Title: Clouds and Radiation Processes in Regional Climate Models Evaluated Using Observations Over the Ice‐free Arctic Ocean

Abstract

Abstract The presence of clouds in the Arctic regulates the surface energy budget (SEB) over the sea‐ice surface and the ice‐free ocean. Following several previous field campaigns, the cloud‐radiation relationship, including cloud vertical structure and phase, has been elucidated; however, modeling of this relationship has matured slowly. In recognition of the recent decline in the Arctic sea‐ice extent, representation of the cloud system in numerical models should consider the effects of areas covered by sea ice and ice‐free areas. Using an in situ stationary meteorological observation data set obtained over the ice‐free Arctic Ocean by the Japanese Research Vessel Mirai (September 2014), coordinated evaluation of six regional climate models (RCMs) with nine model runs was performed by focusing on clouds and the SEB. The most remarkable findings were as follows: (1) reduced occurrence of unstable stratification with low‐level cloud water in all models in comparison to the observations, (2) significant differences in cloud water representations between single‐ and double‐moment cloud schemes, (3) extensive differences in partitioning of hydrometeors including solid/liquid precipitation, and (4) pronounced lower‐tropospheric air temperature biases. These issues are considered as the main sources of SEB uncertainty over ice‐free areas of the Arctic Ocean. The results from amore » coupled RCM imply that the SEB is constrained by both the atmosphere and the ocean (and sea ice) with considerable feedback. Coordinated improvement of both stand‐alone atmospheric and coupled RCMs would promote a more comprehensive and improved understanding of the Arctic air‐ice‐sea coupled system.« less

Authors:

Inoue, Jun  ^[1];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-7738-6480"

Sato, Kazutoshi  ^[2];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0003-0216-8942"

Rinke, Annette  ^[3];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-6685-9219"

Cassano, John J.  ^[4];

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Fettweis, Xavier  ^[5];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-4140-3813"

Heinemann, Günther  ^[6];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-4831-9016"

Matthes, Heidrun  ^[3];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-9913-7696"

Orr, Andrew  ^[7];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-5111-8402"

Phillips, Tony  ^[7];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-3058-9157"

Seefeldt, Mark  ^[8];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0003-0719-2570"

Solomon, Amy ^[9]; Webster, Stuart ^[10]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Meteorology and Glaciology Group, National Institute of Polar Research Tachikawa Japan
2. School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Engineering, Kitami Institute of Technology Kitami Japan
3. Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research Potsdam Germany
4. Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
5. Department of Geography University of Liége Liége Belgium
6. Department of Environmental Meteorology University of Trier Trier Germany
7. British Antarctic Survey, National Environmental Research Council Cambridge UK
8. Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA
9. Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA, Physical Sciences Division NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory Boulder CO USA
10. Met Office Exeter UK

Publication Date:

Tue Dec 29 00:00:00 EST 2020

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1755242

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1786754

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres Journal Volume: 126 Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2169-897X

Publisher:

American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English