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Surface‐based remote sensing of the observed and the Adiabatic liquid water content of stratocumulus clouds
Author(s) -
Albrecht Bruce A.,
Fairall Christopher W.,
Thomson Dennis W.,
White Allen B.,
Snider Jack B.,
Schubert Wayne H.
Publication year - 1990
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/gl017i001p00089
Subject(s) - liquid water path , adiabatic process , ceilometer , liquid water content , microwave radiometer , environmental science , water content , atmospheric sciences , microwave , radiometer , liquid water , meteorology , physics , geology , optics , cloud computing , precipitation , thermodynamics , aerosol , geotechnical engineering , quantum mechanics , computer science , operating system
A laser ceilometer, an acoustic sounder, and a microwave radiometer were used to estimate cloud thickness and the adiabatic and integrated liquid water content of shallow stratocumulus clouds continuously for three days using two‐minute averages. Although the observed liquid water path was close to the theoretical adiabatic value for most of the three days, there was one four‐hour period when the liquid water content dropped to about 50% of the adiabatic value. Hourly‐averaged values for a 19‐day period of intensive observations show that the cloud water content was generally close to the adiabatic value. Occasionally there were clouds greater than 300 m in depth in which the water content was clearly less than adiabatic.