Assessing clouds using satellite observations through three generations of global atmosphere models
Clouds are parameterized in climate models using quantities on the model grid-scale to approximate the cloud cover and impact on radiation. Because of the complexity of processes involved with clouds, these parameterizations are one of the key challenges in climate modeling. Differences in parameter...
Published in: | Earth and Space Science |
---|---|
Other Authors: | , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2023
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA002918 |
id |
ftncar:oai:drupal-site.org:articles_26459 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftncar:oai:drupal-site.org:articles_26459 2024-04-14T08:20:02+00:00 Assessing clouds using satellite observations through three generations of global atmosphere models Medeiros, Brian (author) Shaw, Jonah (author) Kay, Jennifer E. (author) Davis, Isaac (author) 2023-07 https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA002918 en eng Earth and Space Science--Earth and Space Science--2333-5084--2333-5084 E3SM-Project E3SM1.0 model output prepared for CMIP6 CMIP amip--10.22033/ESGF/CMIP6.4492 ERA5 monthly averaged data on pressure levels from 1979 to present--10.24381/CDS.6860A573 MODIS (Aqua/Terra) Cloud Properties Level 3 monthly, 1x1 degree grid--10.5067/MODIS/MCD06COSP_M3_MODIS.062 Supporting data for Assessing clouds using satellite observations through three generations of global atmosphere models--10.5281/ZENODO.7688965 International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Climate Data Record, H-Series--10.7289/V5QZ281S articles:26459 doi:10.1029/2023EA002918 ark:/85065/d7m90dpr Copyright 2023 American Geophysical Union (AGU). article Text 2023 ftncar https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA002918 2024-03-21T18:00:26Z Clouds are parameterized in climate models using quantities on the model grid-scale to approximate the cloud cover and impact on radiation. Because of the complexity of processes involved with clouds, these parameterizations are one of the key challenges in climate modeling. Differences in parameterizations of clouds are among the main contributors to the spread in climate sensitivity across models. In this work, the clouds in three generations of an atmosphere model lineage are evaluated against satellite observations. Satellite simulators are used within the model to provide an appropriate comparison with individual satellite products. In some respects, especially the top-of-atmosphere cloud radiative effect, the models show generational improvements. The most recent generation, represented by two distinct branches of development, exhibits some regional regressions in the cloud representation; in particular the southern ocean shows a positive bias in cloud cover. The two branches of model development show how choices during model development, both structural and parametric, lead to different cloud climatologies. Several evaluation strategies are used to quantify the spatial errors in terms of the large-scale circulation and the cloud structure. The Earth mover's distance is proposed as a useful error metric for the passive satellite data products that provide cloud-top pressure-optical depth histograms. The cloud errors identified here may contribute to the high climate sensitivity in the Community Earth System Model, version 2 and in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, version 1. 1852977 1916908 1947282 DE-SC0022070 NA20OAR4310392 Article in Journal/Newspaper Southern Ocean OpenSky (NCAR/UCAR - National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research) Southern Ocean Earth and Space Science 10 7 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
OpenSky (NCAR/UCAR - National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research) |
op_collection_id |
ftncar |
language |
English |
description |
Clouds are parameterized in climate models using quantities on the model grid-scale to approximate the cloud cover and impact on radiation. Because of the complexity of processes involved with clouds, these parameterizations are one of the key challenges in climate modeling. Differences in parameterizations of clouds are among the main contributors to the spread in climate sensitivity across models. In this work, the clouds in three generations of an atmosphere model lineage are evaluated against satellite observations. Satellite simulators are used within the model to provide an appropriate comparison with individual satellite products. In some respects, especially the top-of-atmosphere cloud radiative effect, the models show generational improvements. The most recent generation, represented by two distinct branches of development, exhibits some regional regressions in the cloud representation; in particular the southern ocean shows a positive bias in cloud cover. The two branches of model development show how choices during model development, both structural and parametric, lead to different cloud climatologies. Several evaluation strategies are used to quantify the spatial errors in terms of the large-scale circulation and the cloud structure. The Earth mover's distance is proposed as a useful error metric for the passive satellite data products that provide cloud-top pressure-optical depth histograms. The cloud errors identified here may contribute to the high climate sensitivity in the Community Earth System Model, version 2 and in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, version 1. 1852977 1916908 1947282 DE-SC0022070 NA20OAR4310392 |
author2 |
Medeiros, Brian (author) Shaw, Jonah (author) Kay, Jennifer E. (author) Davis, Isaac (author) |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
title |
Assessing clouds using satellite observations through three generations of global atmosphere models |
spellingShingle |
Assessing clouds using satellite observations through three generations of global atmosphere models |
title_short |
Assessing clouds using satellite observations through three generations of global atmosphere models |
title_full |
Assessing clouds using satellite observations through three generations of global atmosphere models |
title_fullStr |
Assessing clouds using satellite observations through three generations of global atmosphere models |
title_full_unstemmed |
Assessing clouds using satellite observations through three generations of global atmosphere models |
title_sort |
assessing clouds using satellite observations through three generations of global atmosphere models |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA002918 |
geographic |
Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Southern Ocean |
genre |
Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Southern Ocean |
op_relation |
Earth and Space Science--Earth and Space Science--2333-5084--2333-5084 E3SM-Project E3SM1.0 model output prepared for CMIP6 CMIP amip--10.22033/ESGF/CMIP6.4492 ERA5 monthly averaged data on pressure levels from 1979 to present--10.24381/CDS.6860A573 MODIS (Aqua/Terra) Cloud Properties Level 3 monthly, 1x1 degree grid--10.5067/MODIS/MCD06COSP_M3_MODIS.062 Supporting data for Assessing clouds using satellite observations through three generations of global atmosphere models--10.5281/ZENODO.7688965 International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Climate Data Record, H-Series--10.7289/V5QZ281S articles:26459 doi:10.1029/2023EA002918 ark:/85065/d7m90dpr |
op_rights |
Copyright 2023 American Geophysical Union (AGU). |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA002918 |
container_title |
Earth and Space Science |
container_volume |
10 |
container_issue |
7 |
_version_ |
1796298218397499392 |