Effects of cloud-radiation schemes on climate model results

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:470968

Somerville, R C.J.; Iacobellis, S F; Lee, W H ^[1]

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1. Univ. of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States). Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Using a modern atmospheric general circulation model (the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate Model: CCM2), the authors have investigated the effects on climate sensitivity of several different cloud-radiation parameterizations. At the same time, they have validated these parameterizations directly with observations from field experiments. In addition to the original cloud-radiation scheme of CCM2, the authors tested four parameterizations incorporating prognostic cloud water: one version with prescribed cloud radiative properties and three other versions with interactive cloud radiative properties. They applied a diagnostic radiation calculation to investigate the partial contributions of high, middle and low cloud to the total cloud radiative forcing, as well as the contributions of water vapor, temperature and cloud to the net climate feedback.

• OSTI ID: 470968
• Report Number(s): CONF-960420--; ISBN 0-884736-02-5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
CLIMATE MODELS
CLIMATIC CHANGE
CLOUDS
FORECASTING
GLOBAL ASPECTS