Clouds and relative humidity in climate models; or what really regulates cloud cover?
- State Univ. of New York, Albany, NY (United States)
The response and impact of clouds remains one of the largest outstanding questions in GCMs. Clouds are not homogeneous, though they are treated as such in the models. When averaged over areas typically used as numerical grid elements by GCMs, observations suggest that there are some clouds at all relative humidities. Fractional cloud cover at 100% relative humidity is rarely 100%, and totally clear skies rarely occur, even for low relative humidities. Relative humidity is the best single indicator of cloud coverage. However, if there is a relationship between cloud coverage and relative humidity, our current models and observations are inadequate to reveal exactly what that relationship is. It does appear that cloud coverage decreases exponentially as humidity falls below 100%. 2 refs., 2 figs.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States). Environmental Sciences Div.
- OSTI ID:
- 232611
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER-0661T; ON: DE96000982; TRN: 96:002004-0023
- 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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