Sensitivity of marine cloud brightening over the Great Barrier Reef to spatial variability in aerosol forcing: a case study using a convection-permitting model

Zhao, Wenhui; Huang, Yi; Siems, Steven; Harrison, Daniel

doi:10.5194/acp-26-15895-2026

Articles | Volume 26, issue 21

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15895-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15895-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 26, issue 21

Research article

|

11 Nov 2026

Research article |

| 11 Nov 2026

Sensitivity of marine cloud brightening over the Great Barrier Reef to spatial variability in aerosol forcing: a case study using a convection-permitting model

Wenhui Zhao, Yi Huang, Steven Siems, and Daniel Harrison

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15895-2026-supplement

Data sets

WRF outputs - CTRL Wenhui Zhao https://doi.org/10.26188/30071935

WRF outputs - EXP20 Wenhui Zhao https://doi.org/10.26188/32592879

WRF outputs - EXP40 Wenhui Zhao https://doi.org/10.26188/32593914

WRF outputs - EXP100 Wenhui Zhao https://doi.org/10.26188/32593482

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

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Short summary

Using convection-permitting Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) simulations, this study examines how marine cloud brightening over the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) depends on aerosol emission strength and spatial distribution. Densely spaced sources generate more uniform aerosol enhancements and stronger cloud microphysical responses than sparsely distributed sources, despite identical emissions. Cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) and optical depth increase strongly, indicating a dominant Twomey effect, while cloud water and coverage respond weakly.