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Cloud effects on meridional atmospheric energy budget estimated from clouds and the earth's radiant energy system (ceres) data
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Kato, Seiji Rutan, David A. Charlock, Thomas P. Rose, Fred G. |
| Copyright Year | 2008 |
| Description | The zonal mean atmospheric cloud radiative effect, defined as the difference of the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) and surface cloud radiative effects, is estimated from three years of Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data. The zonal mean shortwave effect is small, though it tends to be positive (warming). This indicates that clouds increase shortwave absorption in the atmosphere, especially in midlatitudes. The zonal mean atmospheric cloud radiative effect is, however, dominated by the longwave effect. The zonal mean longwave effect is positive in the tropics and decreases with latitude to negative values (cooling) in polar regions. The meridional gradient of cloud effect between midlatitude and polar regions exists even when uncertainties in the cloud effect on the surface enthalpy flux and in the modeled irradiances are taken into account. This indicates that clouds increase the rate of generation of mean zonal available potential energy. Because the atmospheric cooling effect in polar regions is predominately caused by low level clouds, which tend to be stationary, we postulate that the meridional and vertical gradients of cloud effect increase the rate of meridional energy transport by dynamics in the atmosphere from midlatitude to polar region, especially in fall and winter. Clouds then warm the surface in polar regions except in the Arctic in summer. Clouds, therefore, contribute in increasing the rate of meridional energy transport from midlatitude to polar regions through the atmosphere. |
| File Size | 366436 |
| Page Count | 53 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_20080044712 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t5jb14j56 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 2008-01-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Meteorology And Climatology Potential Energy Climatology Atmospheric Heat Budget Meridional Flow Zonal Flow Meteorology Latitude Irradiance Water Vapor Temperate Regions Transmittance Earth Planet Albedo Algorithms Winter Clouds Meteorology Modis Radiometry Polar Regions Ceres Experiment Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
