Articles | Volume 19, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5313-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5313-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
18 Apr 2019
Research article |
| 18 Apr 2019
| 18 Apr 2019
Northern Hemisphere contrail properties derived from Terra and Aqua MODIS data for 2006 and 2012
Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA 23666-5986, USA
Sarah T. Bedka
Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA 23666-5986, USA
Patrick Minnis
Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA 23666-5986, USA
Douglas Spangenberg
Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA 23666-5986, USA
Konstantin Khlopenkov
Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA 23666-5986, USA
Thad Chee
Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton, VA 23666-5986, USA
William L. Smith Jr.
NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681-2199, USA
Related authors
Wenying Su, Patrick Minnis, Lusheng Liang, David P. Duda, Konstantin Khlopenkov, Mandana M. Thieman, Yinan Yu, Allan Smith, Steven Lorentz, Daniel Feldman, and Francisco P. J. Valero
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 429–443, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-429-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-429-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) provides continuous full-disk global broadband irradiance measurements over most of the sunlit side of the Earth. The three active cavity radiometers measure the total radiant energy from the sunlit side of the Earth in shortwave (SW; 0.2–4 µm), total (0.4–100 µm), and near-infrared (NIR; 0.7–4 µm) channels. In this paper, the algorithm used to derive daytime shortwave and longwave fluxes from NISTAR measurements is presented.
Yuekui Yang, Kerry Meyer, Galina Wind, Yaping Zhou, Alexander Marshak, Steven Platnick, Qilong Min, Anthony B. Davis, Joanna Joiner, Alexander Vasilkov, David Duda, and Wenying Su
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 2019–2031, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-2019-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-2019-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The physical basis of the EPIC cloud product algorithms and an initial evaluation of their performance are presented. EPIC cloud products include cloud mask, effective height, and optical depth. Comparison with co-located retrievals from geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) satellites shows that the algorithms are performing well and are consistent with theoretical expectations. These products are publicly available at the NASA Langley Atmospheric Sciences Data Center.
Ulrich Schumann, Robert Baumann, Darrel Baumgardner, Sarah T. Bedka, David P. Duda, Volker Freudenthaler, Jean-Francois Gayet, Andrew J. Heymsfield, Patrick Minnis, Markus Quante, Ehrhard Raschke, Hans Schlager, Margarita Vázquez-Navarro, Christiane Voigt, and Zhien Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 403–438, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-403-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-403-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The initially linear clouds often seen behind aircraft are known as contrails. Contrails are prototype cirrus clouds forming under well-known conditions, but with less certain life cycle and climate effects. This paper collects contrail data from a large set of measurements and compares them among each other and with models. The observations show consistent contrail properties over a wide range of aircraft and atmosphere conditions. The dataset is available for further research.
Sunny Sun-Mack, Patrick Minnis, Yan Chen, Gang Hong, and William L. Smith Jr.
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3323–3346, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3323-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3323-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Multilayer clouds (MCs) affect the radiation budget differently than single-layer clouds (SCs) and need to be identified in satellite images. A neural network was trained to identify MCs by matching imagery with lidar/radar data. This method correctly identifies ~87 % SCs and MCs with a net accuracy gain of 7.5 % over snow-free surfaces. It is more accurate than most available methods and constitutes a first step in providing a reasonable 3-D characterization of the cloudy atmosphere.
Armin Sorooshian, Mikhail D. Alexandrov, Adam D. Bell, Ryan Bennett, Grace Betito, Sharon P. Burton, Megan E. Buzanowicz, Brian Cairns, Eduard V. Chemyakin, Gao Chen, Yonghoon Choi, Brian L. Collister, Anthony L. Cook, Andrea F. Corral, Ewan C. Crosbie, Bastiaan van Diedenhoven, Joshua P. DiGangi, Glenn S. Diskin, Sanja Dmitrovic, Eva-Lou Edwards, Marta A. Fenn, Richard A. Ferrare, David van Gilst, Johnathan W. Hair, David B. Harper, Miguel Ricardo A. Hilario, Chris A. Hostetler, Nathan Jester, Michael Jones, Simon Kirschler, Mary M. Kleb, John M. Kusterer, Sean Leavor, Joseph W. Lee, Hongyu Liu, Kayla McCauley, Richard H. Moore, Joseph Nied, Anthony Notari, John B. Nowak, David Painemal, Kasey E. Phillips, Claire E. Robinson, Amy Jo Scarino, Joseph S. Schlosser, Shane T. Seaman, Chellappan Seethala, Taylor J. Shingler, Michael A. Shook, Kenneth A. Sinclair, William L. Smith Jr., Douglas A. Spangenberg, Snorre A. Stamnes, Kenneth L. Thornhill, Christiane Voigt, Holger Vömel, Andrzej P. Wasilewski, Hailong Wang, Edward L. Winstead, Kira Zeider, Xubin Zeng, Bo Zhang, Luke D. Ziemba, and Paquita Zuidema
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 3419–3472, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3419-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3419-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The NASA Aerosol Cloud meTeorology Interactions oVer the western ATlantic Experiment (ACTIVATE) produced a unique dataset for research into aerosol–cloud–meteorology interactions. HU-25 Falcon and King Air aircraft conducted systematic and spatially coordinated flights over the northwest Atlantic Ocean. This paper describes the ACTIVATE flight strategy, instrument and complementary dataset products, data access and usage details, and data application notes.
David Painemal, Douglas Spangenberg, William L. Smith Jr., Patrick Minnis, Brian Cairns, Richard H. Moore, Ewan Crosbie, Claire Robinson, Kenneth L. Thornhill, Edward L. Winstead, and Luke Ziemba
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6633–6646, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6633-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6633-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Cloud properties derived from satellite sensors are critical for the global monitoring of climate. This study evaluates satellite-based cloud properties over the North Atlantic using airborne data collected during NAAMES. Satellite observations of droplet size and cloud optical depth tend to compare well with NAAMES data. The analysis indicates that the satellite pixel resolution and the specific viewing geometry need to be taken into account in research applications.
Hong Chen, Sebastian Schmidt, Michael D. King, Galina Wind, Anthony Bucholtz, Elizabeth A. Reid, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, William L. Smith, Patrick C. Taylor, Seiji Kato, and Peter Pilewskie
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 2673–2697, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-2673-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-2673-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we accessed the shortwave irradiance derived from MODIS cloud optical properties by using aircraft measurements. We developed a data aggregation technique to parameterize spectral surface albedo by snow fraction in the Arctic. We found that undetected clouds have the most significant impact on the imagery-derived irradiance. This study suggests that passive imagery cloud detection could be improved through a multi-pixel approach that would make it more dependable in the Arctic.
