Author : Gerard Donald Wittman
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 71 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (227 download)
Book Synopsis Parameterization of the Solar and Infrared Radiative Properties of Clouds by : Gerard Donald Wittman
Download or read book Parameterization of the Solar and Infrared Radiative Properties of Clouds written by Gerard Donald Wittman and published by . This book was released on 1978 with total page 71 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reflection, transmission and absorption of solar radiation by 4 cloud types (low, middle, high and stratus clouds) are computed as functions of the solar zenith angle and cloud liquid water/ice content; and reflection, transmission and emission of infrared radiation by cirrus clouds are calculated as functions of cloud ice content. The plane-parallel radiative transfer program employed is based on the discrete-ordinate method with applications to inhomogeneous atmospheres covering the entire solar and infrared spectrums and taking into account the gaseous absorption in scattering atmospheres. Effects of surface reflectivity on the solar radiative properties of clouds are parameterized in terms of the water vapor absorptivity below the cloud, ground reflection and average cloud reflection. The parameterized empirical-theoretical functions for the solar and infrared radiative properties of clouds are used in a global radiation budget model. The resulting radiation balance of the earth-atmosphere system matched satellite observations of planetary albedo, absorption of solar radiation, and upwelling infrared radiation more closely than did earlier computed models. The planetary albedo was calculated to be 0.31.