Sensitivity study of cloud/radiation interaction using a second order turbulence radiative-convective model

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:6618694

Kao, C Y.J.; Smith, W S

A high resolution one-dimensional version of a second order turbulence convective/radiative model, developed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, was used to conduct a sensitivity study of a stratocumulus cloud deck, based on data taken at San Nicolas Island during the intensive field observation marine stratocumulus phase of the First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Program (ISCCP) Regional Experiment (FIRE IFO), conducted during July, 1987. Initial profiles for liquid water potential temperature, and total water mixing ratio were abstracted from the FIRE data. The dependence of the diurnal behavior in liquid water content, cloud top height, and cloud base height were examined for variations in subsidence rate, sea surface temperature, and initial inversion strength. The modelled diurnal variation in the column integrated liquid water agrees quite well with the observed data, for the case of low subsidence. The modelled diurnal behavior for the height of the cloud top and base show qualitative agreement with the FIRE data, although the overall height of the cloud layer is about 200 meters too high.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6618694
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-93-315; CONF-930140--2; ON: DE93007365
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540130* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
CLIMATE MODELS
CLOUDS
CONVECTION
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER
INTERACTIONS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METEOROLOGY
RADIOACTIVITY
TURBULENCE