An Investigation of Optically Very Thin Ice Clouds from Ground-Based ARM Raman Lidars

Balmes, Kelly A.; Fu, Qiang

doi:10.3390/atmos9110445

Cited by 12 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…The mean AODs from both AERONET and RL under cloudy conditions at SGP are higher than those under cloud‐free conditions, by 15.4% and 20.0%, respectively, which does not show the role of cloud contamination but suggests that the AOD could be higher when clouds are present. At the TWP site, the percentage differences between cloudy and cloud‐free conditions are smaller for both AERONET (4.8%) and the RL (0.8%) but indicate potential small cloud contamination in the AERONET AOD due to high thin cirrus clouds (Chew et al., 2011; Huang et al., 2011; Smirnov et al., 2000) that occur frequently in the tropics (e.g., Balmes & Fu, 2018; Balmes et al., 2019; Fu et al., 2007; Thorsen & Fu, 2015a).…”

Section: Aerosol Optical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aerosol DREs occur under both clear‐sky and cloudy conditions (Chand et al., 2009; De Graaf et al., 2012; J. M. Haywood & Shine, 1997; Peters et al., 2011; Vuolo et al., 2014). The importance of the latter has been underscored by a continuum transition in aerosol and cloud optical depth going from clear‐sky to cloudy conditions (Balmes & Fu, 2018; Calbó et al., 2017). Furthermore, the impact of clouds on the aerosol DRE caused by absorbing aerosols can switch the cooling to a warming effect over the regions with a low surface albedo (Chand et al., 2009; Keil & Haywood, 2003; Podgorny & Ramanathan, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Aerosol Direct Radiative Effects at the ARM SGP and TWP Sites: Clear Skies

Balmes

2021

JGR Atmospheres

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The clear‐sky aerosol direct radiative effect (DRE) was estimated at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) and Tropical Western Pacific (TWP) sites. The NASA Langley Fu‐Liou radiation model was used with observed inputs including aerosol vertical extinction profile from the Raman lidar; spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD), single‐scattering albedo and asymmetry factor from Aerosol Robotic Network; temperature and water vapor profiles from radiosondes; and surface shortwave (SW) spectral albedo from radiometers. A radiative closure experiment was conducted for clear‐sky conditions. The mean differences of modeled and observed surface downwelling SW total fluxes were 1 W m−2 at SGP and 2 W m−2 at TWP, which are within observational uncertainty. At SGP, the estimated annual mean clear‐sky aerosol DRE is −3.00 W m−2 at the top of atmosphere (TOA) and −6.85 W m−2 at the surface. The strongest aerosol DRE of −4.81 (−10.77) W m−2 at the TOA (surface) are in the summer when AODs are largest. The weakest aerosol DRE of −1.28 (−2.77) W m−2 at the TOA (surface) are in November–January when AODs and single‐scattering albedos are lowest. At TWP, the annual mean clear‐sky DRE is −2.82 W m−2 at the TOA and −10.34 W m−2 at the surface. The strongest aerosol DRE of −5.95 (−22.20) W m−2 at the TOA (surface) are in November (October) due to the biomass burning season’s peak. The weakest aerosol DRE of −0.96 (−4.16) W m−2 at the TOA (surface) are in March (April) when AODs are smallest.

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Section: Aerosol Optical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerosol Direct Radiative Effects at the ARM SGP and TWP Sites: Clear Skies

Balmes

2021

JGR Atmospheres

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“…The ARM Raman lidar (RL; Ferrare et al., 2006; Goldsmith et al., 1998; Newsom, 2009) provides vertical profiles of retrieved aerosol and cloud extinction at 355 nm from the feature detection and extinction (RL‐FEX) retrieval algorithm (Balmes & Fu, 2018; Balmes et al., 2019; Thorsen & Fu, 2015a; Thorsen et al., 2015, 2017; Wu et al., 2021). In this study, a temporal resolution of 10 min and a vertical resolution of 30 m are considered from August 1, 2008 to August 31, 2016 at the SGP site in Lamont, Oklahoma (36.

normal61 °

N, 97.

normal49 °

W).…”

