Optically thin cirrus clouds - Radiative impact on the warm pool

The role of the radiative effects of thin cirrus clouds in the energy balance of the 'warm pool' region is examined with reference to data obtained by the Infrared Interferometer Spectrometer (IRIS) flown on the Nimbus 4 satellite in 1970. First, the IRIS observations and a method for deriving the thin cirrus information are briefly discussed. A simple radiative energy balance model is then developed which is applicable to the mesoscale convective systems in the 'warm pool'. The radiative energy balance model, which does not explicitly account for the transports, is used to demonstrate the net radiative heating produced by the thin cirrus clouds.