Jens Redemann, Robert Wood, Paquita Zuidema, Sarah J. Doherty, Bernadette Luna, Samuel E. LeBlanc, Michael S. Diamond, Yohei Shinozuka, Ian Y. Chang, Rei Ueyama, Leonhard Pfister, Ju-Mee Ryoo, Amie N. Dobracki, Arlindo M. da Silva, Karla M. Longo, Meloë S. Kacenelenbogen, Connor J. Flynn, Kristina Pistone, Nichola M. Knox, Stuart J. Piketh, James M. Haywood, Paola Formenti, Marc Mallet, Philip Stier, Andrew S. Ackerman, Susanne E. Bauer, Ann M. Fridlind, Gregory R. Carmichael, Pablo E. Saide, Gonzalo A. Ferrada, Steven G. Howell, Steffen Freitag, Brian Cairns, Brent N. Holben, Kirk D. Knobelspiesse, Simone Tanelli, Tristan S. L'Ecuyer, Andrew M. Dzambo, Ousmane O. Sy, Greg M. McFarquhar, Michael R. Poellot, Siddhant Gupta, Joseph R. O'Brien, Athanasios Nenes, Mary Kacarab, Jenny P. S. Wong, Jennifer D. Small-Griswold, Kenneth L. Thornhill, David Noone, James R. Podolske, K. Sebastian Schmidt, Peter Pilewskie, Hong Chen, Sabrina P. Cochrane, Arthur J. Sedlacek, Timothy J. Lang, Eric Stith, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Richard A. Ferrare, Sharon P. Burton, Chris A. Hostetler, David J. Diner, Felix C. Seidel, Steven E. Platnick, Jeffrey S. Myers, Kerry G. Meyer, Douglas A. Spangenberg, Hal Maring, and Lan Gao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 1507–1563, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1507-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1507-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Southern Africa produces significant biomass burning emissions whose impacts on regional and global climate are poorly understood. ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) is a 5-year NASA investigation designed to study the key processes that determine these climate impacts. The main purpose of this paper is to familiarize the broader scientific community with the ORACLES project, the dataset it produced, and the most important initial findings.
Benjamin R. Scarino, Kristopher Bedka, Rajendra Bhatt, Konstantin Khlopenkov, David R. Doelling, and William L. Smith Jr.
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 5491–5511, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5491-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5491-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This paper highlights a technique for facilitating anvil cloud detection based on visible observations that relies on comparative analysis with expected cloud reflectance for a given set of angles. A 1-year database of anvil-identified pixels, as determined from IR observations, from several geostationary satellites was used to construct a bidirectional reflectance distribution function model to quantify typical anvil reflectance across almost all expected viewing, solar, and azimuth angles.
David Painemal, Fu-Lung Chang, Richard Ferrare, Sharon Burton, Zhujun Li, William L. Smith Jr., Patrick Minnis, Yan Feng, and Marian Clayton
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 7167–7177, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-7167-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-7167-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol–cloud interactions (ACIs) are the most uncertain aspect of anthropogenic forcing. Although satellites provide the observational dataset for the global ACI quantification, retrievals are limited to vertically integrated quantities (e.g., aerosol optical depth – AOD), which are typically used as an aerosol proxy. This study demonstrates that matching vertically resolved aerosol from CALIOP at the cloud-layer height with satellite cloud retrievals reduces uncertainties in ACI estimates.
Wenying Su, Patrick Minnis, Lusheng Liang, David P. Duda, Konstantin Khlopenkov, Mandana M. Thieman, Yinan Yu, Allan Smith, Steven Lorentz, Daniel Feldman, and Francisco P. J. Valero
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 429–443, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-429-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-429-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) provides continuous full-disk global broadband irradiance measurements over most of the sunlit side of the Earth. The three active cavity radiometers measure the total radiant energy from the sunlit side of the Earth in shortwave (SW; 0.2–4 µm), total (0.4–100 µm), and near-infrared (NIR; 0.7–4 µm) channels. In this paper, the algorithm used to derive daytime shortwave and longwave fluxes from NISTAR measurements is presented.
Jeffrey S. Reid, Derek J. Posselt, Kathleen Kaku, Robert A. Holz, Gao Chen, Edwin W. Eloranta, Ralph E. Kuehn, Sarah Woods, Jianglong Zhang, Bruce Anderson, T. Paul Bui, Glenn S. Diskin, Patrick Minnis, Michael J. Newchurch, Simone Tanelli, Charles R. Trepte, K. Lee Thornhill, and Luke D. Ziemba
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 11413–11442, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-11413-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-11413-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The scientific community often focuses on the vertical transport of pollutants by clouds for those with bases at the planetary boundary layer (such as typical fair-weather cumulus) and the outflow from thunderstorms at their tops. We demonstrate complex aerosol and cloud features formed in mid-level thunderstorm outflow. These layers have strong relationships to mid-level tropospheric clouds, an important but difficult to model or monitor cloud regime for climate studies.
Frederik Kurzrock, Hannah Nguyen, Jerome Sauer, Fabrice Chane Ming, Sylvain Cros, William L. Smith Jr., Patrick Minnis, Rabindra Palikonda, Thomas A. Jones, Caroline Lallemand, Laurent Linguet, and Gilles Lajoie
Geosci. Model Dev., 12, 3939–3954, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-3939-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-3939-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This study assesses the assimilation of cloud water path retrievals in three phases (ice, supercooled, and liquid), derived from Meteosat-8, into a limited-area model using an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). The ability of the method to improve cloud analyses in the southwest Indian Ocean and short-term forecasts of global horizontal irradiance on Réunion Island is demonstrated using the Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART) and the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model.
Yuekui Yang, Kerry Meyer, Galina Wind, Yaping Zhou, Alexander Marshak, Steven Platnick, Qilong Min, Anthony B. Davis, Joanna Joiner, Alexander Vasilkov, David Duda, and Wenying Su
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 2019–2031, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-2019-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-2019-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The physical basis of the EPIC cloud product algorithms and an initial evaluation of their performance are presented. EPIC cloud products include cloud mask, effective height, and optical depth. Comparison with co-located retrievals from geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) satellites shows that the algorithms are performing well and are consistent with theoretical expectations. These products are publicly available at the NASA Langley Atmospheric Sciences Data Center.
Young-Hee Ryu, Alma Hodzic, Jerome Barre, Gael Descombes, and Patrick Minnis
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 7509–7525, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-7509-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-7509-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate whether errors in cloud predictions can significantly impact the ability of air quality models to predict surface ozone over the US during summer 2013. The comparison with satellite data shows that the model predicts ~ 55 % of clouds in the right locations and underpredicts cloud thickness. The error in daytime ozone is estimated to be 1–5 ppb and represents ~ 40 % of the ozone bias. The accurate predictions of clouds particularly benefits ozone predictions in urban areas.
Christopher R. Yost, Kristopher M. Bedka, Patrick Minnis, Louis Nguyen, J. Walter Strapp, Rabindra Palikonda, Konstantin Khlopenkov, Douglas Spangenberg, William L. Smith Jr., Alain Protat, and Julien Delanoe
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 1615–1637, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-1615-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-1615-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Accretion of cloud ice particles upon engine or instrument probe surfaces can cause engine malfunction or even power loss, and therefore it is important for aircraft to avoid flight through clouds that may have produced large quantities of ice particles. This study introduces a method by which potentially hazardous conditions can be detected using satellite imagery. It was found that potentially hazardous conditions were often located near or beneath very cold clouds and thunderstorm updrafts.
Benjamin R. Scarino, Patrick Minnis, Thad Chee, Kristopher M. Bedka, Christopher R. Yost, and Rabindra Palikonda
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 351–371, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-351-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-351-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Global coverage of remotely sensed skin temperature, along with cloud/surface radiation parameters, produced in near-real time and from historical satellite data, is beneficial for weather and climate purposes. One key drawback is the dependence on view angle. Therefore, this article serves to validate a global, satellite-based skin temperature product, while highlighting an empirically adjusted theoretical model of satellite LST angular anisotropy, and the benefits gained from its application.