Section: Data and Radiation Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As in Wu et al. (2021), the ground‐based Raman lidars (RL; Ferrare et al., 2006; Goldsmith et al., 1998; Newsom, 2009) are utilized for aerosol vertical detection and extinction profile (Balmes & Fu, 2018; Balmes et al., 2019; Thorsen & Fu, 2015a, 2015b; Thorsen et al., 2015, 2017) while the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Cimel sun photometers provide AOD, single‐scattering albedo, and asymmetry factor at several wavelengths (Giles et al., 2019; Holben et al., 1998). To estimate the aerosol DRE under cloudy‐skies, the RL cloud vertical detection and extinction profiles are utilized.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

All‐Sky Aerosol Direct Radiative Effects at the ARM SGP Site

Balmes

2021

JGR Atmospheres

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All‐sky aerosol direct radiative effect (DRE) was estimated for the first time at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains site using multiyear ground‐based observations. The NASA Langley Fu‐Liou radiation model was employed. Observed inputs for the radiation model include aerosol and cloud vertical extinction profile from Raman lidar; spectral aerosol optical depth, single‐scattering albedo, and asymmetry factor from Aerosol Robotic Network; cloud water content profiles from radars; temperature and water vapor profiles from radiosondes; and surface shortwave spectral albedo from radiometers. A cloudy‐sky radiative closure experiment was performed. The relative mean differences between modeled and observed surface downwelling shortwave total fluxes were 6% (7%) for transparent (opaque) cloudy‐skies. The estimated annual mean all‐sky aerosol DRE is −2.13±0.54 W m−2 at the top of atmosphere (TOA) and −5.95±0.87 W m−2 at the surface, compared to −3.00±0.58 W m−2 and −6.85±1.00 W m−2, respectively, under clear‐sky conditions. The seasonal cycle of all‐sky aerosol DRE is similar to that of the clear‐sky, except with secondary influences of the clouds: The cloud radiative effect is strongest (most negative) in the spring, which reduces the all‐sky aerosol DRE. The relative uncertainties in all‐sky aerosol DRE due to measurement errors are generally comparable to those in clear‐sky conditions except for the aerosol single‐scattering albedo. The TOA all‐sky aerosol DRE relative uncertainty due to aerosol single‐scattering albedo uncertainty is larger than that in clear‐sky, leading to a larger total relative uncertainty. The measurement errors in cloud properties have small effects on the all‐sky aerosol DRE.

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“…Central to the detection problem is the design of a mathematical algorithm that facilitates separation of tenuous layers from background. While aerosols and cirrus clouds are generally well detected in the CAL-IOP data (Kim et al, 2014;Tian et al, 2017;Yorks et al, 2011), tenuous-cloud layers, especially cirrus with optical depths less than 0.01, are often missed (Balmes & Fu, 2018). Vaillant de Guélis et al (2021) introduce a new approach to remedy this situation: detection of tenuous cloud layers can be facilitated by utilizing the multispectral properties of the CALIPSO sensor, which includes a 1,064 nm channel and two 532 nm channels of different polarization.…”

Section: Atmospheric Lidar Sensors and The Problem Of Detection Of Tenuous Layersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection and Height Measurement of Tenuous Clouds and Blowing Snow in ICESat‐2 ATLAS Data

Herzfeld

Hayes

Palm

et al. 2021

Geophysical Research Letters

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Introduction The Importance of Tenuous Clouds and Blowing Snow in Climate ModelingTenuous atmospheric layers play an essential role in energy fluxes in the atmosphere. The reduction in heat from the sun felt when a thin cirrus layer moves in (a thin high cloud) is directly noticeable, if you are outside on a sunny day. The definite cooling effect is obvious, while it is sunny with or without the thin cloud layer. Yet observation and measurement of the thin cloud layer in satellite remote sensing is difficult, be it that a given satellite sensor does not have the sensitivity to discriminate thin clouds from background or that the detection algorithm cannot pick up a tenuous cloud. Other examples of tenuous atmospheric layers include aerosols from pollution or distant volcanic eruptions and blowing snow.

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An Investigation of Optically Very Thin Ice Clouds from Ground-Based ARM Raman Lidars

Cited by 12 publications

References 50 publications

Aerosol Direct Radiative Effects at the ARM SGP and TWP Sites: Clear Skies

Aerosol Direct Radiative Effects at the ARM SGP and TWP Sites: Clear Skies

All‐Sky Aerosol Direct Radiative Effects at the ARM SGP Site

Detection and Height Measurement of Tenuous Clouds and Blowing Snow in ICESat‐2 ATLAS Data

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