Aerosol-driven droplet concentrations dominate coverage and water of oceanic low-level clouds
Hebrew University of Jerusalem · Nanjing University · +8 more institutions
Abstract
A lack of reliable estimates of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) aerosols over oceans has severely limited our ability to quantify their effects on cloud properties and extent of cooling by reflecting solar radiation-a key uncertainty in anthropogenic climate forcing. We introduce a methodology for ascribing cloud properties to CCN and isolating the aerosol effects from meteorological effects. Its application showed that for a given meteorology, CCN explains three-fourths of the variability in the radiative cooling effect of clouds, mainly through affecting shallow cloud cover and water path. This reveals a much greater sensitivity of cloud radiative forcing to CCN than previously reported, which means too much…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 37.72
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 50
Authors
6- DRDaniel RosenfeldCorresponding
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Nanjing University
- YZYannian ZhuCorresponding
Shaanxi Provincial Meteorological Bureau
- MWMinghuai WangCorresponding
Joint Global Change Research Institute, Nanjing University
- YZYoutong Zheng
Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park
- TGTom Goren
Leipzig University
Topics & keywords
- Cloud condensation nuclei
- Aerosol
- Radiative forcing
- Environmental science
- Atmospheric sciences
- Forcing (mathematics)
- Cloud cover
- Liquid water path
- Life below water