Cloud vertical distribution from combined surface and space radar-lidar observations at two Arctic atmospheric observatories
Detailed and accurate vertical distributions of cloud properties (such as cloud fraction, cloud phase, and cloud water content) and their changes are essential to accurately calculate the surface radiative flux and to depict the mean climate state. Surface and space-based active sensors including ra...
Published in: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
2023
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1393573 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1393573 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017 |
id |
ftosti:oai:osti.gov:1393573 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftosti:oai:osti.gov:1393573 2023-07-30T04:01:25+02:00 Cloud vertical distribution from combined surface and space radar-lidar observations at two Arctic atmospheric observatories Liu, Yinghui Shupe, Matthew D. Wang, Zhien Mace, Gerald 2023-06-27 application/pdf http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1393573 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1393573 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017 unknown http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1393573 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1393573 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017 doi:10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017 58 GEOSCIENCES 2023 ftosti https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017 2023-07-11T09:21:15Z Detailed and accurate vertical distributions of cloud properties (such as cloud fraction, cloud phase, and cloud water content) and their changes are essential to accurately calculate the surface radiative flux and to depict the mean climate state. Surface and space-based active sensors including radar and lidar are ideal to provide this information because of their superior capability to detect clouds and retrieve cloud microphysical properties. In this study, we compare the annual cycles of cloud property vertical distributions from space-based active sensors and surface-based active sensors at two Arctic atmospheric observatories, Barrow and Eureka. Based on the comparisons, we identify the sensors' respective strengths and limitations, and develop a blended cloud property vertical distribution by combining both sets of observations. Results show that surface-based observations offer a more complete cloud property vertical distribution from the surface up to 11 km above mean sea level (a.m.s.l.) with limitations in the middle and high altitudes; the annual mean total cloud fraction from space-based observations shows 25-40 % fewer clouds below 0.5 km than from surface-based observations, and space-based observations also show much fewer ice clouds and mixed-phase clouds, and slightly more liquid clouds, from the surface to 1 km. In general, space-based observations show comparable cloud fractions between 1 and 2 km a.m.s.l., and larger cloud fractions above 2 km a.m.s.l. than from surface-based observations. A blended product combines the strengths of both products to provide a more reliable annual cycle of cloud property vertical distributions from the surface to 11 km a.m.s.l. This information can be valuable for deriving an accurate surface radiative budget in the Arctic and for cloud parameterization evaluation in weather and climate models. Cloud annual cycles show similar evolutions in total cloud fraction and ice cloud fraction, and lower liquid-containing cloud fraction at Eureka than at Barrow; the ... Other/Unknown Material Arctic SciTec Connect (Office of Scientific and Technical Information - OSTI, U.S. Department of Energy) Arctic Eureka ENVELOPE(-85.940,-85.940,79.990,79.990) Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 17 9 5973 5989 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
SciTec Connect (Office of Scientific and Technical Information - OSTI, U.S. Department of Energy) |
op_collection_id |
ftosti |
language |
unknown |
topic |
58 GEOSCIENCES |
spellingShingle |
58 GEOSCIENCES Liu, Yinghui Shupe, Matthew D. Wang, Zhien Mace, Gerald Cloud vertical distribution from combined surface and space radar-lidar observations at two Arctic atmospheric observatories |
topic_facet |
58 GEOSCIENCES |
description |
Detailed and accurate vertical distributions of cloud properties (such as cloud fraction, cloud phase, and cloud water content) and their changes are essential to accurately calculate the surface radiative flux and to depict the mean climate state. Surface and space-based active sensors including radar and lidar are ideal to provide this information because of their superior capability to detect clouds and retrieve cloud microphysical properties. In this study, we compare the annual cycles of cloud property vertical distributions from space-based active sensors and surface-based active sensors at two Arctic atmospheric observatories, Barrow and Eureka. Based on the comparisons, we identify the sensors' respective strengths and limitations, and develop a blended cloud property vertical distribution by combining both sets of observations. Results show that surface-based observations offer a more complete cloud property vertical distribution from the surface up to 11 km above mean sea level (a.m.s.l.) with limitations in the middle and high altitudes; the annual mean total cloud fraction from space-based observations shows 25-40 % fewer clouds below 0.5 km than from surface-based observations, and space-based observations also show much fewer ice clouds and mixed-phase clouds, and slightly more liquid clouds, from the surface to 1 km. In general, space-based observations show comparable cloud fractions between 1 and 2 km a.m.s.l., and larger cloud fractions above 2 km a.m.s.l. than from surface-based observations. A blended product combines the strengths of both products to provide a more reliable annual cycle of cloud property vertical distributions from the surface to 11 km a.m.s.l. This information can be valuable for deriving an accurate surface radiative budget in the Arctic and for cloud parameterization evaluation in weather and climate models. Cloud annual cycles show similar evolutions in total cloud fraction and ice cloud fraction, and lower liquid-containing cloud fraction at Eureka than at Barrow; the ... |
author |
Liu, Yinghui Shupe, Matthew D. Wang, Zhien Mace, Gerald |
author_facet |
Liu, Yinghui Shupe, Matthew D. Wang, Zhien Mace, Gerald |
author_sort |
Liu, Yinghui |
title |
Cloud vertical distribution from combined surface and space radar-lidar observations at two Arctic atmospheric observatories |
title_short |
Cloud vertical distribution from combined surface and space radar-lidar observations at two Arctic atmospheric observatories |
title_full |
Cloud vertical distribution from combined surface and space radar-lidar observations at two Arctic atmospheric observatories |
title_fullStr |
Cloud vertical distribution from combined surface and space radar-lidar observations at two Arctic atmospheric observatories |
title_full_unstemmed |
Cloud vertical distribution from combined surface and space radar-lidar observations at two Arctic atmospheric observatories |
title_sort |
cloud vertical distribution from combined surface and space radar-lidar observations at two arctic atmospheric observatories |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1393573 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1393573 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-85.940,-85.940,79.990,79.990) |
geographic |
Arctic Eureka |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Eureka |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_relation |
http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1393573 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1393573 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017 doi:10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5973-2017 |
container_title |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
container_volume |
17 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
5973 |
op_container_end_page |
5989 |
_version_ |
1772812164649713664 |