Articles | Volume 26, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-523-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-523-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
12 Jan 2026
Research article |
| 12 Jan 2026
| 12 Jan 2026
Constraining a Radiative Transfer Model with Satellite Retrievals: Contrasts between cirrus formed via homogeneous and heterogeneous freezing and their implications for cirrus cloud thinning
Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada, USA
David L. Mitchell
Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada, USA
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Short summary
Cirrus clouds play a key role in Earth’s climate by trapping heat. Using satellite observations and radiative transfer modeling, we examined how thinning these clouds might help cool the planet. We find that natural homogeneous and heterogeneous cirrus have distinct radiative effects, and that the instantaneous impact of cirrus cloud thinning can lead to either cooling or warming, depending on atmospheric dynamics. These insights help guide future studies of cirrus clouds using climate models.
Cirrus clouds play a key role in Earth’s climate by trapping heat. Using satellite observations...
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