulation with high ice crystal number concentration in mixed-phase clouds has less liquid water path and weaker cloud forcing. Furthermore, ice crystal number concentration in cirrus clouds is sensitive to different ice nucleation parameterizations. Sensitivity tests also suggest that the impact of pre-existing ice crystals on homogeneous freezing in old clouds should be taken into account.     

Indo-Japanese lidar observations of the tropical middle atmosphere during 1998 and 1999

A state-of-the art Rayleigh and Mie backscattering lidar was set up at Gadanki (13.5N, 79.2E) in the Tropics in India. Using this system, regular observations of upper tropospheric clouds, aerosols at stratospheric heights and atmospheric temperatures in the range from 30 to 80 km were made. In this paper, the data collected during the period of 1998–99 were selected for systematic investigation and presentation. The Mie scattering lidar system is capable of measuring the degree of depolarization in the laser backscattering. Several tropical cirrus cloud structures have been identified with low to moderate ice content. Occasionally, thin sub-visible cirrus clouds in the vicinity of the tropical tropopause have also been detected. The aerosol measurements in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere show low aerosol content with a vertical distribution up to 35 km altitude. Rayleigh-scattering lidar observations reveal that at the tropical site, temperature inversion occurs at mesospheric heights. Atmospheric waves have induced perturbations in the temperatures for several times at the upper stratospheric heights. A significant warming in the lower mesosphere associated with a consistent cooling in the upper stratospheric heights is observed particularly in the winter season during the events of sudden stratospheric warming (SSW).     

Correlations between microphysical properties of large-scale semi-transparent cirrus and the state of the atmosphere

By making use of TOVS Path-B satellite retrievals and ECMWF reanalyses, correlations between bulk microphysical properties of large-scale semi-transparent cirrus (visible optical thickness between 0.7 and 3.8) and thermodynamic and dynamic properties of the surrounding atmosphere have been studied on a global scale. These clouds constitute about half of all high clouds. The global averages (from 60°N to 60°S) of mean ice crystal diameter, D_e, and ice water path (IWP) of these clouds are 55 μm and 30 g m⁻², respectively. IWP of these cirrus is slightly increasing with cloud-top temperature, whereas D_e of cold cirrus does not depend on this parameter. Correlations between D_e and IWp of large-scale cirrus seem to be different in the midlatitudes and in the tropics. However, we observe in general stronger correlations between D_e and IWP and atmospheric humidity and winds deduced from the ECMWF reanalyses: D_e and IWP increase both with increasing atmospheric water vapour. There is also a good distinction between different dynamical situations: In humid situations, IWP is on average about 10 gm⁻² larger in regions with strong large-scale vertical updraft only that in regions with strong large-scale horizontal winds only, whereas the mean D_e of cold large-scale cirrus decreases by about 10 μm if both strong large-scale updraft and horizontal winds are present.     

Lidar remote sounding of cirrus clouds and comparison of simulated fluxes with surface and METEOSAT observations

Three cirrus cloud cases have been remotely sounded near Paris by a ground-based backscatter lidar and broadband radiometers. Some cirrus properties (optical depth, emissivity, height) are derived from these measurements and used to compare radiative transfer calculations to surface and METEOSAT observations of broadband irradiances.For a useful comparison, the three cirrus cases were selected to have different morphologies and optical properties: June 29, 1993—thin cirrus cloud (thickness 1.5 km, optical depth 0.22); September 6, 1993—thick cirrus cloud (thickness 5 km, optical depth 2.7); and November 16, 1993—inhomogeneous and geometrically thick cirrus cloud (thickness 3.5–6.5 km) but optically thin (optical depth 0.82).At surface, the differences between measurements and model range from 1.5 to 4 Wm⁻² for longwave fluxes, and from 20 to 70 Wm⁻² for shortwave fluxes.At the top of the atmosphere, the differences between METEOSAT measurements and model are in fair agreement for longwave fluxes (up to 50 Wm⁻²). However, unexpected high differences are found for shortwave fluxes (up to 144 Wm⁻²) due to cirrus clouds heterogeneities and uncertainties in their microphysical properties and especially the occurrence of high reflectivity due to horizontally oriented ice crystals at the cloud top, which are not taken into account by the Model presently.     

