Premium
Inconsistencies between satellite estimates of longwave cloud forcing and dynamical fields from reanalyses
Author(s) -
Allan Richard P.,
Ringer Mark A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2003gl017019
Subject(s) - longwave , shortwave , environmental science , cloud forcing , forcing (mathematics) , climatology , satellite , outgoing longwave radiation , atmospheric sciences , cloud cover , radiative forcing , sky , climate model , radiative transfer , shortwave radiation , meteorology , climate change , cloud computing , radiation , geography , physics , geology , aerosol , convection , quantum mechanics , astronomy , computer science , operating system , oceanography
The greenhouse effect of cloud may be quantified as the difference between outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and its clear‐sky component (OLRc). Clear‐sky measurements from satellite preferentially sample drier, more stable conditions relative to the monthly‐mean state. The resulting observational bias is evident when OLRc is stratified by vertical motion; differences to climate model OLRc of 15 Wm −2 occur over warm regions of strong ascent. Using data from the ECMWF 40‐year reanalysis, an estimate of cloud longwave radiative effect is made which is directly comparable with standard climate model diagnostics. The impact of this methodology on the cancellation of cloud longwave and shortwave radiative forcing in the tropics is estimated.