Since snow cover is one of the fastest modifications to the land surface albedo, the treatment of snow-covered surface albedo is important for the simulation of land processes in weather and climate models. A simple f...Since snow cover is one of the fastest modifications to the land surface albedo, the treatment of snow-covered surface albedo is important for the simulation of land processes in weather and climate models. A simple formulation is developed here to represent the solar zenith angle (SZA) dependence of albedo under maximum snow cover condition on the basis of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) algorithm. The SZA dependence of black-sky (or direct) albedo is weaker under snow condition than that under snow-free condition, and it does not differ much among different vegetation types. The blue-sky albedo (or combined albedo from direct and diffuse radiations) based on the above formulation and in situ diffuse ratio of solar radiation is consistent with in situ data from two Canadian sites (grassland and evergreen needleleaf forest) and one U.S. grassland site. In particular, the SZA dependence of bluesky snow albedo is almost always weak because of high diffuse ratios for high SZA in winter. With the snow albedo formulation from this study and snow-free albedo formulations from the authors' previous studies, albedos with partial snow cover can be obtained as the snow frac- tion-weighted average of snow and snow-free albedos.展开更多
In this study the authors apply the chemistry version of the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF-Chem) to examine the impacts of black carbon (BC)-induced changes in snow albedo on simulated temperature an...In this study the authors apply the chemistry version of the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF-Chem) to examine the impacts of black carbon (BC)-induced changes in snow albedo on simulated temperature and precipitation during the severe snowstorm that occurred in southern China during 0800 26 January to 0800 29 January 2008 (Note that all times are local time except when otherwise stated). Black carbon aerosol was simulated online within the WRF-Chem. The model resuits showed that surface-albedo, averaged over 27-28 January, can be reduced by up to 10% by the deposition of BC. As a result, relative to a simulation that does not consider deposition of BC on snow/ice, the authors predicted surface air temperatures during 27-28 January can differ by -1.95 to 2.70 K, and the authors predicted accumulated precipitation over 27-28 January can differ by -2.91 to 3.10 mm over Areas A and B with large BC deposition. Different signs of changes are determined by the feedback of clouds and by the availability of water vapor in the atmosphere.展开更多
基金supported by NOAA (NA07NES4400002)NASA (NNG06GA24G)
文摘Since snow cover is one of the fastest modifications to the land surface albedo, the treatment of snow-covered surface albedo is important for the simulation of land processes in weather and climate models. A simple formulation is developed here to represent the solar zenith angle (SZA) dependence of albedo under maximum snow cover condition on the basis of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) algorithm. The SZA dependence of black-sky (or direct) albedo is weaker under snow condition than that under snow-free condition, and it does not differ much among different vegetation types. The blue-sky albedo (or combined albedo from direct and diffuse radiations) based on the above formulation and in situ diffuse ratio of solar radiation is consistent with in situ data from two Canadian sites (grassland and evergreen needleleaf forest) and one U.S. grassland site. In particular, the SZA dependence of bluesky snow albedo is almost always weak because of high diffuse ratios for high SZA in winter. With the snow albedo formulation from this study and snow-free albedo formulations from the authors' previous studies, albedos with partial snow cover can be obtained as the snow frac- tion-weighted average of snow and snow-free albedos.
基金supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant KZCX2-YW-205)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.40825016,90711004,and 40775083)
文摘In this study the authors apply the chemistry version of the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF-Chem) to examine the impacts of black carbon (BC)-induced changes in snow albedo on simulated temperature and precipitation during the severe snowstorm that occurred in southern China during 0800 26 January to 0800 29 January 2008 (Note that all times are local time except when otherwise stated). Black carbon aerosol was simulated online within the WRF-Chem. The model resuits showed that surface-albedo, averaged over 27-28 January, can be reduced by up to 10% by the deposition of BC. As a result, relative to a simulation that does not consider deposition of BC on snow/ice, the authors predicted surface air temperatures during 27-28 January can differ by -1.95 to 2.70 K, and the authors predicted accumulated precipitation over 27-28 January can differ by -2.91 to 3.10 mm over Areas A and B with large BC deposition. Different signs of changes are determined by the feedback of clouds and by the availability of water vapor in the atmosphere.