Impacts of active satellite sensors' low-level cloud detection limitations on cloud radiative forcing in the Arctic
Previous studies revealed that satellites sensors with the best detection capability identify 25 %–40 % and 0 %–25 % fewer clouds below 0.5 and between 0.5–1.0 km, respectively, over the Arctic. Quantifying the impacts of cloud detection limitations on the radiation flux are critical especially over...
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ftosti:oai:osti.gov:1874759 2023-07-30T04:01:00+02:00 Impacts of active satellite sensors' low-level cloud detection limitations on cloud radiative forcing in the Arctic Liu, Yinghui 2023-06-05 application/pdf http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1874759 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1874759 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8151-2022 unknown http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1874759 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1874759 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8151-2022 doi:10.5194/acp-22-8151-2022 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES 2023 ftosti https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8151-2022 2023-07-11T10:13:19Z Previous studies revealed that satellites sensors with the best detection capability identify 25 %–40 % and 0 %–25 % fewer clouds below 0.5 and between 0.5–1.0 km, respectively, over the Arctic. Quantifying the impacts of cloud detection limitations on the radiation flux are critical especially over the Arctic Ocean considering the dramatic changes in Arctic sea ice. In this study, the proxies of the space-based radar, CloudSat, and lidar, CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations), cloud masks are derived based on simulated radar reflectivity with QuickBeam and cloud optical thickness using retrieved cloud properties from surface-based radar and lidar during the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA) experiment. Limitations in low-level cloud detection by the space-based active sensors, and the impact of these limitations on the radiation fluxes at the surface and the top of the atmosphere (TOA), are estimated with radiative transfer model Streamer. The results show that the combined CloudSat and CALIPSO product generally detects all clouds above 1 km, while detecting 25 % (9 %) fewer in absolute values below 600 m (600 m to 1 km) than surface observations. These detection limitations lead to uncertainties in the monthly mean cloud radiative forcing (CRF), with maximum absolute monthly mean values of 2.5 and 3.4 Wm –2 at the surface and TOA, respectively. Cloud information from only CALIPSO or CloudSat lead to larger cloud detection differences compared to the surface observations and larger CRF uncertainties with absolute monthly means larger than 10.0 Wm –2 at the surface and TOA. The uncertainties for individual cases are larger – up to 30 Wm –2 . These uncertainties need to be considered when radiation flux products from CloudSat and CALIPSO are used in climate and weather studies. Other/Unknown Material Arctic Arctic Ocean Sea ice Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean SciTec Connect (Office of Scientific and Technical Information - OSTI, U.S. Department of Energy) Arctic Arctic Ocean Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 22 12 8151 8173 |
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SciTec Connect (Office of Scientific and Technical Information - OSTI, U.S. Department of Energy) |
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES |
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Liu, Yinghui Impacts of active satellite sensors' low-level cloud detection limitations on cloud radiative forcing in the Arctic |
topic_facet |
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES |
description |
Previous studies revealed that satellites sensors with the best detection capability identify 25 %–40 % and 0 %–25 % fewer clouds below 0.5 and between 0.5–1.0 km, respectively, over the Arctic. Quantifying the impacts of cloud detection limitations on the radiation flux are critical especially over the Arctic Ocean considering the dramatic changes in Arctic sea ice. In this study, the proxies of the space-based radar, CloudSat, and lidar, CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations), cloud masks are derived based on simulated radar reflectivity with QuickBeam and cloud optical thickness using retrieved cloud properties from surface-based radar and lidar during the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA) experiment. Limitations in low-level cloud detection by the space-based active sensors, and the impact of these limitations on the radiation fluxes at the surface and the top of the atmosphere (TOA), are estimated with radiative transfer model Streamer. The results show that the combined CloudSat and CALIPSO product generally detects all clouds above 1 km, while detecting 25 % (9 %) fewer in absolute values below 600 m (600 m to 1 km) than surface observations. These detection limitations lead to uncertainties in the monthly mean cloud radiative forcing (CRF), with maximum absolute monthly mean values of 2.5 and 3.4 Wm –2 at the surface and TOA, respectively. Cloud information from only CALIPSO or CloudSat lead to larger cloud detection differences compared to the surface observations and larger CRF uncertainties with absolute monthly means larger than 10.0 Wm –2 at the surface and TOA. The uncertainties for individual cases are larger – up to 30 Wm –2 . These uncertainties need to be considered when radiation flux products from CloudSat and CALIPSO are used in climate and weather studies. |
author |
Liu, Yinghui |
author_facet |
Liu, Yinghui |
author_sort |
Liu, Yinghui |
title |
Impacts of active satellite sensors' low-level cloud detection limitations on cloud radiative forcing in the Arctic |
title_short |
Impacts of active satellite sensors' low-level cloud detection limitations on cloud radiative forcing in the Arctic |
title_full |
Impacts of active satellite sensors' low-level cloud detection limitations on cloud radiative forcing in the Arctic |
title_fullStr |
Impacts of active satellite sensors' low-level cloud detection limitations on cloud radiative forcing in the Arctic |
title_full_unstemmed |
Impacts of active satellite sensors' low-level cloud detection limitations on cloud radiative forcing in the Arctic |
title_sort |
impacts of active satellite sensors' low-level cloud detection limitations on cloud radiative forcing in the arctic |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1874759 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1874759 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8151-2022 |
geographic |
Arctic Arctic Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Arctic Ocean |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Sea ice Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Sea ice Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean |
op_relation |
http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1874759 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1874759 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8151-2022 doi:10.5194/acp-22-8151-2022 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8151-2022 |
container_title |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
container_volume |
22 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
8151 |
op_container_end_page |
8173 |
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1772811707775713280 |