Cloud-base distribution and cirrus properties based on micropulse lidar measurements at a site in southeastern China

The cloud fraction(CF) and cloud-base heights(CBHs), and cirrus properties, over a site in southeastern China from June 2008 to May 2009, are examined by a ground-based lidar. Results show that clouds occupied the sky 41% of the time.Significant seasonal variations in CF were found with a maximum/minimum during winter/summer and similar magnitudes of CF in spring and autumn. A distinct diurnal cycle in the overall mean CF was seen. Total, daytime, and nighttime annual mean CBHs were 3.05 ± 2.73 km, 2.46 ± 2.08 km, and 3.51 ± 3.07 km, respectively. The lowest/highest CBH occurred around noon/midnight. Cirrus clouds were present ～36.2% of the time at night with the percentage increased in summer and decreased in spring. Annual mean values for cirrus geometrical properties were 8.89 ± 1.65 km, 9.80 ± 1.70 km, 10.73 ± 1.86 km and 1.83 ± 0.91 km for the base, mid-cloud, top height, and the thickness, respectively. Seasonal variations in cirrus geometrical properties show a maximum/minimum in summer/winter for all cirrus geometrical parameters. The mean cirrus lidar ratio for all cirrus cases in our study was ～ 25 ± 17 sr, with a smooth seasonal trend. The cirrus optical depth ranged from 0.001 to 2.475, with a mean of 0.34 ± 0.33. Sub-visual, thin, and dense cirrus were observed in ～12%, 43%, and 45%of the cases, respectively. More frequent, thicker cirrus clouds occurred in summer than in any other season. The properties of cirrus cloud over the site are compared with other lidar-based retrievals of midlatitude cirrus cloud properties.     

Satellite remote sensing of the optical depth and mean crystal size of thin cirrus and contrails

Summary Crystal size and optical depth of optically thin cirrus clouds and contrails over the North Sea and Adriatic Sea on the 18^th of October 1989 are retrieved by comparison of NOAA AVHRR/2 brightness temperatures of channel 4 (9.97 µm–11.56 µm) and channel 5 (11.075 µm–12.76 µm) with one dimensional radiative transfer calculations. Measured brightness temperatures in all three infrared channels and their differences show higher values for contrails than for cirrus. The radiative properties of young contrails are consistent only, if smaller crystal size than those given for natural cirrus are adopted for the calculations. However, there is a continuous transition in radiative parameters between clouds classified as natural cirrus or contrails. For the test areas ice clouds are classified with respect to optical depth and mean crystal size. Finally infrared fluxes and heating rates in the spectral range 4 µm–40 µm are calculated for an atmosphere with a 500 m thick contrail or cirrus uncinus. At given ice content a far stronger atmospheric warming is found for a contrail with relatively small ice crystals: up to 80 K/day at cloud base for an ice content of 0.05 gm^–3 compared to 10 K/day for a cirrus uncinus with large crystals.With 11 Figures     

Decomposition of Fast and Slow Cloud Responses to Quadrupled CO2 Forcing in BCC–AGCM2.0 over East Asia

In this study, the decomposed fast and slow responses of clouds to an abruptly quadrupled CO₂ concentration (approximately 1139 ppmv) in East Asia (EA) are obtained quantitatively by using a general circulation model, BCC–AGCM2.0. Our results show that in the total response, the total cloud cover (TCC), low cloud cover (LCC), and high cloud cover (HCC) all increased north of 40°N and decreased south of 40°N except in the Tibetan Plateau (TP). The mean changes of the TCC, LCC, and HCC in EA were –0.74%, 0.38%, and –0.38% in the total response, respectively; 1.05%, –0.03%, and 1.63% in the fast response, respectively; and –1.79%, 0.41%, and –2.01% in the slow response, respectively. By comparison, we found that changes in cloud cover were dominated by the slow response in most areas in EA due to the changes in atmospheric temperature, circulation, and water vapor supply together. Overall, the changes in the cloud forcing over EA related to the fast and slow responses were opposite to each other, and the final cloud forcing was dominated by the slow response. The mean net cloud forcing (NCF) in the total response over EA was –1.80 W m^–2, indicating a cooling effect which partially offset the warming effect caused by the quadrupled CO₂. The total responses of NCF in the TP, south China (SC), and northeast China (NE) were –6.74 W m^–2, 6.11 W m^–2, and –7.49 W m^–2, respectively. Thus, the local effects of offsetting or amplifying warming were particularly obvious.     

