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Introduction To Clouds

Clouds play an important role in the global climate system by regulating the Earth's radiation budget. Satellite observations show that different cloud types have varying radiative effects - with low clouds trapping heat and high clouds reflecting sunlight. Clouds also influence precipitation patterns and amounts. Factors like sea surface temperatures can impact cloud formation and distribution on both regional and global scales. Accurately representing clouds remains a challenge for climate models and our understanding of clouds' effects on atmospheric chemistry and future climate change is an active area of research.

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Samuel Enrique Cano Patoc
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69 views38 pages

Introduction To Clouds

Clouds play an important role in the global climate system by regulating the Earth's radiation budget. Satellite observations show that different cloud types have varying radiative effects - with low clouds trapping heat and high clouds reflecting sunlight. Clouds also influence precipitation patterns and amounts. Factors like sea surface temperatures can impact cloud formation and distribution on both regional and global scales. Accurately representing clouds remains a challenge for climate models and our understanding of clouds' effects on atmospheric chemistry and future climate change is an active area of research.

Uploaded by

Samuel Enrique Cano Patoc
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The importance of clouds

The Global Climate System

http://www.dkrz.de/dkrz/broschuere-eng/research/climatesystem.html

http://www.lwr.kth.se/Grundutbildning/1B1292/Compendium_online/ch05s01s02.html

Radiation in the climate system

Kiehl and Trenberth, BAMS, 1997

Net cloud radiative effect from ERBE

90705040302010010203040

Latent Heating

Combined satellite rainfall measurements


Reflects locations of major precipitating cloud systems
spatiotemporal variability

The Global Hydrological Cycle

http://www.dkrz.de/dkrz/broschuere-eng/research/water.html

From global to local range of scales


1000 kkm

100 kkm

10 km

1 km

Impact of cloud type upon radiation

Impact of cloud type upon radiation

Impact of cloud type upon radiation

Distribution of cloud types

Anvils

Deep
convection

Tropical
East
Pacific

High

Mid-level

Stratocumulus

Low

Radiative effect of cloud types

High

Mid-level
Low

Factors influencing cloud


types

SST anomaly
from zonal
mean

ERBE net
cloud
forcing

ISCCP inferred St/Sc amount

Tropicalsubtropical
general
circulation

warm SST

cold
SST

from
Randall et al.,
J At
J.
Atmos. Sci.,
S i
37, 125-130,
1980

Seasonal cycle of precipitation

Jan 2004

Jul 2004

Interannual variability of precipitation


El Nio

Jan 1998
La Nia

Jan 1999

Global frequency and distribution of lightning as


observed from space
Christian et al., J. Geophys. Res., 2003.

Tight couplings
between SST,
winds, and
clouds

Clouds and precipitation


associated with
midlatitude cyclones

warm conveyor

Orographic
precipitation
enhancement

Clouds and climate change

GFDL

Clouds in
climate
models
- change in low
cloud amount
for 2CO2

CCM

model number
from Stephens (2005)

IPCC,2007

Pacific Northwest Projected River Flow

Cloud effects on atmospheric


chemistry
Acidity of rain
Gas-particle conversion
Biogeochemical feedbacks
f
to
ttropical
op ca cloud
c oud pattern
patte

Hobbs 2000

Hobbs 2000

Modeling clouds and precipitation


Forecasting of precipitation
Climate impacts

From the sublime.


10x10x5 m
resolution
20x20x3 km
domain
St
Stevens
ett al.l (2002)

.to the ridiculous, but necessary


3x3o resolution
global domain
climateprediction.net

O3 photolyzed

OH

Hobbs 2000

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