A study of longwave radiation codes for climate studies: Validation with ARM observations and tests in general circulation models
Research by the US Department of Energy (DOE) has shown that cloud radiative feedback is the single most important effect determining the magnitude of possible climatic responses to human activity. However, these effects are still not known at the levels needed for climate prediction. Consequently, DOE has launched a major initiative-- the Atmospheric Radiation Measurements (ARM) Program -- directed at improving the parameterization of the physics governing cloud and radiative processes in general circulation models (GCM's). One specific goal of ARM is to improve the treatment of radiative transfer in GCM's under clear-sky, general overcast and broken cloud conditions. Our approach to developing the radiation model will be to test existing models in an iterative, predictive fashion. We will supply the Clouds and Radiative Testbed (CART) with a set of models to be compared with operationally observed data. The differences we find will lead to the development of new models to be tested with new data. Similarly, our GCM studies will use existing GCM's to study the radiation sensitivity problem. We anticipate that the outcome of this approach will provide both a better longwave radiative forcing algorithm and a better understanding of how longwave radiative forcing influences the equilibrium climate of the atmosphere.
- Research Organization:
- Maryland Univ., College Park, MD (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG05-90ER61075
- OSTI ID:
- 5094758
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/61075-T1; ON: DE92014100
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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A Study of Longwave Radiation Codes for Climate Studies: Validation with ARM Observations and Tests in General Circulation Models
A study of longwave radiation codes for climate studies: Validation with ARM observations and tests in general circulation models. Final report, September 15, 1990--October 31, 1994
Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
GENERAL CIRCULATION MODELS
VALIDATION
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CLIMATE MODELS
CLIMATES
CLOUDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTER CODES
FORCING FUNCTIONS
HEAT FLUX
LONG WAVE RADIATION
PROGRESS REPORT
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EVALUATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
TESTING
540110*
580000 - Geosciences