Examination of sulfate chemistry sensitivity in a mid-latitude and tropical storm using a cloud resolving model

We examine the sensitivities of heterogeneous sulfate chemistry in a mid-latitude and tropical storm using a cloud resolving model. Both thermodynamic environments show unstable conditions favorable for development of intensive convection, with more CAPE in tropical compared to mid-latitude storm. Compared with the observed severe storms, modeled results show a relatively good agreement with the radar and surface chemical observations. Microphysical evaluation indicates that the accretion and autoconversion appear to be most important processes in such considered clouds. This sensitivity simulation is an upper bound for conversion of S (IV) to sulfate. The tropical convective storm produces for about 2.5 times more sulfate compared to mid-latitude storm and converts more SO₂ to sulfate, increasing wet deposition of sulfur. The results for a midlatitude run indicate that aerosol nucleation and impact scavenging account for between 18.9% and 28.9% of the in-cloud sulfate ultimately deposited. As a result of greater rainfall efficiency, tropical storm shows about two times higher sub-cloud scavenging rate than mid-latitude storm. The oxidation of S (IV) to SO₄ ^?2 in cloud droplets and in precipitation is found to be dominant in both convective storms accounting almost with the same percentage contribution of 45.4% and 46.3% to sulfur deposition, respectively. In-cloud oxidation contribute a larger fraction of the total amount of sulfur deposited in tropical case (29.2%) when compared to the mid-latitude case (11.8), respectively. Neglecting aqueous-phase chemistry in ice-phase hydrometeors in both convective clouds led to overpredict deposition of about 40% to 33% relative to the base runs.     

Data-driven Estimation of Cloud Effects on Surface Irradiance at Xianghe,a Suburban Site on the North China Plain

Clouds are a dominant modulator of the energy budget. The cloud shortwave radiative effect at the surface (CRE) is closely related to the cloud macro- and micro-physical properties. Systematic observation of surface irradiance and cloud properties are needed to narrow uncertainties in CRE. In this study, 1-min irradiance and Total Sky Imager measurements from 2005 to 2009 at Xianghe in North China Plain are used to estimate cloud types, evaluate cloud fraction (CF), and quantify the sensitivities of surface irradiance with respect to changes in CF whether clouds obscure the sun or not. The annual mean CF is 0.50, further noting that CF exhibits a distinct seasonal variation, with a minimum in winter (0.37) and maximum in summer (0.68). Cumulus occurs more frequently in summer (32%), which is close to the sum of the occurrence of stratus and cirrus. The annual CRE is –54.4 W m^–2, with seasonal values ranging from –29.5 W m^–2 in winter and –78.2 W m^–2 in summer. When clouds do not obscure the sun, CF is a dominant factor affecting diffuse irradiance, which in turn affects global irradiance. There is a positive linear relationship between CF and CRE under sun-unobscured conditions, the mean sensitivity of CRE for each CF 0.1 increase is about 1.2 W m^–2 [79.5° < SZA (Solar Zenith Angle) < 80.5°] to 7.0 W m^–2 (29.5° < SZA < 30.5°). When clouds obscure the sun, CF affects both direct and diffuse irradiance, resulting in a non-linear relationship between CF and CRE, and the slope decreases with increasing CF. It should be noted that, although only data at Xianghe is used in this study, our results are representative of neighboring areas, including most parts of the North China Plain.     

Characteristics of cirrus clouds and its radiative properties based on lidar observation over Chung-Li, Taiwan

In this paper, characterization of cirrus clouds are made by using data from ground based polarization lidar and radiosonde measurements over Chung-Li (24.58°N, 121.10°E), Taiwan for a period of 1999–2006. During this period, the occurrence of cirrus clouds is about 37% of the total measurement nights over the lidar site. Analysis of the measurement gives the statistical characteristics about the macrophysical properties such as occurrence height, ambient temperature, and its geometrical thickness while the microphysical properties are interpreted in terms of extinction coefficient, optical depth, effective lidar ratio and depolarization ratio. The effective lidar ratio has been retrieved by using the simulation technique of backscattered lidar signals. The effect of multiple scattering has been taken into the account by a model calculation. Summer (Jun–Aug) shows the maximum appearances of cirrus due to its formation mechanism. It is shown that tropopause cirrus clouds may occur with a probability of about 24%. These clouds are usually optically thin and having laminar in structure with some cases resembling the characteristics similar to that of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). The radiative properties of the cirrus clouds are also discussed in detail by the empirical equations with results show a positive feedback on any climate change.     

Impact of the Bergeron–Findeisen process on the release of aerosol particles during the evolution of cloud ice

The paper focuses on the redistribution of aerosol particles (APs) during the artificial nucleation and subsequent growth of ice crystals in a supercooled cloud. A significant number of the supercooled cloud droplets during icing periods (seeding agents: C₃H₈, CO₂) did not freeze as was presumed prior to the experiment but instead evaporated. The net mass flux of water vapour from the evaporating droplets to the nucleating ice crystals (Bergeron–Findeisen mechanism) led to the release of residual particles that simultaneously appeared in the interstitial phase. The strong decrease of the droplet residuals confirms the nucleation of ice particles on seeding germs without natural aerosol particles serving as ice nuclei. As the number of residual particles during the seedings did not drop to zero, other processes such as heterogeneous ice nucleation, spontaneous freezing, entrainment of supercooled droplets and diffusion to the created particle-free ice germs must have contributed to the experimental findings. During the icing periods, residual mass concentrations in the condensed phase dropped by a factor of 1.1–6.7, as compared to the unperturbed supercooled cloud. As the Bergeron–Findeisen process also occurs without artificial seeding in the atmosphere, this study demonstrated that the hydrometeors in mixed-phase clouds might be much cleaner than anticipated for the simple freezing process of supercooled droplets in tropospheric mid latitude clouds.     

