The correlation between Arctic sea ice, cloud phase and radiation using A-train satellites
Climate warming has a stronger impact on Arctic climate and sea ice cover (SIC) decline than previously thought. Better understanding and characterization of the relationship between sea ice and clouds and the implications for surface radiation is key to improving our confidence in Arctic climate pr...
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:egusphere116599 2024-09-15T18:17:35+00:00 The correlation between Arctic sea ice, cloud phase and radiation using A-train satellites Cesana, Grégory V. Pierpaoli, Olivia Ottaviani, Matteo Vu, Linh Jin, Zhonghai 2024-07-11 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2940 https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2023/egusphere-2023-2940/ eng eng doi:10.5194/egusphere-2023-2940 https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2023/egusphere-2023-2940/ eISSN: Text 2024 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2940 2024-08-28T05:24:15Z Climate warming has a stronger impact on Arctic climate and sea ice cover (SIC) decline than previously thought. Better understanding and characterization of the relationship between sea ice and clouds and the implications for surface radiation is key to improving our confidence in Arctic climate projections. Here we analyze the relationship between sea ice, cloud phase and surface radiation over the Arctic, defined as north of 60° N, using active- and passive-sensor satellite observations from three different datasets. We find that all datasets agree on the climatology of and seasonal variability in total and liquid-bearing (liquid and mixed-phase) cloud covers. Similarly, our results show a robust relationship between decreased SIC and increased liquid-bearing clouds in the lowest levels (below 3 km) for all seasons (strongest in winter) but summer, while increased SIC and ice clouds are positively correlated in two of the three datasets. A refined map correlation analysis indicates that the relationship between SIC and liquid-bearing clouds can change sign over the Bering, Barents and Laptev seas, likely because of intrusions of warm air from low latitudes during winter and spring. Finally, the increase in liquid clouds resulting from decreasing SIC is associated with enhanced radiative cooling at the surface. Our findings indicate that the newly formed liquid clouds reflect more shortwave (SW) radiation back to space compared to the surface, generating a cooling effect of the surface, while their downward longwave (LW) radiation is similar to the upward LW surface emission, which has a negligible radiative impact on the surface. This overall cooling effect should contribute to dampening future Arctic surface warming as SIC continues to decline. Text laptev Sea ice Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
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Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
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English |
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Climate warming has a stronger impact on Arctic climate and sea ice cover (SIC) decline than previously thought. Better understanding and characterization of the relationship between sea ice and clouds and the implications for surface radiation is key to improving our confidence in Arctic climate projections. Here we analyze the relationship between sea ice, cloud phase and surface radiation over the Arctic, defined as north of 60° N, using active- and passive-sensor satellite observations from three different datasets. We find that all datasets agree on the climatology of and seasonal variability in total and liquid-bearing (liquid and mixed-phase) cloud covers. Similarly, our results show a robust relationship between decreased SIC and increased liquid-bearing clouds in the lowest levels (below 3 km) for all seasons (strongest in winter) but summer, while increased SIC and ice clouds are positively correlated in two of the three datasets. A refined map correlation analysis indicates that the relationship between SIC and liquid-bearing clouds can change sign over the Bering, Barents and Laptev seas, likely because of intrusions of warm air from low latitudes during winter and spring. Finally, the increase in liquid clouds resulting from decreasing SIC is associated with enhanced radiative cooling at the surface. Our findings indicate that the newly formed liquid clouds reflect more shortwave (SW) radiation back to space compared to the surface, generating a cooling effect of the surface, while their downward longwave (LW) radiation is similar to the upward LW surface emission, which has a negligible radiative impact on the surface. This overall cooling effect should contribute to dampening future Arctic surface warming as SIC continues to decline. |
format |
Text |
author |
Cesana, Grégory V. Pierpaoli, Olivia Ottaviani, Matteo Vu, Linh Jin, Zhonghai |
spellingShingle |
Cesana, Grégory V. Pierpaoli, Olivia Ottaviani, Matteo Vu, Linh Jin, Zhonghai The correlation between Arctic sea ice, cloud phase and radiation using A-train satellites |
author_facet |
Cesana, Grégory V. Pierpaoli, Olivia Ottaviani, Matteo Vu, Linh Jin, Zhonghai |
author_sort |
Cesana, Grégory V. |
title |
The correlation between Arctic sea ice, cloud phase and radiation using A-train satellites |
title_short |
The correlation between Arctic sea ice, cloud phase and radiation using A-train satellites |
title_full |
The correlation between Arctic sea ice, cloud phase and radiation using A-train satellites |
title_fullStr |
The correlation between Arctic sea ice, cloud phase and radiation using A-train satellites |
title_full_unstemmed |
The correlation between Arctic sea ice, cloud phase and radiation using A-train satellites |
title_sort |
correlation between arctic sea ice, cloud phase and radiation using a-train satellites |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2940 https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2023/egusphere-2023-2940/ |
genre |
laptev Sea ice |
genre_facet |
laptev Sea ice |
op_source |
eISSN: |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/egusphere-2023-2940 https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2023/egusphere-2023-2940/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2940 |
_version_ |
1810455642990706688 |