Sensitivities of cloud radiative effects to large-scale meteorology and aerosols from global observations

Andersen, Hendrik; Cermak, Jan; Douglas, Alyson; Myers, Timothy A.; Nowack, Peer; Stier, Philip; Wall, Casey J.; Wilson Kemsley, Sarah

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10775-2023

Articles | Volume 23, issue 18

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10775-2023

© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10775-2023

© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 23, issue 18

Research article

|

28 Sep 2023

Research article |

| 28 Sep 2023

Sensitivities of cloud radiative effects to large-scale meteorology and aerosols from global observations

Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Alyson Douglas, Timothy A. Myers, Peer Nowack, Philip Stier, Casey J. Wall, and Sarah Wilson Kemsley

Data sets

ERA5 monthly averaged data on single levels from 1940 to present H. Hersbach, B. Bell, P. Berrisford, G. Biavati, A. Horányi, J. Muñoz Sabater, J. Nicolas, C. Peubey, R. Radu, I. Rozum, D. Schepers, A. Simmons, C. Soci, D. Dee, and J.-N. Thépaut https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.f17050d7

ERA5 monthly averaged data on pressure levels from 1940 to present H. Hersbach, B. Bell, P. Berrisford, G. Biavati, A. Horányi, J. Muñoz Sabater, J. Nicolas, C. Peubey, R. Radu, I. Rozum, D. Schepers, A. Simmons, C. Soci, D. Dee, and J.-N. Thépaut https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.6860a573

CERES Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF) TOA Monthly means data in netCDF Edition4.1 NASA/LARC/SD/ASDC https://doi.org/10.5067/TERRA-AQUA/CERES/EBAFTOA_L3B004.1

MOD08_M3 - MODIS/Terra Aerosol Cloud Water Vapor Ozone Monthly L3 Global 1Deg CMG S. Platnick, M. King, and P. Hubanks https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD08_M3.061

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.