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A GCM parameterization for the shortwave radiative properties of water cloudsA new parameterization was developed for predicting the shortwave radiative properties of water clouds, suitable for inclusion in general circulation models (GCMs). The parameterization makes use of the simple relationships found by Slingo and Schrecker, giving the three input parameters required to calculate the cloud radiative properties (the optical depth, single scatter albedo and asymmetry parameter) in terms of the liquid water path and equivalent radius of the drop size distribution. The input parameters are then used to derive the cloud radiative properties, using standard two-stream equations for a single layer. The relationships were originally derived for fairly narrow spectral bands but it was found that it is possible to average the coefficients so as to use a much smaller number of bands, without sacrificing accuracy in calculating the cloud radiative properties. This makes the parameterization fast enough to be included in GCMs. The parameterization was programmed into the radiation scheme used in the U.K. Meteorological Office GCM. This scheme and the 24 band Slingo/Schrecker scheme were compared with each other and with observations, using a variety of published datasets. There is good agreement between the two schemes for both cloud albedo and absorption, even when only four spectral bands are employed in the GCM.
Document ID
19910001181
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Slingo, A.
(National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, CO, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
July 1, 1990
Publication Information
Publication: NASA, Langley Research Center, FIRE Science Results 1988
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
91N10494
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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