An analysis of the cloud environment over the Ross Sea and Ross Ice Shelf using CloudSat/CALIPSO satellite observations: the importance of synoptic forcing
We use the 2B-GEOPROF-LIDAR R04 (2BGL4) and R05 (2BGL5) products and the 2B-CLDCLASS-LIDAR R04 (2BCL4) product, all generated by combining CloudSat radar and CALIPSO lidar satellite measurements with auxiliary data, to examine the vertical distribution of cloud occurrence around the Ross Ice Shelf (...
Published in: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2018
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9723-2018 https://doaj.org/article/76673004818f4f3a89f0deb6e628f72b |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:76673004818f4f3a89f0deb6e628f72b |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:76673004818f4f3a89f0deb6e628f72b 2023-05-15T16:41:54+02:00 An analysis of the cloud environment over the Ross Sea and Ross Ice Shelf using CloudSat/CALIPSO satellite observations: the importance of synoptic forcing B. Jolly P. Kuma A. McDonald S. Parsons 2018-07-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9723-2018 https://doaj.org/article/76673004818f4f3a89f0deb6e628f72b EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/9723/2018/acp-18-9723-2018.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7316 https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7324 doi:10.5194/acp-18-9723-2018 1680-7316 1680-7324 https://doaj.org/article/76673004818f4f3a89f0deb6e628f72b Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol 18, Pp 9723-9739 (2018) Physics QC1-999 Chemistry QD1-999 article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9723-2018 2022-12-31T01:13:49Z We use the 2B-GEOPROF-LIDAR R04 (2BGL4) and R05 (2BGL5) products and the 2B-CLDCLASS-LIDAR R04 (2BCL4) product, all generated by combining CloudSat radar and CALIPSO lidar satellite measurements with auxiliary data, to examine the vertical distribution of cloud occurrence around the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS) and Ross Sea region. We find that the 2BGL4 product, used in previous studies in this region, displays a discontinuity at 8.2 km which is not observable in the other products. This artefact appears to correspond to a change in the horizontal and vertical resolution of the CALIPSO dataset used above this level. We then use the 2BCL4 product to examine the vertical distribution of cloud occurrence, phase, and type over the RIS and Ross Sea. In particular we examine how synoptic conditions in the region, derived using a previously developed synoptic classification, impact the cloud environment and the contrasting response in the two regions. We observe large differences between the cloud occurrence as a function of altitude for synoptic regimes relative to those for seasonal variations. A stronger variation in the occurrence of clear skies and multi-layer cloud and in all cloud type occurrences over both the Ross Sea and RIS is associated more with synoptic type than seasonal composites. In addition, anomalies from the mean joint histogram of cloud top height against thickness display significant differences over the Ross Sea and RIS sectors as a function of synoptic regime, but are near identical over these two regions when a seasonal analysis is completed. However, the frequency of particular phases of cloud, notably mixed phase and water, is much more strongly modulated by seasonal than synoptic regime compositing, which suggests that temperature is still the most important control on cloud phase in the region. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ice Shelf Ross Ice Shelf Ross Sea Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Ross Sea Ross Ice Shelf Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 18 13 9723 9739 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Physics QC1-999 Chemistry QD1-999 |
spellingShingle |
Physics QC1-999 Chemistry QD1-999 B. Jolly P. Kuma A. McDonald S. Parsons An analysis of the cloud environment over the Ross Sea and Ross Ice Shelf using CloudSat/CALIPSO satellite observations: the importance of synoptic forcing |
topic_facet |
Physics QC1-999 Chemistry QD1-999 |
description |
We use the 2B-GEOPROF-LIDAR R04 (2BGL4) and R05 (2BGL5) products and the 2B-CLDCLASS-LIDAR R04 (2BCL4) product, all generated by combining CloudSat radar and CALIPSO lidar satellite measurements with auxiliary data, to examine the vertical distribution of cloud occurrence around the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS) and Ross Sea region. We find that the 2BGL4 product, used in previous studies in this region, displays a discontinuity at 8.2 km which is not observable in the other products. This artefact appears to correspond to a change in the horizontal and vertical resolution of the CALIPSO dataset used above this level. We then use the 2BCL4 product to examine the vertical distribution of cloud occurrence, phase, and type over the RIS and Ross Sea. In particular we examine how synoptic conditions in the region, derived using a previously developed synoptic classification, impact the cloud environment and the contrasting response in the two regions. We observe large differences between the cloud occurrence as a function of altitude for synoptic regimes relative to those for seasonal variations. A stronger variation in the occurrence of clear skies and multi-layer cloud and in all cloud type occurrences over both the Ross Sea and RIS is associated more with synoptic type than seasonal composites. In addition, anomalies from the mean joint histogram of cloud top height against thickness display significant differences over the Ross Sea and RIS sectors as a function of synoptic regime, but are near identical over these two regions when a seasonal analysis is completed. However, the frequency of particular phases of cloud, notably mixed phase and water, is much more strongly modulated by seasonal than synoptic regime compositing, which suggests that temperature is still the most important control on cloud phase in the region. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
B. Jolly P. Kuma A. McDonald S. Parsons |
author_facet |
B. Jolly P. Kuma A. McDonald S. Parsons |
author_sort |
B. Jolly |
title |
An analysis of the cloud environment over the Ross Sea and Ross Ice Shelf using CloudSat/CALIPSO satellite observations: the importance of synoptic forcing |
title_short |
An analysis of the cloud environment over the Ross Sea and Ross Ice Shelf using CloudSat/CALIPSO satellite observations: the importance of synoptic forcing |
title_full |
An analysis of the cloud environment over the Ross Sea and Ross Ice Shelf using CloudSat/CALIPSO satellite observations: the importance of synoptic forcing |
title_fullStr |
An analysis of the cloud environment over the Ross Sea and Ross Ice Shelf using CloudSat/CALIPSO satellite observations: the importance of synoptic forcing |
title_full_unstemmed |
An analysis of the cloud environment over the Ross Sea and Ross Ice Shelf using CloudSat/CALIPSO satellite observations: the importance of synoptic forcing |
title_sort |
analysis of the cloud environment over the ross sea and ross ice shelf using cloudsat/calipso satellite observations: the importance of synoptic forcing |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9723-2018 https://doaj.org/article/76673004818f4f3a89f0deb6e628f72b |
geographic |
Ross Sea Ross Ice Shelf |
geographic_facet |
Ross Sea Ross Ice Shelf |
genre |
Ice Shelf Ross Ice Shelf Ross Sea |
genre_facet |
Ice Shelf Ross Ice Shelf Ross Sea |
op_source |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol 18, Pp 9723-9739 (2018) |
op_relation |
https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/9723/2018/acp-18-9723-2018.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7316 https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7324 doi:10.5194/acp-18-9723-2018 1680-7316 1680-7324 https://doaj.org/article/76673004818f4f3a89f0deb6e628f72b |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9723-2018 |
container_title |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
container_volume |
18 |
container_issue |
13 |
container_start_page |
9723 |
op_container_end_page |
9739 |
_version_ |
1766032361364914176 |