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The Impact of Cloud Radiative Effects on the Tropical Tropopause Layer Temperatures

Journal Article · · Atmosphere (Basel)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos9100377· OSTI ID:1612865
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); DOE/OSTI
  2. Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
  3. Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
A single-column radiative-convective model (RCM) is a useful tool to investigate the physical processes that determine the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) temperature structures. Previous studies on the TTL using the RCMs, however, omitted the cloud radiative effects. In this study, we examine the impact of cloud radiative effects on the simulated TTL temperatures using an RCM. We derive the cloud radiative effects based on satellite observations, which show heating rates in the troposphere but cooling rates in the stratosphere. We find that the cloud radiative effect warms the TTL by as much as 2 K but cools the lower stratosphere by as much as -1.5 K, resulting in a thicker TTL. With (without) considering cloud radiative effects, we obtain a convection top of ≈167 hPa (≈150 hPa) with a temperature of ≈213 K (≈209 K), and a cold point at ≈87 hPa (≈94 hPa) with a temperature of ≈204 K (≈204 K). Therefore, the cloud radiative effects widen the TTL by both lowering the convection-top height and enhancing the cold-point height. We also examine the impact of TTL cirrus radiative effects on the RCM-simulated temperatures. We find that the TTL cirrus warms the TTL with a maximum temperature increase of ≈1.3 K near 110 hPa.
Research Organization:
Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER) (SC-23)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0018190
OSTI ID:
1612865
Journal Information:
Atmosphere (Basel), Journal Name: Atmosphere (Basel) Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 9; ISSN 2073-4433; ISSN ATMOCZ
Publisher:
MDPICopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
cloud radiative effects
temperature structure
tropical tropopause layer