Quantifying Aerosol influences on the Cloud Radiative Effect
Poster PDF
Authors
Graham Feingold — NOAA- Earth System Research Laboratory
Allison C. McComiskey — Brookhaven National Laboratory
Takanobu Yamaguchi — CIRES, Unviersity of Colorado and NOAA ESRL
Jan Kazil — University of Colorado
Category
ARM next generation – Megasite and LES activities
Description
Although evidence of aerosol influences on the microphysical properties of cloud fields abounds, a rigorous assessment of aerosol effects on the radiative properties of shallow liquid cloud fields has proved to be elusive. We will demonstrate through large numbers of idealized large eddy simulation and long-term surface-based remote sensing observations at the ARM Southern Great Plains site that the existence of a detectable cloud microphysical response to aerosol perturbations is neither a necessary, nor a sufficient condition for detectability of a radiative response. We will use a new framework that focuses on the cloud field properties such as cloud fraction and liquid water path that most influence shortwave radiation. The framework will be used to quantify the cloud radiative effect of shallow liquid clouds and demonstrate (i) the primacy of cloud field properties such as cloud fraction and liquid water path for driving the cloud radiative effect; and (ii) that the co-variability between meteorological and aerosol drivers has a strong influence on the detectability and accurate quantification of a cloud radiative response to aerosol, regardless of whether a microphysical response is detected. A broad methodology for systematically quantifying the cloud radiative effect will be presented.
