Extended Abstract (264K)6.4
Application of a stochastic cloud model to mixed phase Arctic clouds: an overview
Joseph F. Brodie, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ; and D. E. Veron
Recent research has indicated that mixed phase clouds make up about one-third of all Arctic clouds. Mixed phase clouds are typically composed of distinct regions made of primarily supercooled water and regions that are mostly ice. Despite the uniqueness and prevalence of mixed phase clouds, most climate models are not capable of handling clouds of mixed phase, and must assume that the clouds are either all liquid or all ice. A stochastic algorithm for cloud size distribution is particularly well suited to simulating the distribution of ice and liquid regions in a mixed phase cloud. The stochastic algorithm has recently been updated with the most current ice parameterizations. Then, using observations from both the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic (SHEBA) program and the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program’s North Slopes of Alaska Cloud and Radiation Testbed site, the model’s performance in predicting shortwave radiative transfer through mixed-phase clouds is evaluated using independent observations and model output from other radiative transfer models such as Streamer.
Session 6, The Polar Atmosphere - Clouds, Radiation, Aerosols
Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 3:30 PM-5:45 PM
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