Ulrich Schumann, Robert Baumann, Darrel Baumgardner, Sarah T. Bedka, David P. Duda, Volker Freudenthaler, Jean-Francois Gayet, Andrew J. Heymsfield, Patrick Minnis, Markus Quante, Ehrhard Raschke, Hans Schlager, Margarita Vázquez-Navarro, Christiane Voigt, and Zhien Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 403–438, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-403-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-403-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The initially linear clouds often seen behind aircraft are known as contrails. Contrails are prototype cirrus clouds forming under well-known conditions, but with less certain life cycle and climate effects. This paper collects contrail data from a large set of measurements and compares them among each other and with models. The observations show consistent contrail properties over a wide range of aircraft and atmosphere conditions. The dataset is available for further research.
Shuaiqi Tang, Shaocheng Xie, Yunyan Zhang, Minghua Zhang, Courtney Schumacher, Hannah Upton, Michael P. Jensen, Karen L. Johnson, Meng Wang, Maike Ahlgrimm, Zhe Feng, Patrick Minnis, and Mandana Thieman
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 14249–14264, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-14249-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-14249-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Data observed during the Green Ocean Amazon (GoAmazon2014/5) experiment are used to derive the large-scale fields in this study. The morning propagating convective systems are active during the wet season but rare during the dry season. The afternoon convections are active in both seasons, with heating and moistening in the lower level corresponding to the vertical convergence of eddy fluxes. Case study shows distinguish large-scale environments for three types of convective systems in Amazonia.
J. M. Creamean, A. P. Ault, A. B. White, P. J. Neiman, F. M. Ralph, P. Minnis, and K. A. Prather
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 6535–6548, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-6535-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-6535-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosols impact how clouds and precipitation form. In the California Sierra Nevada, we found that the formation and resulting amount of rain and snow were impacted by mineral dust, bioparticles such as bacteria, and biomass burning and pollution particles during three winter seasons. Dust and bioparticles from distant sources impacted high-altitude clouds by forming ice, leading to more precipitation, whereas local biomass burning and pollution entered the base of clouds, leading to less rain.
C. Liu, P. Yang, P. Minnis, N. Loeb, S. Kato, A. Heymsfield, and C. Schmitt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 13719–13737, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-13719-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-13719-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
An ice cloud model is developed by assuming an ice cloud to be an ensemble of columns and aggregates with specific habit fractions at each particle size bin. The microphysical and optical properties of this two-habit model (THM) are compared with both laboratory and in situ measurements. When the THM is applied to ice cloud property retrieval, excellent spectral consistency is achieved. A comparison between observed and theoretical polarized reflectivities illustrates the applicability of THM.
T. F. Eck, B. N. Holben, J. S. Reid, A. Arola, R. A. Ferrare, C. A. Hostetler, S. N. Crumeyrolle, T. A. Berkoff, E. J. Welton, S. Lolli, A. Lyapustin, Y. Wang, J. S. Schafer, D. M. Giles, B. E. Anderson, K. L. Thornhill, P. Minnis, K. E. Pickering, C. P. Loughner, A. Smirnov, and A. Sinyuk
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 11633–11656, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-11633-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-11633-2014, 2014
U. Hamann, A. Walther, B. Baum, R. Bennartz, L. Bugliaro, M. Derrien, P. N. Francis, A. Heidinger, S. Joro, A. Kniffka, H. Le Gléau, M. Lockhoff, H.-J. Lutz, J. F. Meirink, P. Minnis, R. Palikonda, R. Roebeling, A. Thoss, S. Platnick, P. Watts, and G. Wind
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 2839–2867, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-2839-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-2839-2014, 2014
J. Fan, L. R. Leung, P. J. DeMott, J. M. Comstock, B. Singh, D. Rosenfeld, J. M. Tomlinson, A. White, K. A. Prather, P. Minnis, J. K. Ayers, and Q. Min
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 81–101, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-81-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-81-2014, 2014
D. Painemal, P. Minnis, and S. Sun-Mack
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 9997–10003, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9997-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9997-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Clouds and Precipitation | Research Activity: Remote Sensing | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Physics (physical properties and processes)
Study of optical scattering properties and direct radiative effects of high-altitude cirrus clouds in Barcelona, Spain, with 4 years of lidar measurements
Co-variability drives the inverted-V sensitivity between liquid water path and droplet concentrations
Lightning declines over shipping lanes following regulation of fuel sulfur emissions
Post-return stroke VHF electromagnetic activity in north-western Mediterranean cloud-to-ground lightning flashes
Technical note: Applicability of physics-based and machine-learning-based algorithms of a geostationary satellite in retrieving the diurnal cycle of cloud base height
Observing convective activities in complex convective organizations and their contributions to precipitation and anvil cloud amounts
Weak liquid water path response in ship tracks
A new aggregation and riming discrimination algorithm based on polarimetric weather radars
Shallow cloud variability in Houston, Texas during the ESCAPE and TRACER field experiments
Air mass history linked to the development of Arctic mixed-phase clouds
Distinct structure, radiative effects, and precipitation characteristics of deep convection systems in the Tibetan Plateau compared to the tropical Indian Ocean
The correlation between Arctic sea ice, cloud phase and radiation using A-Train satellites
Impact of wildfire smoke on Arctic cirrus formation, part 1: analysis of MOSAiC 2019–2020 observations
Technical note: Retrieval of the supercooled liquid fraction in mixed-phase clouds from Himawari-8 observations
Characterisation of low-base and mid-base clouds and their thermodynamic phase over the Southern Ocean and Arctic marine regions
A survey of radiative and physical properties of North Atlantic mesoscale cloud morphologies from multiple identification methodologies
Extensive coverage of ultrathin tropical tropopause layer cirrus clouds revealed by balloon-borne lidar observations
The effects of warm-air intrusions in the high Arctic on cirrus clouds
The characteristics of cloud macro-parameters caused by the seeder–feeder process inside clouds measured by millimeter-wave cloud radar in Xi'an, China
Shallow- and deep-convection characteristics in the greater Houston, Texas, area using cell tracking methodology
Observations of the macrophysical properties of cumulus cloud fields over the tropical western Pacific and their connection to meteorological variables
A Lagrangian perspective on the lifecycle and cloud radiative effect of deep convective clouds over Africa
How does the lifetime of detrained cirrus impact the high cloud radiative effect in the tropics?
