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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

GCM radiation model-to-observation comparison

Conference ·
OSTI ID:535156
;  [1]
  1. State Univ. of New York, Albany, NY (United States)
A general circulation model radiation model is compared to the concurrent meteorological and radiative flux measurement from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program for the purpose of identifying and reducing uncertainties associated with cloud treatment. Three aspects are studied: clear sky condition, single-layer overcast sky condition, and multiple-layer fractional cloud condition. The radiation parameterization used is based on the GENESIS global model with some revisions. Data from the ARM site consists of meteorological observations and radiation measurements at the top of the atmosphere and at the surface. Good agreement between the model and observations is found in the outgoing longwave and shortwave flux at the top of the atmosphere for the clear sky and single-layer overcast conditions. The model overestimates the downward shortwave flux at the surface under clear sky condition and underestimates under single-layer overcast condition. Under the multiple-layer fractional cloud condition, a large uncertainty in the shortwave radiation calculation is associated with the cloud vertical overlapping assumption. 17 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.
OSTI ID:
535156
Report Number(s):
CONF-960146--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English