Clouds and ocean-atmosphere interactions. Final report, September 15, 1992--September 14, 1995
Predictions of global change based on climate models are influencing both national and international policies on energy and the environment. Existing climate models show some skill in simulating the present climate, but suffer from many widely acknowledged deficiencies. Among the most serious problems is the need to apply ``flux corrections`` to prevent the models from drifting away from the observed climate in control runs that do not include external perturbing influences such as increased carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) concentrations. The flux corrections required to prevent climate drift are typically comparable in magnitude to the observed fluxes themselves. Although there can be many contributing reasons for the climate drift problem, clouds and their effects on the surface energy budget are among the prime suspects. The authors have conducted a research program designed to investigate global air-sea interaction as it relates to the global warming problem, with special emphasis on the role of clouds. Their research includes model development efforts; application of models to simulation of present and future climates, with comparison to observations wherever possible; and vigorous participation in ongoing efforts to intercompare the present generation of atmospheric general circulation models.
- Research Organization:
- Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Science
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-89ER69027
- OSTI ID:
- 132693
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/69027-6; ON: DE96002407; TRN: AHC29529%%55
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Oct 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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