Daytime variation in the aerosol indirect effect for warm marine boundary layer clouds in the eastern North Atlantic
Technical note: Bimodal parameterizations of in situ ice cloud particle size distributions
Inter-relations of precipitation, aerosols, and clouds over Andalusia, southern Spain, revealed by the Andalusian Global ObseRvatory of the Atmosphere (AGORA)
On the relationship between mesoscale cellular convection and meteorological forcing: comparing the Southern Ocean against the North Pacific
Aerosol-related effects on the occurrence of heterogeneous ice formation over Lauder, New Zealand ∕ Aotearoa
Low-level Arctic clouds: a blind zone in our knowledge of the radiation budget
Climatologically invariant scale invariance seen in distributions of cloud horizontal sizes
Variability and properties of liquid-dominated clouds over the ice-free and sea-ice-covered Arctic Ocean
Asymmetries in cloud microphysical properties ascribed to sea ice leads via water vapour transport in the central Arctic
Quantifying the dependence of drop spectrum width on cloud drop number concentration for cloud remote sensing
The evolution of deep convective systems and their associated cirrus outflows
Wildfire smoke triggers cirrus formation: lidar observations over the eastern Mediterranean
Rapid saturation of cloud water adjustments to shipping emissions
Sensitivities of cloud radiative effects to large-scale meteorology and aerosols from global observations
Distinct secondary ice production processes observed in radar Doppler spectra: insights from a case study
Investigating the development of clouds within marine cold-air outbreaks
Detection of large-scale cloud microphysical changes within a major shipping corridor after implementation of the International Maritime Organization 2020 fuel sulfur regulations
Examining cloud vertical structure and radiative effects from satellite retrievals and evaluation of CMIP6 scenarios
Influence of cloud microphysics schemes on weather model predictions of heavy precipitation
Convective organization and 3D structure of tropical cloud systems deduced from synergistic A-Train observations and machine learning
Seasonal controls on isolated convective storm drafts, precipitation intensity, and life cycle as observed during GoAmazon2014/5
Uncertainty in aerosol–cloud radiative forcing is driven by clean conditions
Surface-based observations of cold-air outbreak clouds during the COMBLE field campaign
Boundary layer moisture variability at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Eastern North Atlantic observatory during marine conditions
Profile-based estimated inversion strength
Characteristics of supersaturation in midlatitude cirrus clouds and their adjacent cloud-free air
Establishment of an analytical model for remote sensing of typical stratocumulus cloud profiles under various precipitation and entrainment conditions
Cristina Gil-Díaz, Michäel Sicard, Odran Sourdeval, Athulya Saiprakash, Constantino Muñoz-Porcar, Adolfo Comerón, Alejandro Rodríguez-Gómez, and Daniel Camilo Fortunato dos Santos Oliveira
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3445–3464, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3445-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3445-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a comprehensive analysis of optical scattering properties and direct radiative effects of cirrus clouds based on 4 years of continuous ground-based lidar measurements with the Barcelona MPLNET lidar. A novel approach of the self-consistent scattering model for cirrus clouds is presented to determine their optical scattering properties at different wavelengths, and their direct radiative effects are calculated with the discrete ordinates method embedded in the ARTDECO package.
Tom Goren, Goutam Choudhury, Jan Kretzschmar, and Isabel McCoy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3413–3423, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3413-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3413-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Many studies have identified an inverted-V relationship between the liquid water path (LWP) and droplet concentration (Nd), where LWP increases and then decreases with Nd. Using satellite observations and meteorological data, we demonstrate that the inverted V primarily reflects co-variability between LWP and Nd. We suggest taking a holistic approach that considers this co-variability when assessing the climatological sensitivity of LWP to anthropogenic aerosols.
Chris J. Wright, Joel A. Thornton, Lyatt Jaeglé, Yang Cao, Yannian Zhu, Jihu Liu, Randall Jones II, Robert Holzworth, Daniel Rosenfeld, Robert Wood, Peter Blossey, and Daehyun Kim
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2937–2946, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2937-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2937-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles influence clouds, which exert a large forcing on solar radiation and freshwater. To better understand the mechanisms by which aerosol influences thunderstorms, we look at the two busiest shipping lanes in the world, where recent regulations have reduced sulfur emissions by nearly an order of magnitude. We find that the reduction in emissions has been accompanied by a dramatic decrease in both lightning and the number of droplets in clouds over the shipping lanes.
Andrea Kolínská, Ivana Kolmašová, Eric Defer, Ondřej Santolík, and Stéphane Pédeboy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1791–1803, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1791-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1791-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We contribute to understanding differences in lightning flashes of opposite polarity by explaining distinct in-cloud processes after return strokes. Using data from multiple sensors, including individual Lightning Mapping Array stations, we reveal that positive flashes sustain strong high-frequency radiation due to the recharging of their in-cloud leader; this is in contrast to negative flashes, for which this activity declines rapidly.
Mengyuan Wang, Min Min, Jun Li, Han Lin, Yongen Liang, Binlong Chen, Zhigang Yao, Na Xu, and Miao Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 14239–14256, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-14239-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-14239-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Although machine learning technology is advanced in the field of satellite remote sensing, the physical inversion algorithm based on cloud base height can better capture the daily variation in the characteristics of the cloud base.
Zhenquan Wang and Jian Yuan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13811–13831, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13811-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13811-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Tropical convection organizations are normally connected complexes of many convective activities. In this work, a novel variable-brightness-temperature segment tracking algorithm is established to partition the complex convective organizations into structural components of single cold cores for tracking separately. The duration, precipitation and anvil amount of the tracked organization segments have strong loglinear relationships with brightness temperature structures.
Anna Tippett, Edward Gryspeerdt, Peter Manshausen, Philip Stier, and Tristan W. P. Smith
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13269–13283, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13269-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13269-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ship emissions can form artificially brightened clouds, known as ship tracks, and provide us with an opportunity to investigate how aerosols interact with clouds. Previous studies that used ship tracks suggest that clouds can experience large increases in the amount of water (LWP) from aerosols. Here, we show that there is a bias in previous research and that, when we account for this bias, the LWP response to aerosols is much weaker than previously reported.
Armin Blanke, Mathias Gergely, and Silke Trömel
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3336, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3336, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The area-wide radar-based distinction between riming and aggregation is crucial for model microphysics and data assimilation. This study introduces a discrimination algorithm based on polarimetric radar networks only. Exploiting the unique opportunity to link fall velocities from Doppler spectra to polarimetric variables in an operational setting enables us to set up and evaluate a well-performing machine learning algorithm.
Zackary Mages, Pavlos Kollias, Bernat Puigdomenech Treserras, Paloma Borque, and Mariko Oue
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2984, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2984, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Convective clouds are a key component of the climate system. Using remote sensing observations during two field experiments in Houston, Texas, we identify four diurnal patterns of shallow convective clouds. We find areas more frequently experiencing shallow convective clouds, and we find areas where the vertical extent of shallow convective clouds is higher and where they are more likely to precipitate. This provides insight into the complicated environment that forms these clouds in Houston.
Rebecca J. Murray-Watson and Edward Gryspeerdt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11115–11132, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11115-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11115-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The formation of mixed-phase clouds during marine cold-air outbreaks is not well understood. Our study, using satellite data and Lagrangian trajectories, reveals that the occurrence of these clouds depends on both time and temperature, influenced partly by the presence of biological ice-nucleating particles. This highlights the importance of comprehending local aerosol dynamics for precise modelling of cloud-phase transitions in the Arctic.
Yuxin Zhao, Jiming Li, Deyu Wen, Yarong Li, Yuan Wang, and Jianping Huang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9435–9457, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9435-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9435-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study identifies deep convection systems (DCSs), including deep convection cores and anvils, over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and tropical Indian Ocean (TO). The DCSs over the TP are less frequent, showing narrower and thinner cores and anvils compared to those over the TO. TP DCSs show a stronger longwave cloud radiative effect at the surface and in the low-level atmosphere. Distinct aerosol–cloud–precipitation interaction is found in TP DCSs, probably due to the cold cloud bases.
Grégory V. Cesana, Olivia Pierpaoli, Matteo Ottaviani, Linh Vu, Zhonghai Jin, and Israel Silber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7899–7909, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7899-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7899-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Better characterizing the relationship between sea ice and clouds is key to understanding Arctic climate because clouds and sea ice affect surface radiation and modulate Arctic surface warming. Our results indicate that Arctic liquid clouds robustly increase in response to sea ice decrease. This increase has a cooling effect on the surface because more solar radiation is reflected back to space, and it should contribute to dampening future Arctic surface warming.
Albert Ansmann, Cristofer Jimenez, Johanna Roschke, Johannes Bühl, Kevin Ohneiser, Ronny Engelmann, Martin Radenz, Hannes Griesche, Julian Hofer, Dietrich Althausen, Daniel A. Knopf, Sandro Dahlke, Tom Gaudek, Patric Seifert, and Ulla Wandinger
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2008, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2008, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we focus on the potential impact of wildfire smoke on cirrus formation. For the first time, state-of-the-art aerosol and cirrus observations with lidar and radar, presented in part 1 of a series of two articles, are closely linked to comprehensive modeling of gravity-wave-induced ice nucleation in cirrus evolution processes, presented in part 2. We found a clear impact of wildfire smoke on cirrus evolution.
