Publication Abstracts

Cesana et al. 2012

Cesana, G., J.E. Kay, H. Chepfer, J.M. English, and G. de Boer, 2012: Ubiquitous low-level liquid-containing Arctic clouds: New observations and climate model constraints from CALIPSO-GOCCP. Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, no. 20, L20804, doi:10.1029/2012GL053385.

Ground-based observations show that persistent liquid-containing Arctic clouds occur frequently and have a dominant influence on Arctic surface radiative fluxes. Yet, without a hemispheric multi-year perspective, the climate relevance of these intriguing Arctic cloud observations was previously unknown. In this study, Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) observations are used to document cloud phase over the Arctic basin (60-82°N) during a five-year period (2006-2011). Over Arctic ocean-covered areas, low-level liquid-containing clouds are prevalent in all seasons, especially in Fall. These new CALIPSO observations provide a unique and climate-relevant constraint on Arctic cloud processes. Evaluation of one climate model using a lidar simulator suggests a lack of liquid-containing Arctic clouds contributes to a lack of "radiatively opaque?" states. The surface radiation biases found in this one model are found in multiple models, highlighting the need for improved modeling of Arctic cloud phase.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{ce03200x,
  author={Cesana, G. and Kay, J. E. and Chepfer, H. and English, J. M. and de Boer, G.},
  title={Ubiquitous low-level liquid-containing Arctic clouds: New observations and climate model constraints from CALIPSO-GOCCP},
  year={2012},
  journal={Geophys. Res. Lett.},
  volume={39},
  number={20},
  pages={L20804},
  doi={10.1029/2012GL053385},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ce03200x
AU  - Cesana, G.
AU  - Kay, J. E.
AU  - Chepfer, H.
AU  - English, J. M.
AU  - de Boer, G.
PY  - 2012
TI  - Ubiquitous low-level liquid-containing Arctic clouds: New observations and climate model constraints from CALIPSO-GOCCP
JA  - Geophys. Res. Lett.
VL  - 39
IS  - 20
SP  - L20804
DO  - 10.1029/2012GL053385
ER  -

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