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Combining satellite data and models to estimate cloud radiative effect at the surface and in the atmosphere

Allan, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0264-9447 (2011) Combining satellite data and models to estimate cloud radiative effect at the surface and in the atmosphere. Meteorological Applications, 18 (3). pp. 324-333. ISSN 1469-8080 (special issue: 'Sensing the weather')

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Official URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/met.285...

Abstract/Summary

Satellite measurements and numerical forecast model reanalysis data are used to compute an updated estimate of the cloud radiative effect on the global multi-annual mean radiative energy budget of the atmosphere and surface. The cloud radiative cooling effect through reflection of shortwave radiation dominates over the longwave heating effect, resulting in a net cooling of the climate system of –21 Wm-2. The shortwave radiative effect of cloud is primarily manifest as a reduction in the solar radiation absorbed at the surface of -53 Wm-2. Clouds impact longwave radiation by heating the moist tropical atmosphere (up to around 40 Wm-2 for global annual means) while enhancing the radiative cooling of the atmosphere over other regions, in particular higher latitudes and sub-tropical marine stratocumulus regimes. While clouds act to cool the climate system during the daytime, the cloud greenhouse effect heats the climate system at night. The influence of cloud radiative effect on determining cloud feedbacks and changes in the water cycle are discussed.

Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Divisions:Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > NCAS
Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO)
ID Code:21857
Additional Information:The DOI is not linking to the article. DOI: 10.1002/met.285 from the CentAUR record, but if you copy it and search via Google it works!
Publisher:Royal Meteorological Society

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