Ziming Wang, Husi Letu, Huazhe Shang, and Luca Bugliaro
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7559–7574, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7559-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7559-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The supercooled liquid fraction (SLF) in mixed-phase clouds is retrieved for the first time using passive geostationary satellite observations based on differences in liquid droplet and ice particle radiative properties. The retrieved results are comparable to global distributions observed by active instruments, and the feasibility of the retrieval method to analyze the observed trends of the SLF has been validated.
Barbara Dietel, Odran Sourdeval, and Corinna Hoose
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7359–7383, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7359-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7359-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Uncertainty with respect to cloud phases over the Southern Ocean and Arctic marine regions leads to large uncertainties in the radiation budget of weather and climate models. This study investigates the phases of low-base and mid-base clouds using satellite-based remote sensing data. A comprehensive analysis of the correlation of cloud phase with various parameters, such as temperature, aerosols, sea ice, vertical and horizontal cloud extent, and cloud radiative effect, is presented.
Ryan Eastman, Isabel L. McCoy, Hauke Schulz, and Robert Wood
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 6613–6634, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6613-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6613-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Cloud types are determined using machine learning image classifiers applied to satellite imagery for 1 year in the North Atlantic. This survey of these cloud types shows that the climate impact of a cloud scene is, in part, a function of cloud type. Each type displays a different mix of thick and thin cloud cover, with the fraction of thin cloud cover having the strongest impact on the clouds' radiative effect. Future studies must account for differing properties and processes among cloud types.
Thomas Lesigne, François Ravetta, Aurélien Podglajen, Vincent Mariage, and Jacques Pelon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5935–5952, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5935-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5935-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Upper tropical clouds have a strong impact on Earth's climate but are challenging to observe. We report the first long-duration observations of tropical clouds from lidars flying on board stratospheric balloons. Comparisons with spaceborne observations reveal the enhanced sensitivity of balloon-borne lidar to optically thin cirrus. These clouds, which have a significant coverage and lie in the uppermost troposphere, are linked with the dehydration of air masses on their way to the stratosphere.
Georgios Dekoutsidis, Martin Wirth, and Silke Groß
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5971–5987, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5971-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5971-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
For decades the earth's temperature has been rising. The Arctic regions are warming faster. Cirrus clouds can contribute to this phenomenon. During warm-air intrusions, air masses are transported into the Arctic from the mid-latitudes. The HALO-(AC)3 campaign took place to measure cirrus during intrusion events and under normal conditions. We study the two cloud types based on these measurements and find differences in their geometry, relative humidity distribution and vertical structure.
Huige Di and Yun Yuan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5783–5801, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5783-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5783-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We observed the seeder–feeder process among double-layer clouds using a cloud radar and microwave radiometer. By defining the parameters of the seeding depth and seeding time of the upper cloud affecting the lower cloud, we find that the cloud particle terminal velocity is significantly enhanced during the seeder–feeder period, and the lower the height and thinner the thickness of the height difference between double-layer clouds, the lower the height and thicker the thickness of seeding depth.
Kristofer S. Tuftedal, Bernat Puigdomènech Treserras, Mariko Oue, and Pavlos Kollias
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5637–5657, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5637-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5637-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study analyzed coastal convective cells from June through September 2018–2021. The cells were classified and their lifecycles were analyzed to better understand their characteristics. Features such as convective-core growth, for example, are shown. The study found differences in the initiation location of shallow convection and in the aerosol loading in deep convective environments. This work provides a foundation for future analyses of convection or other tracked events elsewhere.
Michie Vianca De Vera, Larry Di Girolamo, Guangyu Zhao, Robert M. Rauber, Stephen W. Nesbitt, and Greg M. McFarquhar
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5603–5623, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5603-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5603-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Tropical oceanic low clouds remain a dominant source of uncertainty in cloud feedback in climate models due to their macrophysical properties (fraction, size, height, shape, distribution) being misrepresented. High-resolution satellite imagery over the Philippine oceans is used here to characterize cumulus macrophysical properties and their relationship to meteorological variables. Such information can act as a benchmark for cloud models and can improve low-cloud generation in climate models.
William K. Jones, Martin Stengel, and Philip Stier
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5165–5180, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5165-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5165-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Storm clouds cover large areas of the tropics. These clouds both reflect incoming sunlight and trap heat from the atmosphere below, regulating the temperature of the tropics. Over land, storm clouds occur in the late afternoon and evening and so exist both during the daytime and at night. Changes in this timing could upset the balance of the respective cooling and heating effects of these clouds. We find that isolated storms have a larger effect on this balance than their small size suggests.
George Horner and Edward Gryspeerdt
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1090, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1090, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This work tracks the lifecycle of thin cirrus clouds that flow out of tropical convective storms. These cirrus clouds are found to have a warming effect on the atmosphere over their whole lifetime. Thin cirrus that originate from land origin convection warm more than those of ocean origin. Moreover, if the lifetime of these cirrus clouds increase, the warming they exert over their whole lifetime also increases. These results help us understand how these clouds might change in a future climate.
Shaoyue Qiu, Xue Zheng, David Painemal, Christopher R. Terai, and Xiaoli Zhou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2913–2935, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2913-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2913-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The aerosol indirect effect (AIE) depends on cloud states, which exhibit significant diurnal variations in the northeastern Atlantic. Yet the AIE diurnal cycle remains poorly understood. Using satellite retrievals, we find a pronounced “U-shaped” diurnal variation in the AIE, which is contributed to by the transition of cloud states combined with the lagged cloud responses. This suggests that polar-orbiting satellites with overpass times at noon underestimate daytime mean values of the AIE.
Irene Bartolomé García, Odran Sourdeval, Reinhold Spang, and Martina Krämer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1699–1716, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1699-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1699-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
How many ice crystals of each size are in a cloud is a key parameter for the retrieval of cloud properties. The distribution of ice crystals is obtained from in situ measurements and used to create parameterizations that can be used when analyzing the remote-sensing data. Current parameterizations are based on data sets that do not include reliable measurements of small crystals, but in our study we use a data set that includes very small ice crystals to improve these parameterizations.
Wenyue Wang, Klemens Hocke, Leonardo Nania, Alberto Cazorla, Gloria Titos, Renaud Matthey, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Agustín Millares, and Francisco Navas-Guzmán
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1571–1585, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1571-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1571-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The south-central interior of Andalusia experiences complex precipitation patterns as a result of the semi-arid Mediterranean climate and the influence of Saharan dust. This study monitored the inter-relations between aerosols, clouds, meteorological variables, and precipitation systems using ground-based remote sensing and in situ instruments.
Francisco Lang, Steven T. Siems, Yi Huang, Tahereh Alinejadtabrizi, and Luis Ackermann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1451–1466, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1451-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1451-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Marine low-level clouds play a crucial role in the Earth's energy balance, trapping heat from the surface and reflecting sunlight back into space. These clouds are distinguishable by their large-scale spatial structures, primarily characterized as hexagonal patterns with either filled (closed) or empty (open) cells. Utilizing satellite observations, these two cloud type patterns have been categorized over the Southern Ocean and North Pacific Ocean through a pattern recognition program.
