The effect of cloud type on earth's energy balance: Global analysis

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Journal of Climate; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1992)005<1281:TEOCTO>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:6624998

Hartmann, D L; Ockert-Bell, M E; Michelsen, M L ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Washington, Seattle (United States)

The role of fractional area coverage by cloud types in the energy balance of the earth is investigated through joint use of International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Cl cloud data and Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) broadband energy flux data for the one-year period March 1985 through February 1986. Multiple linear regression is used to relate the radiation budget data to the cloud data. Comparing cloud forcing estimates obtained from the ISCCP-ERBE regression with those derived from the ERBE scene identification shows generally good agreement except over snow, in tropical convective regions, and in regions that are either nearly cloudless or always overcast. It is suggested that a substantial fraction of the disagreement in longwave cloud forcing in tropical convective regions is associated with the fact that the ERBE scene identification does not take into account variations in upper-tropospheric water vapor. On a global average basis, low clouds make the largest contribution to the net energy balance of the earth, because they cover such a large area and because their albedo effect dominates their effect on emitted thermal radiation. High, optically thick clouds can also very effectively reduce the energy balance, however, because their very high albedos overcome their low emission temperatures.

• OSTI ID: 6624998
• Journal Information: Journal of Climate; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Climate; (United States) Vol. 5:11; ISSN JLCLEL; ISSN 0894-8755
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110*
ALBEDO
CLOUD COVER
CLOUDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY
ENERGY ANALYSIS
ENERGY BALANCE
FLUIDS
GASES
GLOBAL ANALYSIS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
LEVELS
LONG WAVE RADIATION
MATHEMATICS
NET ENERGY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
THERMAL RADIATION
TROPICAL REGIONS
VAPORS
VARIATIONS
WATER VAPOR