Publication Abstracts

Cesana et al. 2022

Cesana, G., T. Khadir, H. Chepfer, and M. Chiriaco, 2022: Southern Ocean solar reflection biases in CMIP6 models linked to cloud phase and vertical structure representations. Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, no. 22, e2022GL099777, doi:10.1029/2022GL099777.

Over the Southern Ocean (SO, 40°S-70$degreeS), climate models have consistently underestimating solar reflection. Here we evaluate the relationship between cloud profiles, cloud phase and radiation over the SO in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models against Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations. We find that the lack of solar reflection is slightly improved in CMIP6 models compared to CMIP5's, attributable to a better representation of cloud fraction and phase. We show that clouds have a different vertical structure and radiative effect south and north of where the 0°C isotherm meets the surface (∼55°S). Although the models capture the greater vertical extent of clouds south of 55°S, they fail to reproduce the observed increase in solar reflection, which we pinpoint to cloud phase biases. Increasing CMIP6 supercooled liquid cloud opacity should help reduce their persistent shortwave biases.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{ce06200a,
  author={Cesana, G. and Khadir, T. and Chepfer, H. and Chiriaco, M.},
  title={Southern Ocean solar reflection biases in CMIP6 models linked to cloud phase and vertical structure representations},
  year={2022},
  journal={Geophys. Res. Lett.},
  volume={49},
  number={22},
  pages={e2022GL099777},
  doi={10.1029/2022GL099777},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ce06200a
AU  - Cesana, G.
AU  - Khadir, T.
AU  - Chepfer, H.
AU  - Chiriaco, M.
PY  - 2022
TI  - Southern Ocean solar reflection biases in CMIP6 models linked to cloud phase and vertical structure representations
JA  - Geophys. Res. Lett.
VL  - 49
IS  - 22
SP  - e2022GL099777
DO  - 10.1029/2022GL099777
ER  -

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