Julian Hofer, Patric Seifert, J. Ben Liley, Martin Radenz, Osamu Uchino, Isamu Morino, Tetsu Sakai, Tomohiro Nagai, and Albert Ansmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1265–1280, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1265-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1265-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
An 11-year dataset of polarization lidar observations from Lauder, New Zealand / Aotearoa, was used to distinguish the thermodynamic phase of natural clouds. The cloud dataset was separated to assess the impact of air mass origin on the frequency of heterogeneous ice formation. Ice formation efficiency in clouds above Lauder was found to be lower than in the polluted Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes but higher than in very clean and pristine environments, such as Punta Arenas in southern Chile.
Hannes Jascha Griesche, Carola Barrientos-Velasco, Hartwig Deneke, Anja Hünerbein, Patric Seifert, and Andreas Macke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 597–612, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-597-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-597-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Arctic is strongly affected by climate change and the role of clouds therein is not yet completely understood. Measurements from the Arctic expedition PS106 were used to simulate radiative fluxes with and without clouds at very low altitudes (below 165 m), and their radiative effect was calculated to be 54 Wm-2. The low heights of these clouds make them hard to observe. This study shows the importance of accurate measurements and simulations of clouds and gives suggestions for improvements.
Thomas D. DeWitt, Timothy J. Garrett, Karlie N. Rees, Corey Bois, Steven K. Krueger, and Nicolas Ferlay
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 109–122, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-109-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-109-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Viewed from space, a defining feature of Earth's atmosphere is the wide spectrum of cloud sizes. A recent study predicted the distribution of cloud sizes, and this paper compares the prediction to observations. Although there is nuance in viewing perspective, we find robust agreement with theory across different climatological conditions, including land–ocean contrasts, time of year, or latitude, suggesting a minor role for Coriolis forces, aerosol loading, or surface temperature.
Marcus Klingebiel, André Ehrlich, Elena Ruiz-Donoso, Nils Risse, Imke Schirmacher, Evelyn Jäkel, Michael Schäfer, Kevin Wolf, Mario Mech, Manuel Moser, Christiane Voigt, and Manfred Wendisch
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15289–15304, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15289-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15289-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we explain how we use aircraft measurements from two Arctic research campaigns to identify cloud properties (like droplet size) over sea-ice and ice-free ocean. To make sure that our measurements make sense, we compare them with other observations. Our results show, e.g., larger cloud droplets in early summer than in spring. Moreover, the cloud droplets are also larger over ice-free ocean than compared to sea ice. In the future, our data can be used to improve climate models.
Pablo Saavedra Garfias, Heike Kalesse-Los, Luisa von Albedyll, Hannes Griesche, and Gunnar Spreen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14521–14546, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14521-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14521-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
An important Arctic climate process is the release of heat fluxes from sea ice openings to the atmosphere that influence the clouds. The characterization of this process is the objective of this study. Using synergistic observations from the MOSAiC expedition, we found that single-layer cloud properties show significant differences when clouds are coupled or decoupled to the water vapour transport which is used as physical link between the upwind sea ice openings and the cloud under observation.
Matthew D. Lebsock and Mikael Witte
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14293–14305, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14293-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14293-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper evaluates measurements of cloud drop size distributions made from airplanes. We find that as the number of cloud drops increases the distribution of the cloud drop sizes narrows. The data are used to develop a simple equation that relates the drop number to the width of the drop sizes. We then use this equation to demonstrate that existing approaches to observe the drop number from satellites contain errors that can be corrected by including the new relationship.
George Horner and Edward Gryspeerdt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14239–14253, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14239-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14239-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Tropical deep convective clouds, and the thin cirrus (ice) clouds that flow out from them, are important for modulating the energy budget of the tropical atmosphere. This work uses a new method to track the evolution of the properties of these clouds across their entire lifetimes. We find these clouds cool the atmosphere in the first 6 h before switching to a warming regime after the deep convective core has dissipated, which is sustained beyond 120 h from the initial convective event.
Rodanthi-Elisavet Mamouri, Albert Ansmann, Kevin Ohneiser, Daniel A. Knopf, Argyro Nisantzi, Johannes Bühl, Ronny Engelmann, Annett Skupin, Patric Seifert, Holger Baars, Dragos Ene, Ulla Wandinger, and Diofantos Hadjimitsis
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14097–14114, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14097-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14097-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
For the first time, rather clear evidence is found that wildfire smoke particles can trigger strong cirrus formation. This finding is of importance because intensive and large wildfires may occur increasingly often in the future as climate change proceeds. Based on lidar observations in Cyprus in autumn 2020, we provide detailed insight into the cirrus formation at the tropopause in the presence of aged wildfire smoke (here, 8–9 day old Californian wildfire smoke).
Peter Manshausen, Duncan Watson-Parris, Matthew W. Christensen, Jukka-Pekka Jalkanen, and Philip Stier
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12545–12555, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12545-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12545-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol from burning fuel changes cloud properties, e.g., the number of droplets and the content of water. Here, we study how clouds respond to different amounts of shipping aerosol. Droplet numbers increase linearly with increasing aerosol over a broad range until they stop increasing, while the amount of liquid water always increases, independently of emission amount. These changes in cloud properties can make them reflect more or less sunlight, which is important for the earth's climate.
Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Alyson Douglas, Timothy A. Myers, Peer Nowack, Philip Stier, Casey J. Wall, and Sarah Wilson Kemsley
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10775–10794, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10775-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10775-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study uses an observation-based cloud-controlling factor framework to study near-global sensitivities of cloud radiative effects to a large number of meteorological and aerosol controls. We present near-global sensitivity patterns to selected thermodynamic, dynamic, and aerosol factors and discuss the physical mechanisms underlying the derived sensitivities. Our study hopes to guide future analyses aimed at constraining cloud feedbacks and aerosol–cloud interactions.
Anne-Claire Billault-Roux, Paraskevi Georgakaki, Josué Gehring, Louis Jaffeux, Alfons Schwarzenboeck, Pierre Coutris, Athanasios Nenes, and Alexis Berne
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10207–10234, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10207-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10207-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Secondary ice production plays a key role in clouds and precipitation. In this study, we analyze radar measurements from a snowfall event in the Jura Mountains. Complex signatures are observed, which reveal that ice crystals were formed through various processes. An analysis of multi-sensor data suggests that distinct ice multiplication processes were taking place. Both the methods used and the insights gained through this case study contribute to a better understanding of snowfall microphysics.
Rebecca J. Murray-Watson, Edward Gryspeerdt, and Tom Goren
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 9365–9383, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9365-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9365-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds formed in Arctic marine cold air outbreaks undergo a distinct evolution, but the factors controlling their transition from high-coverage to broken cloud fields are poorly understood. We use satellite and reanalysis data to study how these clouds develop in time and the different influences on their evolution. The aerosol concentration is correlated with cloud break-up; more aerosol is linked to prolonged coverage and a stronger cooling effect, with implications for a more polluted Arctic.
Michael S. Diamond
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8259–8269, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8259-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8259-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Fuel sulfur regulations were implemented for ships in 2020 to improve air quality but may also accelerate global warming. We use spatial statistics and satellite retrievals to detect changes in the size of cloud droplets and find evidence for a resulting decrease in cloud brightness within a major shipping corridor after the sulfur limits went into effect. Our results confirm both that the regulations are being followed and that they are having a warming influence via their effect on clouds.
