Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Sensitivity of Atmospheric Radiative Heating Rate Profiles to Variations of Cloud Layer Overlap

Ting Chen Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York

Search for other papers by Ting Chen in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Yuangchong Zhang Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, New York

Search for other papers by Yuangchong Zhang in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
William B. Rossow NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, New York

Search for other papers by William B. Rossow in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Print Publication:
15 Aug 2000
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(2000)013<2941:SOARHR>2.0.CO;2
Page(s):
2941–2959
Restricted access

Abstract

Three different cloud overlap schemes are applied to the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) vertical distribution of clouds in the radiative transfer model from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Institute for Space Studies climate GCM to study the sensitivity of radiative fluxes and atmospheric radiative heating rate profiles to variations in cloud vertical structure. This study differs from previous ones because the ISCCP dataset constrains the total column optical thickness of the clouds at each location, a fact that is used to constrain cloud overlap occurrence. Moreover, this study considers the effects of cloud vertical structure on both shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) fluxes at the top of the atmosphere, at the surface, and in the atmosphere. The in-atmosphere net fluxes are decomposed further into vertical profiles of radiative heating and cooling rates. The results show that the changes in the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) and surface (SRF) radiative fluxes vary among the different schemes, depending on the part of the atmosphere–surface system and spectral band (SW and LW) considered, but that the magnitudes of the changes generally are small. The scheme without a total optical thickness constraint produces opposite-signed changes in fluxes (except for the SRF LW flux) and the profile of atmospheric radiative heating rate in comparison with the schemes with the constraint. The constraint on total optical thickness eliminates nearly all of the effects on the total TOA and SRF radiation budget, significantly reducing the frequency of layer overlap occurrence and thereby reducing the effect of overlap on the radiative heating rate profiles. Even when the assumptions are changed to produce a frequency of occurrence of multilayer clouds that is similar to other estimates, the resulting changes in the radiative heating rate profile are quantitatively small. The magnitude of these changes is similar to the magnitude of the total overall cloud effect, however, making the layer overlap critical to accurate determinations of the shape of the radiative heating rate profiles.

* Current affiliation: Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, New York.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Ting Chen, Dept. of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025.

Abstract

Three different cloud overlap schemes are applied to the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) vertical distribution of clouds in the radiative transfer model from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Institute for Space Studies climate GCM to study the sensitivity of radiative fluxes and atmospheric radiative heating rate profiles to variations in cloud vertical structure. This study differs from previous ones because the ISCCP dataset constrains the total column optical thickness of the clouds at each location, a fact that is used to constrain cloud overlap occurrence. Moreover, this study considers the effects of cloud vertical structure on both shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) fluxes at the top of the atmosphere, at the surface, and in the atmosphere. The in-atmosphere net fluxes are decomposed further into vertical profiles of radiative heating and cooling rates. The results show that the changes in the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) and surface (SRF) radiative fluxes vary among the different schemes, depending on the part of the atmosphere–surface system and spectral band (SW and LW) considered, but that the magnitudes of the changes generally are small. The scheme without a total optical thickness constraint produces opposite-signed changes in fluxes (except for the SRF LW flux) and the profile of atmospheric radiative heating rate in comparison with the schemes with the constraint. The constraint on total optical thickness eliminates nearly all of the effects on the total TOA and SRF radiation budget, significantly reducing the frequency of layer overlap occurrence and thereby reducing the effect of overlap on the radiative heating rate profiles. Even when the assumptions are changed to produce a frequency of occurrence of multilayer clouds that is similar to other estimates, the resulting changes in the radiative heating rate profile are quantitatively small. The magnitude of these changes is similar to the magnitude of the total overall cloud effect, however, making the layer overlap critical to accurate determinations of the shape of the radiative heating rate profiles.

* Current affiliation: Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, New York.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Ting Chen, Dept. of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025.

Save
Cover Journal of Climate
Journal of Climate

  • Ackerman, T. P., K. N. Liou, F. P. J. Valero, and L. Pfister, 1988: Heating rates in tropical anvils. J. Atmos. Sci.,45, 1606–1623.

  • Barkstrom, B. R., 1984: The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE). Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc.,65, 1170–1185.

  • Baum, B. A., B. A. Wielicki, P. Minnis, and S. C. Tsay, 1994: Multilevel cloud retrieval using multispectral HIRS and AVHRR data: Nighttime oceanic analysis. J. Geophys. Res.,99, 5499–5514.

