scholarly journals Potential aerosol indirect effects on atmospheric circulation and radiative forcing through deep convection

2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (9) ◽  
pp. n/a-n/a ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiwen Fan ◽  
Daniel Rosenfeld ◽  
Yanni Ding ◽  
L. Ruby Leung ◽  
Zhanqing Li
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Aerosol Indirect Effects

scholarly journals The scale problem in quantifying aerosol indirect effects

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 26741-26789 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. McComiskey ◽  
G. Feingold
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Liquid Water Path ◽  
Aerosol Indirect Effects ◽  
Remote Sensors ◽  
Cloud Properties ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Albedo Effect ◽  
Cloud Liquid Water Path ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. A wide range of estimates exists for the radiative forcing of the aerosol effect on cloud albedo. We argue that a component of this uncertainty derives from the use of a wide range of observational scales and platforms. Aerosol affects cloud properties at the microphysical scale, or the "process scale" but observations are most often made of bulk properties over a wide range of resolutions, or "analysis scales". We show that differences between process and analysis scales incur biases in quantification of the albedo effect through the impact that data aggregation has on statistical properties of the aerosol or cloud variable, and their covariance. Measures made within this range of scales are erroneously treated as equivalent, leading to a large uncertainty in associated radiative forcing estimates. Issues associated with the coarsening of observational resolution particular to quantifying the albedo effect are discussed. Specifically, the omission of the constraint on cloud liquid water path and the separation in space of cloud and aerosol properties from passive, space-based remote sensors dampen the measured strength of the albedo effect. Based on our understanding of these biases we propose a new approach for an observationally-based, robust method for estimating aerosol indirect effects that can be used for radiative forcing estimates as well as a better characterization of the uncertainties associated with those estimates.

scholarly journals Corrigendum to "Aerosol indirect effects from shipping emissions: sensitivity studies with the global aerosol-climate model ECHAM-HAM" published in Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 5985–6007, 2012

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 6429-6430 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Peters ◽  
P. Stier ◽  
J. Quaas ◽  
H. Graßl
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Chem Phys ◽  
Elementary Sulfur ◽  
Aerosol Indirect Effects ◽  
Sensitivity Studies ◽  
Aerosol Module ◽  
Year 2000

Abstract. An error in the calculation of the emitted number of primary sulfate particles for a given mass of emitted elementary sulfur has recently been identified in HAM, i.e. the aerosol module utilised in the ECHAM-HAM aerosol climate model. Correcting for this error substantially alters the estimates of top-of-atmosphere radiative forcing due to aerosol indirect effects from global shipping emissions (year 2000) as presented in Peters et al. (2012). Here, we shortly present these new results.

scholarly journals Cloud-system resolving model simulations of aerosol indirect effects on tropical deep convection and its thermodynamic environment

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 15573-15629 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Morrison ◽  
W. W. Grabowski
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Radiative Heating ◽  
Cloud System ◽  
Direct Result ◽  
Radiative Fluxes ◽  
Aerosol Indirect Effects ◽  
Ensemble Approach ◽  
Tropical Deep Convection

Abstract. This paper presents results from 240-member ensemble simulations of aerosol indirect effects on tropical deep convection and its thermodynamic environment. Simulations using a two-dimensional cloud system-resolving model are run with pristine, polluted, or highly polluted aerosol conditions and large-scale forcing from a 6-day period of active monsoon conditions during the 2006 Tropical Warm Pool – International Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE). Domain-mean surface precipitation is insensitive to aerosols primarily because the large-scale forcing is prescribed and dominates the water and static energy budgets. The spread of the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes among different ensemble members for the same aerosol loading is surprisingly large, exceeding 25 W m−2 even when averaged over the 6-day period. This variability is caused by random fluctuations in the strength and timing of individual deep convective events. The ensemble approach demonstrates a small weakening of convection averaged over the 6-day period in the polluted simulations compared to pristine. Despite this weakening, the cloud top heights and anvil ice mixing ratios are higher in polluted conditions. This occurs because of the larger concentrations of cloud droplets that freeze, leading directly to higher ice particle concentrations, smaller ice particle sizes, and smaller fall velocities compared to simulations with pristine aerosols. Weaker convection in polluted conditions is a direct result of the changes in anvil ice characteristics and subsequent upper-tropospheric radiative heating and weaker tropospheric destabilization. Such a conclusion offers a different interpretation of recent satellite observations of tropical deep convection in pristine and polluted environments compared to the hypothesis of aerosol-induced convective invigoration. Sensitivity tests using the ensemble approach with modified microphysical parameters or domain configuration (horizontal gridlength, domain size) produce results that are similar to baseline, although there are quantitative differences in estimates of aerosol impacts on TOA radiative fluxes.

