Influence of the Arctic Oscillation on the vertical distribution of clouds as observed by the A-Train constellation of satellites
The main purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the Arctic Oscillation (AO), the dominant mode of natural variability over the northerly high latitudes, on the spatial (horizontal and vertical) distribution of clouds in the Arctic. To that end, we use a suite of sensors on-board NA...
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Atmosfärisk fjärranalys
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ftsmhi:oai:DiVA.org:smhi-472 2023-05-15T14:55:52+02:00 Influence of the Arctic Oscillation on the vertical distribution of clouds as observed by the A-Train constellation of satellites Devasthale, Abhay Tjernstrom, M. Caian, Mihaela Thomas, Manu Anna Kahn, B. H. Fetzer, E. J. 2012 application/pdf http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:smhi:diva-472 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-10535-2012 eng eng Atmosfärisk fjärranalys Klimatforskning - Rossby Centre Luftmiljö Atmospheric Chemistry And Physics, 1680-7316, 2012, 12:21, s. 10535-10544 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:smhi:diva-472 doi:10.5194/acp-12-10535-2012 ISI:000310954400033 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences Meteorologi och atmosfärforskning Article in journal info:eu-repo/semantics/article text 2012 ftsmhi https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-10535-2012 2022-12-09T10:06:12Z The main purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the Arctic Oscillation (AO), the dominant mode of natural variability over the northerly high latitudes, on the spatial (horizontal and vertical) distribution of clouds in the Arctic. To that end, we use a suite of sensors on-board NASA's A-Train satellites that provide accurate observations of the distribution of clouds along with information on atmospheric thermodynamics. Data from three independent sensors are used (AQUA-AIRS, CALIOP-CALIPSO and CPR-CloudSat) covering two time periods (winter half years, November through March, of 2002-2011 and 2006-2011, respectively) along with data from the ERA-Interim reanalysis. We show that the zonal vertical distribution of cloud fraction anomalies averaged over 67-82 degrees N to a first approximation follows a dipole structure (referred to as "Greenland cloud dipole anomaly", GCDA), such that during the positive phase of the AO, positive and negative cloud anomalies are observed eastwards and westward of Greenland respectively, while the opposite is true for the negative phase of AO. By investigating the concurrent meteorological conditions (temperature, humidity and winds), we show that differences in the meridional energy and moisture transport during the positive and negative phases of the AO and the associated thermodynamics are responsible for the conditions that are conducive for the formation of this dipole structure. All three satellite sensors broadly observe this large-scale GCDA despite differences in their sensitivities, spatio-temporal and vertical resolutions, and the available lengths of data records, indicating the robustness of the results. The present study also provides a compelling case to carry out process-based evaluation of global and regional climate models. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Greenland SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute): Vetenskapliga Publikationer (DiVA) Arctic Greenland Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 12 21 10535 10544 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute): Vetenskapliga Publikationer (DiVA) |
op_collection_id |
ftsmhi |
language |
English |
topic |
Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences Meteorologi och atmosfärforskning |
spellingShingle |
Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences Meteorologi och atmosfärforskning Devasthale, Abhay Tjernstrom, M. Caian, Mihaela Thomas, Manu Anna Kahn, B. H. Fetzer, E. J. Influence of the Arctic Oscillation on the vertical distribution of clouds as observed by the A-Train constellation of satellites |
topic_facet |
Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences Meteorologi och atmosfärforskning |
description |
The main purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the Arctic Oscillation (AO), the dominant mode of natural variability over the northerly high latitudes, on the spatial (horizontal and vertical) distribution of clouds in the Arctic. To that end, we use a suite of sensors on-board NASA's A-Train satellites that provide accurate observations of the distribution of clouds along with information on atmospheric thermodynamics. Data from three independent sensors are used (AQUA-AIRS, CALIOP-CALIPSO and CPR-CloudSat) covering two time periods (winter half years, November through March, of 2002-2011 and 2006-2011, respectively) along with data from the ERA-Interim reanalysis. We show that the zonal vertical distribution of cloud fraction anomalies averaged over 67-82 degrees N to a first approximation follows a dipole structure (referred to as "Greenland cloud dipole anomaly", GCDA), such that during the positive phase of the AO, positive and negative cloud anomalies are observed eastwards and westward of Greenland respectively, while the opposite is true for the negative phase of AO. By investigating the concurrent meteorological conditions (temperature, humidity and winds), we show that differences in the meridional energy and moisture transport during the positive and negative phases of the AO and the associated thermodynamics are responsible for the conditions that are conducive for the formation of this dipole structure. All three satellite sensors broadly observe this large-scale GCDA despite differences in their sensitivities, spatio-temporal and vertical resolutions, and the available lengths of data records, indicating the robustness of the results. The present study also provides a compelling case to carry out process-based evaluation of global and regional climate models. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Devasthale, Abhay Tjernstrom, M. Caian, Mihaela Thomas, Manu Anna Kahn, B. H. Fetzer, E. J. |
author_facet |
Devasthale, Abhay Tjernstrom, M. Caian, Mihaela Thomas, Manu Anna Kahn, B. H. Fetzer, E. J. |
author_sort |
Devasthale, Abhay |
title |
Influence of the Arctic Oscillation on the vertical distribution of clouds as observed by the A-Train constellation of satellites |
title_short |
Influence of the Arctic Oscillation on the vertical distribution of clouds as observed by the A-Train constellation of satellites |
title_full |
Influence of the Arctic Oscillation on the vertical distribution of clouds as observed by the A-Train constellation of satellites |
title_fullStr |
Influence of the Arctic Oscillation on the vertical distribution of clouds as observed by the A-Train constellation of satellites |
title_full_unstemmed |
Influence of the Arctic Oscillation on the vertical distribution of clouds as observed by the A-Train constellation of satellites |
title_sort |
influence of the arctic oscillation on the vertical distribution of clouds as observed by the a-train constellation of satellites |
publisher |
Atmosfärisk fjärranalys |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:smhi:diva-472 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-10535-2012 |
geographic |
Arctic Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Greenland |
genre |
Arctic Greenland |
genre_facet |
Arctic Greenland |
op_relation |
Atmospheric Chemistry And Physics, 1680-7316, 2012, 12:21, s. 10535-10544 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:smhi:diva-472 doi:10.5194/acp-12-10535-2012 ISI:000310954400033 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-10535-2012 |
container_title |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
21 |
container_start_page |
10535 |
op_container_end_page |
10544 |
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1766327883461033984 |