Hao Luo, Johannes Quaas, and Yong Han
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8169–8186, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8169-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8169-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds exhibit a wide range of vertical structures with varying microphysical and radiative properties. We show a global survey of spatial distribution, vertical extent and radiative effect of various classified cloud vertical structures using joint satellite observations from the new CCCM datasets during 2007–2010. Moreover, the long-term trends in CVSs are investigated based on different CMIP6 future scenarios to capture the cloud variations with different, increasing anthropogenic forcings.
Gregor Köcher, Tobias Zinner, and Christoph Knote
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6255–6269, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6255-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6255-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Polarimetric radar observations of 30 d of convective precipitation events are used to statistically analyze 5 state-of-the-art microphysics schemes of varying complexity. The frequency and area of simulated heavy-precipitation events are in some cases significantly different from those observed, depending on the microphysics scheme. Analysis of simulated particle size distributions and reflectivities shows that some schemes have problems reproducing the correct particle size distributions.
Claudia J. Stubenrauch, Giulio Mandorli, and Elisabeth Lemaitre
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5867–5884, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5867-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5867-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Organized convection leads to large convective cloud systems and intense rain and may change with a warming climate. Their complete 3D description, attained by machine learning techniques in combination with various satellite observations, together with a cloud system concept, link convection to anvil properties, while convective organization can be identified by the horizontal structure of intense rain.
Scott E. Giangrande, Thiago S. Biscaro, and John M. Peters
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5297–5316, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5297-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5297-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our study tracks thunderstorms observed during the wet and dry seasons of the Amazon Basin using weather radar. We couple this precipitation tracking with opportunistic overpasses of a wind profiler and other ground observations to add unique insights into the upwards and downwards air motions within these clouds at various stages in the storm life cycle. The results of a simple updraft model are provided to give physical explanations for observed seasonal differences.
Edward Gryspeerdt, Adam C. Povey, Roy G. Grainger, Otto Hasekamp, N. Christina Hsu, Jane P. Mulcahy, Andrew M. Sayer, and Armin Sorooshian
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4115–4122, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4115-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4115-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The impact of aerosols on clouds is one of the largest uncertainties in the human forcing of the climate. Aerosol can increase the concentrations of droplets in clouds, but observational and model studies produce widely varying estimates of this effect. We show that these estimates can be reconciled if only polluted clouds are studied, but this is insufficient to constrain the climate impact of aerosol. The uncertainty in aerosol impact on clouds is currently driven by cases with little aerosol.
Zackary Mages, Pavlos Kollias, Zeen Zhu, and Edward P. Luke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3561–3574, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3561-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3561-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Cold-air outbreaks (when cold air is advected over warm water and creates low-level convection) are a dominant cloud regime in the Arctic, and we capitalized on ground-based observations, which did not previously exist, from the COMBLE field campaign to study them. We characterized the extent and strength of the convection and turbulence and found evidence of secondary ice production. This information is useful for model intercomparison studies that will represent cold-air outbreak processes.
Maria P. Cadeddu, Virendra P. Ghate, David D. Turner, and Thomas E. Surleta
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3453–3470, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3453-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3453-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We analyze the variability in marine boundary layer moisture at the Eastern North Atlantic site on a monthly and daily temporal scale and examine its fundamental role in the control of boundary layer cloudiness and precipitation. The study also highlights the complex interaction between large-scale and local processes controlling the boundary layer moisture and the importance of the mesoscale spatial distribution of vapor to support convection and precipitation.
Zhenquan Wang, Jian Yuan, Robert Wood, Yifan Chen, and Tiancheng Tong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3247–3266, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3247-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3247-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study develops a novel profile-based algorithm based on the ERA5 to estimate the inversion strength in the planetary boundary layer better than the previous inversion index, which is a key low-cloud-controlling factor. This improved measure is more effective at representing the meteorological influence on low-cloud variations. It can better constrain the meteorological influence on low clouds to better isolate cloud responses to aerosols or to estimate low cloud feedbacks in climate models.
Georgios Dekoutsidis, Silke Groß, Martin Wirth, Martina Krämer, and Christian Rolf
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3103–3117, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3103-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3103-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Cirrus clouds affect Earth's atmosphere, deeming our study important. Here we use water vapor measurements by lidar and study the relative humidity (RHi) within and around midlatitude cirrus clouds. We find high supersaturations in the cloud-free air and within the clouds, especially near the cloud top. We study two cloud types with different formation processes. Finally, we conclude that the shape of the distribution of RHi can be used as an indicator of different cloud evolutionary stages.
Huazhe Shang, Souichiro Hioki, Guillaume Penide, Céline Cornet, Husi Letu, and Jérôme Riedi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2729–2746, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2729-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2729-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We find that cloud profiles can be divided into four prominent patterns, and the frequency of these four patterns is related to intensities of cloud-top entrainment and precipitation. Based on these analyses, we further propose a cloud profile parameterization scheme allowing us to represent these patterns. Our results shed light on how to facilitate the representation of cloud profiles and how to link them to cloud entrainment or precipitating status in future remote-sensing applications.
Cited articles
Bedka, S. T., Minnis, P., Duda, D. P., Chee, T. L., and Palikonda, R.:
Properties of linear contrails in the Northern Hemisphere derived from 2006
MODIS observations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 772–777,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL054363, 2013.
Bloom, S., da Silva, A., Dee, D., Bosilovich, M., Chern, J.-D., Pawson, S.,
Schubert, S., Sienkiewicz, M., Stajner, I., Tan, W.-W., and Wu, M.-L.:
Documentation and Validation of the Goddard Earth
Observing System (GEOS) Data Assimilation System – Version 4,
Technical Report Series on Global Modeling and Data Assimilation 104606, 165 pp.,
2005.
Brasseur, G. P., Gupta, M., Anderson, B. E., Balasubramanian, S., Barrett,
S., Duda, D., Fleming, G., Forster, P. M., Fuglestvedt, J., Gettelman, A.,
Halthore, R. N., Jacob, S. D., Jacobson, M. Z., Khodayari, A., Liou, K.,
Lund, M. T., Miake-Lye, R. C., Minnis, P., Olsen, S., Penner, J. E., Prinn,
R., Schumann, U., Selkirk, H. B., Sokolov, A., Unger, N., Wolfe, P., Wong,
H., Wuebbles, D. W., Yi, B., Yang, P., and Zhou, C.: Impact of Aviation on
Climate: FAA's Aviation Climate Change Research Initiative (ACCRI) Phase II,
B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 97, 561–583, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-13-00089.1, 2016.
CERES: CERES_SSF_Terra-Aqu_Edition4A Data Quality Summary, CERES Project Document, 30 June, 19
pp., available at: https://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/project/ceres/quality_summaries/CER_SSF_Terra-Aqua_Edition4A.pdf
(last access: 4 April 2019), 2016.
Dee, D. P., Uppala, S. M., Simmons, A. J., Berrisford, P., Poli, P.,
Kobayashi, S., Andrae, U., Balmaseda, M. A., Balsamo, G., Bauer, P.,
Bechtold, P., Beljaars, A. C. M., van de Berg, L., Bidlot, J., Bormann, N.,
Delsol, C., Dragani, R., Fuentes, M., Geer, A. J., Haimberger, L., Healy, S.
B., Hersbach, H., Hólm, E. V., Isaksen, L., Kållberg, P.,
Köhler, M., Matricardi, M., McNally, A. P., Monge-Sanz, B. M.,
Morcrette. J.-J., Park. B.-K., Peubey, C., de Rosnay, P., Tavolato, C.,
Thépaut, J.-N., and Vitart, F.: The ERA-Interim reanalysis: configuration
and performance of the data assimilation system, Q. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc., 137,
553–597, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.828, 2011.