Aerosol Indirect Effects on Tropical Convection Characteristics under Conditions of Radiative–Convective Equilibrium

2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 699-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan C. van den Heever ◽  
Graeme L. Stephens ◽  
Norman B. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Tropical Convection ◽  
Aerosol Indirect Effects ◽  
Cloud Resolving Model ◽  
Shallow Clouds ◽  
Grid Points ◽  
Indirect Forcing

Abstract The impacts of enhanced aerosol concentrations such as those associated with dust intrusions on the trimodal distribution of tropical convection have been investigated through the use of large-domain (10 000 grid points), fine-resolution (1 km), long-duration (100 days), two-dimensional idealized cloud-resolving model simulations conducted under conditions of radiative–convective equilibrium (RCE). The focus of this research is on those aerosols that serve primarily as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The results demonstrate that the large-scale organization of convection, the domain-averaged precipitation, and the total cloud fraction show only show a weak response to enhanced aerosol concentrations. However, while the domainwide responses to enhanced aerosol concentrations are weak, aerosol indirect effects on the three tropical cloud modes are found to be quite significant and often opposite in sign, a fact that appears to contribute to the weaker domain response. The results suggest that aerosol indirect effects associated with shallow clouds may offset or compensate for the aerosol indirect effects associated with congestus and deep convection systems and vice versa, thus producing a more moderate domainwide response to aerosol indirect forcing. Finally, when assessing the impacts of aerosol indirect forcing associated with CCN on the characteristics of tropical convection, several aspects need to be considered, including which cloud mode or type is being investigated, the field of interest, and whether localized or systemwide responses are being examined.

scholarly journals Interhemispheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing and Tropical Precipitation Shifts during the Late Twentieth Century

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (20) ◽  
pp. 8219-8246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Allen ◽  
Amato T. Evan ◽  
Ben B. B. Booth
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Atlantic Sector ◽  
Aerosol Indirect Effects ◽  
Aerosol Radiative Forcing ◽  
Tropical Precipitation ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Hemispheric Temperature ◽  
Aerosol Radiative

Abstract Through the latter half of the twentieth century, meridional shifts in tropical precipitation have been associated with severe droughts. Although linked to a variety of causes, the origin of these shifts remains elusive. Here, it is shown that they are unlikely to arise from internal variability of the climate system alone, as simulated by coupled ocean–atmosphere climate models. Similar to previous work, the authors find that anthropogenic and volcanic aerosols are the dominant drivers of simulated twentieth-century tropical precipitation shifts. Models that include the cloud-albedo and lifetime aerosol indirect effects yield significantly larger shifts than models that lack aerosol indirect effects and also reproduce most of the southward tropical precipitation shift in the Pacific. However, all models significantly underestimate the magnitude of the observed shifts in the Atlantic sector, unless driven by observed SSTs. Mechanistically, tropical precipitation shifts are driven by interhemispheric sea surface temperature variations, which are associated with hemispherically asymmetric changes in low-latitude surface pressure, winds, and low clouds, as well as the strength, location, and cross-equatorial energy transport of the Hadley cells. Models with a larger hemispheric aerosol radiative forcing gradient yield larger hemispheric temperature contrasts and, in turn, larger meridional precipitation shifts. The authors conclude that aerosols are likely the dominant driver of the observed southward tropical precipitation shift in the Pacific. Aerosols are also significant drivers of the Atlantic shifts, although one cannot rule out a contribution from natural variability to account for the magnitude of the observed shifts.

scholarly journals Cloud-system resolving model simulations of aerosol indirect effects on tropical deep convection and its thermodynamic environment

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (20) ◽  
pp. 10503-10523 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Morrison ◽  
W. W. Grabowski
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Radiative Heating ◽  
Cloud System ◽  
Direct Result ◽  
Radiative Fluxes ◽  
Aerosol Indirect Effects ◽  
Ensemble Approach ◽  
Tropical Deep Convection

