Cirrus Cloud Macrophysical and Optical Properties over North China from CALIOP Measurements

Two years of mid-latitude cirrus cloud macrophysical and optical properties over North China are described from Earth-orbiting Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization(CALIOP) satellite measurements. Global cloud climatological studies based on active remote sensing data sets benefit from more accurate resolution of vertical structure and more reliable detection of optically thin layers.The mean values for cirrus cases over North China are 0.19±0.18 for infrared emittance,0.41±0.68 for visible optical depth, 0.26±0.12 for integrated depolarization ratio,and 0.72±0.22 for integrated color ratio.When studied using reasonable assumptions for the relationship between extinction and ice crystal backscatter coefficients,our results show that most of the cirrus clouds profiled using the 0.532μm channel data stream correspond with an optical depth of less than 1.0.The dependence of cirrus cloud properties on cirrus cloud mid-cloud temperature and geometry thickness are generally similar to the results derived from the ground-based lidar, which are mainly impacted by the adiabatic process on the ice cloud content.However,the differences in macrophysical parameter variability indicate the limits of spaceborne-lidar and dissimilarities in regional climate variability and the nature and source of cloud nuclei in different geographical regions.

DETECTION OF MULTILAYER CIRRUS CLOUD USING FY-1C DATA

There are ten channels in the FY-1C polar-orbiting meteorological satellite of China.These channels cover visible,near-infrared and infrared spectral bands.Based on simulating analysis of single layer and multilayer clouds that cirrus clouds possibly overlap low water clouds,the case study using FY-1C data is performed.Results show that FY-1C data can be used to analyze multilayer clouds,especially for the ease of low water cloud overlaid by cirrus.

Sensitivity Study of Anthropogenic Aerosol Indirect Forcing through Cirrus Clouds with CAM5 Using Three Ice Nucleation Parameterizations

Quantifying the radiative forcing due to aerosol-cloud interactions especially through cirrus clouds remains chal- lenging because of our limited understanding of aerosol and cloud processes. In this study, we investigate the anthro-pogenic aerosol indirect forcing （AIF） through cirrus clouds using the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 （CAM5） with a state-of-the-art treatment of ice nucleation. We adopt a new approach to isolate anthropogenic AIF through cirrus clouds in which ice nucleation parameterization is driven by prescribed pre-industrial （PI） and present- day （PD） aerosols, respectively. Sensitivities of anthropogenic ice AIF （i.e., anthropogenic AIF through cirrus clouds） to different ice nucleation parameterizations, homogeneous freezing occurrence, and uncertainties in the cloud micro- physics scheme are investigated. Results of sensitivity experiments show that the change （PD minus PI） in global an-nual mean longwave cloud forcing （i.e., longwave anthropogenic ice AIF） ranges from 0.14 to 0.35 W m^-2, the change in global annual mean shortwave cloud forcing （i.e., shortwave anthropogenic ice AIF） from -0.47 to -0.20 W m^-2, and the change in net cloud forcing from -0.12 to 0.05 W m^-2. Our results suggest that different ice nucle-ation parameterizations are an important factor for the large uncertainty of anthropogenic ice AIF. Furthermore, im-proved understanding of the spatial and temporal occurrence characteristics of homogeneous freezing events and the mean states of cirrus cloud properties are also important for constraining anthropogenic ice AIF.

Dust Aerosol Effects on Cirrus and Altocumulus Clouds in Northwest China

Dust aerosol effects on the properties of cirrus and altocumulus cloud in Northwest China were studied for the period March-May 2007 by using the satellite data of Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations （CALIPSO）, Aqua, and CloudSat. Dusty clouds were defined as those mixed with dust aerosols or existing in dust aerosol conditions, while pure clouds were those in a dust-free environment. For dusty altocumulus clouds, the mean values of cloud optical depth （OPD）, cloud liquid water path （LWP）, cloud ice water path （IWP）, cloud effective particle radius （Re）, and cloud effective particle diameter （Dr） were 6.40, 40.23 g m-2, 100.70 g m-2, 8.76 μm, and 40.72 μm, respectively. For pure altocumulus clouds, the corresponding mean values were 9.28, 76.70 g m-2, 128.75 g m-2, 14.03 μm, and 48.92 μm, respectively. These results show a significant decrease of OPD, LWP, IWP, Re, and De of approximately 31%, 48%, 22%, 38%, and 17% because of the effects of dust aerosols. Moreover, the effects of dust aerosols on liquid-phase altocumulus clouds were greater than on ice-phase altocumulus clouds. Regarding dusty cirrus clouds, the mean values of OPD, IWP, and De were 5.11, 137.53 g in 2, and 60.44 μm, respectively. In contrast, the mean values were 6.69, 156.17 g m-2, and 66.63 μm, respectively, for pure cirrus clouds, with a 24% decrease in OPD, a 12% decrease in IWP, and a 9% decrease in De. These results indicate that dust aerosols can significantly change cloud properties, leading to a reduction of OPD, LWP, and effective particle size for both altocumulus and cirrus clouds in Northwest China.