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Infrared radiative properties of tropical cirrus clouds inferred with aircraft measurementsLongwave emissivities and the vertical profile of cooling rates of tropical cirrus clouds are determined using broadband hemispheric irradiance data. Additionally, a broadband mass absorption coefficient is defined and used to relate emissivity to water content. The data used were collected by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Sabreliner during the GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE) in the summer of 1974. Three case studies are analyzed showing that these tropical cirrus clouds approached an emissivity of 1.0 within a vertical distance of 1.0 km. Broadband mass absorption coefficients ranging from 0.076 to 0.096 sq m per g are derived. A comparison of these results with other work suggests that tropical cirrus cloud emissivities may be significantly larger than heretofore believed. Ice water content of the clouds were deduced from data collected by a one-dimensional particle spectrometer. Analyses of the ice water content and the observed particle size distributions are presented.
Document ID
19800054907
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Griffith, K. T.
(National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, Colo., United States)
Cox, S. K.
(Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colo., United States)
Knollenberg, R. G.
(Particle Measuring Systems Boulder, Colo., United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 1980
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
Volume: 37
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
80A39077
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-5357
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-78-05743
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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