Using a region-specific ice-nucleating particle parameterization improves the representation of Arctic clouds in a global climate model

Gjelsvik, Astrid B.; David, Robert O.; Carlsen, Tim; Hellmuth, Franziska; Hofer, Stefan; McGraw, Zachary; Sodemann, Harald; Storelvmo, Trude

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1617-2025

Articles | Volume 25, issue 3

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1617-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1617-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 25, issue 3

Research article

|

05 Feb 2025

Research article |

| 05 Feb 2025

Using a region-specific ice-nucleating particle parameterization improves the representation of Arctic clouds in a global climate model

Astrid B. Gjelsvik, Robert O. David, Tim Carlsen, Franziska Hellmuth, Stefan Hofer, Zachary McGraw, Harald Sodemann, and Trude Storelvmo

Data sets

Ice-Nucleating Particle Concentrations from the MC2/ISLAS 2021 campaign in Andenes, and NorESM2 simulations with observationally constrained INPs Astrid Bragstad Gjelsvik et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11617774

ERA5 hourly data on pressure levels from 1940 to present H. Hersbach et al. https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.bd0915c6

Distributions of supercooled liquid fraction from CALIOP V4 Olimpia Bruno https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8289057

CERES Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF) TOA and Surface Monthly means data in netCDF Edition 4.1 NASA/LARC/SD/ASDC https://doi.org/10.5067/TERRA-AQUA/CERES/EBAF_L3B.004.1

Evaluation of the cloud thermodynamic phase in a climate model using CALIPSO-GOCCP (https://climserv.ipsl.polytechnique.fr/cfmip-obs/Calipso_goccp.html#MapLowMidHighphase) Grégory Cesana and Hélène Chepfer https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrd.50376

Basic measurements of radiation at station Alert (2004-08 - 2014-06) Christopher J. Cox and David Halliwell https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.932867

Basic and other measurements of radiation at station Barrow (1992-01 et seq) Laura Riihimaki et al. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.959215

Basic and other measurements of radiation at station Ny-Ålesund (2006-05 et seq) Marion Maturilli https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.914927

Andøya air pressure at sea level Norwegian Meteorological Institute https://thredds.met.no/thredds/catalog/met.no/observations/surface/87110/178/catalog.html

Model code and software

Scientific colour maps (8.0.1) Fabio Crameri https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8409685

Short summary

Ice formation in clouds has a substantial impact on radiation and precipitation and must be realistically simulated in order to understand present and future Arctic climate. Rare aerosols known as ice-nucleating particles can play an important role in cloud ice formation, but their representation in global climate models is not well suited for the Arctic. In this study, the simulation of cloud phase is improved when the representation of these particles is constrained by Arctic observations.