  • Chen, T., W. B. Rossow, and Y.-C. Zhang, 2000: Radiative effects of cloud-type variations. J. Climate,13, 264–286.

  • Darnell, W. L., W. F. Staylor, S. K. Gupta, N. A. Ritchey, and A. C. Wilber, 1992: Seasonal variation of surface radiation budget derived from International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project C1 data. J. Geophys. Res.,97, 15 741–15 760.

  • Freeman, K. P., and K. N. Liou, 1979: Climate effects of cirrus clouds. Advances in Geophysics, Vol. 21, Academic Press, 231–287.

  • Fu, Q., K. N. Liou, M. C. Cribb, T. P. Charlock, and A. Grossman, 1997: Multiple scattering parameterization in thermal infrared radiative transfer. J. Atmos. Sci.,54, 2799–2812.

  • Hansen, J. E., G. Russel, D. Rind, P. Stone, A. A. Lacis, S. Lebedeff, R. Ruedy, and L. Travis, 1983: Efficient three-dimensional global models for climate studies: Models I and II. Mon. Wea. Rev.,111, 609–662.

  • Harrison, E. F., P. Minnis, B. R. Barkstrom, V. Ramanathan, R. D. Cess, and G. G. Gibson, 1990: Seasonal variation of cloud radiative forcing derived from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment. J. Geophys. Res.,95, 18 687–18 703.

  • Hartmann, D. L., M. E. Ockert-Bell, and M. L. Michelsen, 1992: The effect of cloud type on Earth’s energy balance: Global analysis. J. Climate,5, 1281–1304.

  • Ho, C.-H., M.-D. Chou, M. Suarez, and K.-M. Lau, 1998: Effect of ice cloud on GCM climate simulations. Geophys. Res. Lett.,25, 71–74.

  • Jin, Y., and W. B. Rossow, 1997: Detection of cirrus overlapping low-level clouds. J. Geophys. Res.,102, 1727–1737.

  • ——, ——, and D. P. Wylie, 1996: Comparison of the climatologies of high-level clouds from HIRS and ISCCP. J. Climate,9, 2850–2879.

  • Kuhn, W. R., 1978: The effects of cloud height, thickness, and overlap on tropospheric terrestrial radiation. J. Geophys. Res.,83, 1337–1346.

  • Liang, X.-Z., and W.-C. Wang, 1997: Cloud overlap effects on general circulation model climate simulations. J. Geophys. Res.,102, 11 039–11 047.

  • Liao, X., W. B. Rossow, and D. Rind, 1995a: Comparison between SAGE II and ISCCP high-level clouds, 1. Global and zonal mean cloud amounts. J. Geophys. Res.,100, 1121–1135.

  • ——, ——, and ——, 1995b: Comparison between SAGE II and ISCCP high-level clouds, 2. Locating cloud tops. J. Geophys. Res.,100, 1137–1147.

  • Liou, K. N., 1986: Influence of cirrus clouds on weather and climate processes: A global perspective. Mon. Wea. Rev.,114, 1167–1199.

  • Minnis, P., P. W. Heck, and D. F. Young, 1993: Inference of cirrus cloud properties using satellite-observed visible and infrared radiances. Part II: Verification of theoretical cirrus radiative properties. J. Atmos. Sci.,50, 1305–1322.

  • Mishchenko, M. I., W. B. Rossow, A. Macke, and A. A. Lacis, 1996:Sensitivity of cirrus cloud albedo, bidirectional reflectance and optical thickness retrieval accuracy to ice particle shape. J. Geophys. Res.,101, 16 973–16 985.

  • Morcrette, J. J., and Y. Fouquart, 1986: The overlapping of cloud layers in shortwave radiation parameterizations. J. Atmos. Sci.,43, 321–328.

  • Ockert-Bell, M. E., and D. L. Hartmann, 1992: The effect of cloud type on Earth’s energy balance: Results for selected regions. J. Climate,5, 1158–1171.

  • Poore, K. D., J.-H. Wang, and W. B. Rossow, 1995: Cloud layer thicknesses from a combination of surface and upper-air observations. J. Climate,8, 550–568.

  • Ramaswamy, V., and V. Ramanathan, 1989: Solar absorption by cirrus clouds and the maintenance of the tropical upper troposphere thermal structure. J. Atmos. Sci.,46, 2293–2310.

