Profile-based estimated inversion strength

Wang, Zhenquan; Yuan, Jian; Wood, Robert; Chen, Yifan; Tong, Tiancheng

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3247-2023

Articles | Volume 23, issue 5

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3247-2023

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

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3247-2023

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

Articles | Volume 23, issue 5

Research article

|

13 Mar 2023

Research article |

| 13 Mar 2023

Profile-based estimated inversion strength

Zhenquan Wang, Jian Yuan, Robert Wood, Yifan Chen, and Tiancheng Tong

Data sets

National Centers for Environmental Information, Weather Balloon, Integrated global radiosonde archive (IGRA) NOAA https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/weather-balloon/integrated-global-radiosonde-archive

Within-Atmosphere and Surface Fluxes, Clouds and Aerosols 1-Hourly Terra-Aqua Edition 4A NASA Langley Atmospheric Science Data Center, CERES, and GEO-Enhanced TOA https://doi.org/10.5067/TERRA+AQUA/CERES/SYN1DEG-1HOUR_L3.004A

ERA5 hourly data on pressure levels from 1940 to present Copernicus Climate Change Service https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.bd0915c6

Balloon-Borne Sounding System (SONDEWNPN) B. Ken https://doi.org/10.5439/1595321

ARM Best Estimate Data Products (ARMBECLDRAD) X. Chen and S. Xie https://doi.org/10.5439/1333228

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.