Variability of radiatively forced diurnal cycle of intense convection in the tropical west pacific
- Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
Strong differences occur in daytime versus nighttime (DVN) net radiative cooling in clear versus cloudy areas of the tropical atmosphere. Daytime average cooling is approximately -0.7{degrees}C/day, whereas nighttime net tropospheric cooling rates are about -1.5{degrees}C/day, an approximately two-to-one difference. The comparatively strong nocturnal cooling in clear areas gives rise to a diurnally varying vertical circulation and horizontal convergence cycle. Various manifestations of this cyclic process include the observed early morning heavy rainfall maxima over the tropical oceans. The radiatively driven DVN circulation appears to strongly modulate the resulting diurnal cycle of intense convection which creates the highest, coldest cloudiness over maritime tropical areas and is likely a fundamental mechanism governing both small and large scale dynamics over much of the tropical environment.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States). Environmental Sciences Div.
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG03-94ER61772
- OSTI ID:
- 263519
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9503140-; ON: DE96010942; TRN: 96:003652-0023
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 5. atmospheric radiation measurement (ARM) science team meeting, San Diego, CA (United States), 19-23 Mar 1995; Other Information: PBD: Apr 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the fifth Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) science team meeting; PB: 421 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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