Fast methods of computing bulk radiative properties of inhomogeneous clouds illuminated by solar radiation
- Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
The use of cloud fraction as a means of incorporating horizontal cloud inhomogeneity in radiative transfer calculations is widespread in the atmospheric science community. This research attempts to bypass the use of cloud fraction in radiative transfer modeling for two-dimensional media. Gabriel describes two approximation techniques useful in calculating the domain averaged bulk radiative properties such as albedo, flux divergence and mean radiance that dispense with the need to use cloud fraction as a specifier of cloud inhomogeneity. The results suggest that the variability of the medium can largely be accounted for through the pseudo-source term, offering hope of parameterizing the equation of transfer in terms of the statistical properties of the medium. 1 fig.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States). Environmental Sciences Div.
- OSTI ID:
- 232592
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER-0661T; ON: DE96000982; TRN: 96:002004-0004
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Elements of change 1994. Climate-radiation feedbacks: The current state of the science; PB: 123 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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