Duda, D. P., Minnis, P., Nyuyen, L., and Palikonda, R.: A case study of the
development of contrail clusters over the Great Lakes, J. Atmos.
Sci., 61, 1132–1146, doi:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(2004)061<1132:ACSOTD>2.0.CO;2, 2004.
Duda, D. P., Minnis, P., Khlopenkov, K., Chee, T. L., and Boeke, R.:
Estimation of 2006 Northern Hemisphere contrail coverage using MODIS data,
Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 612–617, https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50097, 2013.
Eleftheratos, K., Myhre, G., Minnis, P., Kapsomenakis, I., and Zerefos, C.:
Chapter 61, Manmade Changes in Cirrus Clouds from 1984 to 2007: A
Preliminary Study, in: Energy, Transportation and Global
Warming, Green Energy and Technology, edited by: Grammelis, P., Springer, Cham.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30127-3_61, 2016.
Fichter, C., Marquart, S., Sausen, R., and Lee, D. S.: The impact of cruise
altitude on contrails and related radiative forcing, Meteorol. Z., 14, 563–572, 2005.
Fu, Q. and Liou, K.-N.: Parameterization of the radiative properties of
cirrus clouds, J. Atmos. Sci., 50, 2008–2025, 1993.
Fu, Q., Yang, P., and Sun, W. B.: An accurate parameterization of the
infrared radiative properties of cirrus clouds for climate models, J. Climate,
11, 2223–2237, 1998.
Iwabuchi, H., Yang, P., Liou, K. N., and Minnis, P.: Physical and optical
properties of persistent contrails: Climatology and interpretation, J.
Geophys. Res., 117, D06215, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JD017020, 2012.
Lee, D, S., Pitari, G., Grewe, V., Gierens, K., Penner, J. E., Petzold, A.,
Prather, M. J., Schumann, U., Bais, A., Berntsen, T., Iachetti, D., Lim, L.
L., and Sausen, R.: Transport impacts on atmosphere and climate: aviation,
Atmos. Environ., 44, 4678–4734, 2010.
Mannstein, H. and Schumann, U.: Aircraft induced contrail cirrus over
Europe, Meteorol. Z., 14, 549–554, 2005.
Mannstein, H., Meyer, R., and Wendling, P.: Operational detection of
contrails from NOAA-AVHRR data, Int. J. Remote Sens., 20, 1641–1660, 1999.
MCST (MODIS Characterization Support Team): Terra MODIS Level 1B Calibrated
Radiances, 5-Min Swath 1 km, C6, MODIS Adaptive Processing System (MODAPS),
NASA Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive & Distribution System (LAADS)
Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC), Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, MD, USA, https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD021KM.NRT.061, 2017a.
MCST (MODIS Characterization Support Team): Aqua MODIS Level 1B Calibrated
Radiances, 5-Min Swath 1km, C6, MODIS Adaptive Processing System (MODAPS),
NASA Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive & Distribution System (LAADS) Distributed
Active Archive Center (DAAC), Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MYD021KM.NRT.061, 2017b.
Meerkötter, R., Schumann, U., Doelling, D. R., Minnis, P., Nakajima, T.,
and Tsushima, Y.: Radiative forcing by contrails, Ann. Geophys., 17,
1080–1094, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00585-999-1080-7, 1999.
Meyer, R., Mannstein, H., Meerkötter, R., Schumann, U., and Wendling,
P.: Regional radiative forcing by line-shaped contrails derived from
satellite data, J. Geophys. Res. 107, 4104, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JD000426,
2002.
Meyer, R., Buell, R., Leiter, C., Mannstein, H., Pechtl, S., Oki, T., and
Wendling, P.: Contrail observations over Southern and Eastern Asia in
NOAA/AVHRR data and comparisons to contrail simulations in a GCM, Int. J.
Remote Sens., 28, 2049–2069, https://doi.org/10.1080/01431160600641707, 2007.
Minnis, P., Ayers, J., Palikonda, R., and Phan, D. N.: Contrails, Cirrus
Trends, and Climate, J. Climate, 17, 1671–1685, 2004.
Minnis, P., Palikonda, R., Walters, B. J., Ayers, J. K., and Mannstein, H.:
Contrail properties over the eastern North Pacific from AVHRR data, Meteorol.
Z., 14, 515–523, 2005.
Minnis, P., Bedka, S. T., Duda, D. P., Bedka, K. M., Chee, T. L., Ayers, J.
K., Palikonda, R., Spangenberg, D. A., Khlopenkov, K. V., and Boeke, R.:
Linear contrail and contrail cirrus properties determined from satellite
data, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 3220–3226, https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50569, 2013.
Rienecker, M. M., Suarez, M. J., Gelaro, R., Todling, R., Bacmeister, J.,
Liu, E., Bosilovich, M. G., Schubert, S. D., Takacs, L., Kim, G.-K., Bloom,
S., Chen, J., Collins, D., Conaty, A., da Silva, A., Gu, W., Joiner, J.,
Koster, R. D., Lucchesi, R., Molod., A., Owens, T., Pawson, S., Pegion, P.,
Redder, C. R., Reichle, R., Robertson, F. R., Ruddick, A. G., Sienkiewicz,
M., and Woollen, J., MERRA: NASA's Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for
Research and Applications, J. Climate, 24. 3624–3648,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00015.1, 2011.
Schumann, U. and Graf, K.: Aviation-induced cirrus and radiation changes at
diurnal timescales, J. Geophys. Res., 118, 2404–2421, 2013.
Spangenberg, D. A., Minnis, P., Bedka, S. T., Palikonda, R., Duda, D. P.,
and Rose, F. G.: Contrail radiative forcing over the Northern Hemisphere
from 2006 Aqua MODIS data, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 595–600, https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50168, 2013.
Trepte, Q. Z., Minnis, P., Sun-Mack, S., Yost, C. R., Chen, Y., Jin, Z.,
Chang, F.-L., Smith Jr., W. L., Bedka, K. M., and Chee, T. L.: Global cloud
detection for CERES Edition 4 using Terra and Aqua MODIS data, IEEE Trans.
Geosci. Remote Sens., submitted, 2019.
Vázquez-Navarro, M., Mannstein, H., and Kox, S.: Contrail life cycle and
properties from 1 year of MSG/SEVIRI rapid-scan images, Atmos. Chem. Phys.,
15, 8739–8749, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-8739-2015, 2015.
Wilkerson, J. T., Jacobson, M. Z., Malwitz, A., Balasubramanian, S., Wayson,
R., Fleming, G., Naiman, A. D., and Lele, S. K.: Analysis of emission data
from global commercial aviation: 2004 and 2006, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10,
6391–6408, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-6391-2010, 2010.
Xiong, X., Wu, A., Wenny, B. N., Madhavan, S., Wang, Z., Li, Y., Chen, N.,
Barnes, W., and Salomonson, V.: “Terra and Aqua MODIS Thermal Emissive
Bands On-Orbit Calibration and Performance”,
IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 53, 5709–5721, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2015.2428198, 2015.
Short summary
We use one year (2012) of satellite imagery obtained from two NASA research satellites, Terra and Aqua, to detect linear contrail coverage and to estimate their physical properties over the Northern Hemisphere. The satellite-derived properties are compared with results collected from the same sensors in 2006 to estimate whether the impact of contrail coverage on climate has changed. The study is the first of its kind to measure contrail properties over a near-global scale from satellite imagery.
We use one year (2012) of satellite imagery obtained from two NASA research satellites, Terra...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint