Response of marine post-frontal clouds to Gulf Stream variability

Chen, Jingyi; Wang, Hailong; Zhang, Bo; Liu, Hongyu; Painemal, David; Sorooshian, Armin; Tai, Sheng-Lun; Voigt, Christiane

doi:10.5194/acp-26-2209-2026

Articles | Volume 26, issue 3

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-2209-2026

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

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-2209-2026

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

Articles | Volume 26, issue 3

Research article

|

12 Feb 2026

Research article |

| 12 Feb 2026

Response of marine post-frontal clouds to Gulf Stream variability

Jingyi Chen, Hailong Wang, Bo Zhang, Hongyu Liu, David Painemal, Armin Sorooshian, Sheng-Lun Tai, and Christiane Voigt

Data sets

Response of marine post-frontal clouds to Gulf Stream variability J. Chen https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15833225

Aerosol Cloud meTeorology Interactions oVer the western ATlantic Experiment (ACTIVATE), Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC) NASA Atmospheric Science Data Center https://doi.org/10.5067/SUBORBITAL/ACTIVATE/DATA001

Model code and software

Response of marine post-frontal clouds to Gulf Stream variability J. Chen https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15833225

Short summary

NASA-validated modeling shows +4K SST (sea surface temperature) & +25 % gradients distinctly alter boundary layer dynamics, cloud physics in cold-air outbreaks. Warmer SST reduces cloud cover; increases size, elongation; hydrometeors shift to ice. Sharper Gradients boost liquid water (cold upwind); reduces ice; disrupts organization. Also, SST changes alter cloud-top properties via entrained airmass origin. Resolving ocean-atmosphere coupling in global models is essential for accurate cloud feedback projections.