  • Randall, D. A., Harshvardhan, D. A. Dazlich, and T. G. Corsetti, 1989: Interactions among radiation, convection, and large-scale dynamics in a general circulation model. J. Atmos. Sci.,46, 1943–1970.

  • Ridout, J. A., and T. E. Rosmond, 1996: Global modeling of cloud radiative effects using ISCCP cloud data J. Climate,9, 1479–1496.

  • Rossow, W. B., and A. A. Lacis, 1990: Global, seasonal cloud variations from satellite radiance measurements. Part II: Cloud properties and radiative effects. J. Climate,3, 1204–1253.

  • ——, and R. A. Schiffer, 1991: ISCCP cloud data products. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc.,72, 2–20.

  • ——, and Y.-C. Zhang, 1995: Calculation of surface and top of atmosphere radiative fluxes from physical quantities based on ISCCP data sets, 2. Validation and first results. J. Geophys. Res.,100, 1167–1197.

  • ——, A. W. Walker, and L. C. Garder, 1993: Comparison of ISCCP and other cloud amounts. J. Climate,6, 2394–2418.

  • ——, ——, D. E. Beuschel, and M. D. Roiter, 1996: International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Documentation of New Cloud Datasets. WMO/TD 737, World Climate Research Programme, Geneva, Switzerland, 115 pp.

  • Slingo, A., and J. M. Slingo, 1988: The response of a general circulation model to cloud longwave radiative forcing. I: Introduction and initial experiments. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc.,114, 1027–1062.

  • Stubenrauch, C. J., A. D. Del Genio, and W. B. Rossow, 1997: Implementation of subgrid cloud vertical structure inside a GCM and its effect on the radiation budget. J. Climate,10, 273–287.

  • ——, W. B. Rossow, F. Cheruy, A. Chedin, and V. A. Scott, 1999: Clouds as seen by satellite sounders (3I) and imagers (ISCCP). Part I: Evaluation of cloud parameters. J. Climate,12, 2189–2213.

  • Tian, L., and J. A. Curry, 1989: Cloud overlap statistics. J. Geophys. Res.,94, 9925–9935.

  • Toon, O. B., C. P. McKay, and T. P. Ackerman, 1989: Rapid calculation of radiative heating rates and photodissociation rates in inhomogeneous multiple scattering atmospheres. J. Geophys. Res.,94, 16 287–16 301.

  • Wallace, J. M., and P. V. Hobbs, 1977: Atmospheric Science—An Introductory Survey. Academic Press, 467 pp.

  • Wang, J.-H., 1997: Determination of cloud vertical structure from upper air observations and its effects on atmospheric circulation in a GCM. Ph.D. dissertation, Columbia University, 233 pp. [Available from Junhong Wang, NCAR/SSSF, P. O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307.].

  • ——, and W. B. Rossow, 1995: Determination of cloud vertical structure from upper-air observations. J. Appl. Meteor.,34, 2243–2258.

  • ——, and ——, 1998: Effects of cloud vertical structure on atmospheric circulation in the GISS GCM. J. Climate,11, 3010–3029.

  • ——, ——, and Y.-C. Zhang, 2000: Cloud vertical structure and its variations from a 20-yr global rawinsonde dataset. J. Climate, in press.

  • Warren, S. G., C. J. Hahn, and J. London, 1985: Simultaneous occurrence of different cloud types. J. Climate Appl. Meteor.,24, 658–667.

  • ——, ——, R. M. Chervin, and R. L. Jenne, 1986: Global distribution of total cloud cover and cloud type amounts over land. NCAR Tech. Note NCAR/TN-273+STR, 29 pp. and 200 maps. [Available from National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307.].

  • ——, ——, J. London, R. M. Chervin, and R. L. Jenne, 1988: Global distribution of total cloud cover and cloud type amounts over ocean. NCAR Tech. Note NCAR/TN-317+STR, 42 pp. and 170 maps. [Available from National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307.].

  • Zhang, Y.-C., W. B. Rossow, and A. A. Lacis, 1995: Calculation of surface and top of atmosphere radiative fluxes from physical quantities based on ISCCP data sets, 1. Method and sensitivity to input data uncertainties. J. Geophys. Res.,100, 1149–1165.

All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 1056 461 26
PDF Downloads 396 72 9