Simulation Study of Cloud Properties Affected by Heterogeneous Nucleation Using the GRAPES＿SCM during the TWP-ICE Campaign

This study used the Global/Regional Assimilation and PrEdiction System Single-Column Model(GRAPES_SCM)to simulate monsoon precipitation with deep convective cloud and associated cirrus during the Tropical Warm Pool International Cloud Experiment(TWP-ICE), especially during the active and suppressed monsoon periods. Four cases with different heterogeneous nucleation parameterizations were simulated by using the ensemble method. All simulations clearly separated the active and suppressed monsoon periods, and they reproduced the major characteristics of monsoonal cloud such as the total cloud hydrometeor mixing ratio distribution,and precipitation and radiation properties. The results showed that the number concentration production rate of different heterogeneous nucleation parameterizations varied substantially under the given temperature and water vapor mixing ratio. However, ice formation and precipitation during the monsoon period were affected only slightly by the different heterogeneous nucleation parameterizations. This study also captured clear competition between different ice formation processes.     

Ice crystal shape effects on solar radiative properties of Arctic mixed-phase clouds—Dependence on microphysical properties

Based on 1-year cloud measurements with radar and microwave radiometer broadband solar radiative transfer simulations were performed to quantify the impact of different ice crystal shapes of Arctic mixed-phase clouds on their radiative properties (reflectance, transmittance and absorptance). The ice crystal shape effects were investigated as a function of microphysical cloud properties (ice volume fraction f_i, ice and liquid water content IWC and LWC, mean particle diameter D_m^I and D_m^W of ice/water particle number size distributions, NSDs).The required NSDs were statistically derived from radar data. The NSD was composed of a liquid and a solid mode defined by LWC, D_m^W (water mode) and IWC, D_m^I (ice mode). It was found that the ratio of D_m^I and D_m^W determines the magnitude of the shape effect. For mixed-phase clouds with D_m^I ≤ 27 μm a significant shape effect was obtained. The shape effect was almost insensitive with regard to the solar zenith angle, but highly sensitive to the ice volume fraction of the mixed-phase cloud. For mixed-phase clouds containing small ice crystals (D_m^I ≤ 27 μm) and high ice volume fractions (f_i > 0.5) crystal shape is crucial. The largest shape effects were observed assuming aggregates and columns. If the IWC was conserved the shape effect reaches values up to 0.23 in cloud reflectance and transmittance. If the ice mode NSD was kept constant only a small shape effect was quantified (≤ 0.04).     

An Overview of Passive and Active Dust Detection Methods Using Satellite Measurements

In this paper, the methods to detect dust based on passive and active measurements from satellites have been summarized. These include the visible and infrared (VIR) method, thermal infrared (TIR) method, microwave polarized index (MPI) method, active lidar-based method, and combined lidar and infrared measurement (CLIM) method. The VIR method can identify dust during daytime. Using measurements at wavelengths of 8.5, 11.0, and 12.0 μm, the TIR method can distinguish dust from other types of aerosols and cloud, and identify the occurrence of dust over bright surfaces and during night. Since neither the VIR nor the TIR method can penetrate ice clouds, they cannot detect dust beneath ice clouds. The MPI method, however, can identify about 85% of the dust beneath ice clouds. Meanwhile, the active lidar-based method, which uses the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) data and five-dimensional probability distribution functions, can provide very high-resolution vertical profiles of dust aerosols. Nonetheless, as the signals from dense dust and thin clouds are similar in the CALIOP measurements, the lidar-based method may fail to distinguish between them, especially over dust source regions. To address this issue, the CLIM method was developed, which takes the advantages of both TIR measurements (to discriminate between ice cloud and dense dust layers) and lidar measurements (to detect thin dust and water cloud layers). The results obtained by using the new CLIM method show that the ratio of dust misclassification has been significantly reduced. Finally, a concept module for an integrated multi-satellites dust detection system was proposed to overcome some of the weaknesses inherent in the single-sensor dust detection.