Cloud-generated radiative heating and its generation of available potential energyThe generation of zonal available potential energy (APE) by cloud radiative heating is discussed. The APE concept was mathematically formulated by Lorenz (1955) as a measure of the maximum amount of total potential energy that is available for conversion by adiabatic processes to kinetic energy. The rate of change of APE is the rate of the generation of APE minus the rate of conversion between potential and kinetic energy. By radiative transfer calculations, a mean cloud-generated radiative heating for a well defined set of cloud classes is derived as a function of cloud optical thickness. The formulation is suitable for using a general cloud parameter data set and has the advantage of taking into account nonlinearities between the microphysical and macrophysical cloud properties and the related radiation field.
Document ID
19900032277
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Stuhlmann, R. (Koeln, Universitaet Cologne, Federal Republic of Germany, United States)
Smith, G. L. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1989
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Meeting Information
Meeting: Symposium on the Role of Clouds in Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Climate