Tuesday, 11 February 2003
Development of a stochastic cloud-radiation parameterization
Stochastic radiative transfer modeling has recently been shown to be a promising approach to modeling the domain-averaged shortwave radiation fields that occur during scattered cloud conditions. A parameterization of the stochastic approach to modeling cloud-radiation interactions is being developed using archived data from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program's Clouds And Radiation Testbed (CART) sites. Cloud fields at the ARM Southern Great Plains site are characterized using long time-series data from 1998-2001. Information about the cloud fields such as cloud height, thickness, and optical properties will be input to the stochastic model. The output shortwave radiation fields will be evaluated using observations. One benefit of the stochastic approach is the ability to calculate more realistic heating rates. The impact of these heating rates on model dynamics will be investigated using a single-column model.
Supplementary URL: http://www.envsci.rutgers.edu/~lane/stoca_research.htm