NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Cloud optical thickness feedbacks in the CO2 climate problemA radiative-convective equilibrium model is developed and applied to study cloud optical thickness feedbacks in the CO2 climate problem. The basic hypothesis is that in the warmer and moister CO2-rich atmosphere, cloud liquid water content will generally be larger than at present, so that cloud optical thickness will be larger too. For clouds other than thin cirrus, the result is to increase the albedo more than to increase the greenhouse effect. Thus the sign of the feedback is negative: cloud optical properties alter in such a way as to reduce the surface and tropospheric warming caused by the addition of CO2. This negative feedback can be substantial. When observational estimates of the temperature dependence of cloud liquid water content are employed in the model, the surface temperature change due to doubling CO2 is reduced by about one half.
Document ID
19860025692
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Somerville, R. C. J.
(California, University Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1985
Publication Information
Publication: Advances in Space Research
Volume: 5
Issue: 6 19
ISSN: 0273-1177
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
86A10430
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NOAA-NA-81AAD00054
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-236
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available