Daytime Top-of-the-Atmosphere Cirrus Cloud Radiative Forcing Properties at Singapore

Abstract

Daytime top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) cirrus cloud radiative forcing (CRF) is estimated for cirrus clouds observed in ground-based lidar observations at Singapore in 2010 and 2011. Estimates are derived both over land and water to simulate conditions over the broader Maritime Continent archipelago of Southeast Asia. Based on bookend constraints of the lidar extinction-to-backscatter ratio (20 and 30 sr), used to solve extinction and initialize corresponding radiative transfer model simulations, relative daytime TOA CRF is estimated at 2.858-3.370Wm(-2) in 2010 (both 20 and 30 sr, respectively) and 3.078-3.329Wm(-2) in 2011 and over water between20.094 and 0.541Wm(-2) in 2010 and20.598 and 0.433Wm(-2) in 2011 (both 30 and 20 sr, respectively). After normalizing these estimates for an approximately 80 local satellite-estimated cirrus cloud occurrence rate, they reduce in absolute daytime terms to 2.198-2.592Wm(-2) in 2010 and 2.368-2.561Wm(-2) in 2011 over land and 20.072-0.416Wm(-2) in 2010 and 20.460-0.333Wm(-2) in 2011 over water. These annual estimates are mostly consistent despite a tendency toward lower relative cloud top heights in 2011. Uncertainties are described. Estimates support the open hypothesis of a meridional hemispheric gradient in cirrus cloud daytime TOA CRF globally, varying from positive near the equator to presumably negative approaching the non-ice-covered poles. They help expand upon the paradigm, however, by conceptualizing differences zonally between overland and overwater forcing that differ significantly. More global oceans are likely subject to negative daytime TOA CRF than previously implied.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 30, 2016
Accession Number
AD1117893

Entities

People

  • Boon N. Chew
  • Ellsworth J. Welton
  • James R. Campbell
  • Jared W. Marquis
  • Jasper R. Lewis
  • Santo V. Salinas
  • Simone Lolli
  • Soo-chin Liew
  • Yu Gu

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Asia
  • Atmospheres
  • Backscattering
  • Cirrus Clouds
  • Climate Change
  • Continents
  • Experimental Design
  • Extinction
  • Frequency
  • Ground Based
  • Observation
  • Radiative Transfer
  • Scattering
  • Singapore
  • Southeast Asia
  • Uncertainty

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Spectroscopy.
  • Team-Based Human-Centered Cognitive Task Decision Making and Information Performance.

Technology Areas

  • Space