Abstract. This paper presents results from 240-member ensemble simulations of aerosol indirect effects on tropical deep convection and its thermodynamic environment. Simulations using a two-dimensional cloud-system resolving model are run with pristine, polluted, or highly polluted aerosol conditions and large-scale forcing from a 6-day period of active monsoon conditions during the 2006 Tropical Warm Pool – International Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE). Domain-mean surface precipitation is insensitive to aerosols primarily because the large-scale forcing is prescribed and dominates the water and static energy budgets. The spread of the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes among different ensemble members for the same aerosol loading is surprisingly large, exceeding 25 W m−2 even when averaged over the 6-day period. This variability is caused by random fluctuations in the strength and timing of individual deep convective events. The ensemble approach demonstrates a small weakening of convection averaged over the 6-day period in the polluted simulations compared to pristine. Despite this weakening, the cloud top heights and anvil ice mixing ratios are higher in polluted conditions. This occurs because of the larger concentrations of cloud droplets that freeze, leading directly to higher ice particle concentrations, smaller ice particle sizes, and smaller fall velocities compared to simulations with pristine aerosols. Weaker convection in polluted conditions is a direct result of the changes in anvil ice characteristics and subsequent upper-tropospheric radiative heating and weaker tropospheric destabilization. Such a conclusion offers a different interpretation of recent satellite observations of tropical deep convection in pristine and polluted environments compared to the hypothesis of aerosol-induced convective invigoration. Sensitivity tests using the ensemble approach with modified microphysical parameters or domain configuration (horizontal gridlength, domain size) produce results that are similar to baseline, although there are quantitative differences in estimates of aerosol impacts on TOA radiative fluxes.

Common summertime total cloud cover and aerosol optical depth weekly variabilities over Europe: Sign of the aerosol indirect effects?

2015 ◽  
Vol 153 ◽  
pp. 59-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.K. Georgoulias ◽  
K.A. Kourtidis ◽  
G. Alexandri ◽  
S. Rapsomanikis ◽  
A. Sanchez-Lorenzo
Keyword(s):  
Aerosol Optical Depth ◽  
Optical Depth ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Total Cloud Cover ◽  
Aerosol Indirect Effects

scholarly journals Exploiting the weekly cycle as observed over Europe to analyse aerosol indirect effects in two climate models

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (21) ◽  
pp. 8493-8501 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Quaas ◽  
O. Boucher ◽  
A. Jones ◽  
G. P. Weedon ◽  
J. Kieser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Effects ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
General Circulation Models ◽  
Cloud Microphysics ◽  
Liquid Water Path ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
Aerosol Indirect Effects ◽  
Weekly Cycle ◽  
Model Control

Abstract. A weekly cycle in aerosol pollution and some meteorological quantities is observed over Europe. In the present study we exploit this effect to analyse aerosol-cloud-radiation interactions. A weekly cycle is imposed on anthropogenic emissions in two general circulation models that include parameterizations of aerosol processes and cloud microphysics. It is found that the simulated weekly cycles in sulfur dioxide, sulfate, and aerosol optical depth in both models agree reasonably well with those observed indicating model skill in simulating the aerosol cycle. A distinct weekly cycle in cloud droplet number concentration is demonstrated in both observations and models. For other variables, such as cloud liquid water path, cloud cover, top-of-the-atmosphere radiation fluxes, precipitation, and surface temperature, large variability and contradictory results between observations, model simulations, and model control simulations without a weekly cycle in emissions prevent us from reaching any firm conclusions about the potential aerosol impact on meteorology or the realism of the modelled second aerosol indirect effects.

scholarly journals A water vapor modulated aerosol impact on ice crystal size

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Zhao ◽  
Kuo-Nan Liou ◽  
Yu Gu ◽  
Jonathan H. Jiang ◽  
Qinbin Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Formation Mechanisms ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Ice Clouds ◽  
Dry Conditions ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The interactions between aerosols and ice clouds represent one of the largest uncertainties in global radiative forcing from pre-industrial time to the present. In particular, the impact of aerosols on ice crystal effective radius (Rei), which is a key parameter determining ice clouds' net radiative effect, is highly uncertain due to limited and conflicting observational evidence. Here we investigate the effects of aerosols on Rei under different meteorological conditions using 9-year satellite observations. We find that the responses of Rei to aerosol loadings are modulated by water vapor amount in conjunction with several other meteorological parameters. While there is a significant negative correlation between Rei and aerosol loading in moist conditions, consistent with the Twomey effect for liquid clouds, a strong positive correlation between the two occurs in dry conditions. Simulations based on a cloud parcel model suggest that water vapor modulates the relative importance of different ice nucleation modes, leading to the opposite aerosol impacts between moist and dry conditions. When ice clouds are decomposed into those generated from deep convection and formed in-situ, the water vapor modulation remains in effect for both ice cloud types, although the sensitivities of Rei to aerosols differ noticeably between them due to distinct formation mechanisms. The water vapor modulation can largely explain the difference in the responses of Rei to aerosol loadings in various seasons. A proper representation of the water vapor modulation is essential for an accurate estimate of aerosol-cloud radiative forcing produced by ice clouds.

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