Mechanisms of Cloud-Radiation Interaction in the Tropics and Midlatitudes

Abstract

Abstract Radiative forcing and latent heat associated with precipitation are the two most important diabatic processes that drive the circulation of the atmosphere. Clouds can affect radiation and vice versa. It is known that longwave radiative processes can enhance precipitation in cloud systems. This paper concentrates on determining the relative importance of three specific longwave radiative mechanisms by comparing cloud-resolving models with and without one or more of these processes. Three of the ways that longwave radiation is thought to interact with clouds are as follows: 1) cloud-top cooling and cloud-base warming may alter the thermal stratification of cloud layers, 2) differential cooling between clear and cloudy regions might enhance convergence into the cloud system, and 3) large-scale cooling could change the environment. A two-dimensional version of the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model has been used to perform a series of sensitivity tests to identify which is the dominant cloud-radiative fo...