Publication Abstracts

Wang et al. 2000

Wang, J., W.B. Rossow, and Y.-C. Zhang, 2000: Cloud vertical structure and its variations from a 20-year global rawinsonde dataset. J. Climate, 13, 3041-3056, doi:10.1175/1520-0442(2000)013<3041:CVSAIV>2.0.CO;2.

A global cloud vertical structure (CVS) climatic dataset is created by applying an analysis method to a 20-year collection of twice-daily rawinsonde humidity profiles to estimate the height of cloud layers. The CVS dataset gives the vertical distribution of cloud layers for single and multi-layered clouds, as well as the top and base heights and layer thicknesses of each layer, together with the original rawinsonde profiles of temperature, humidity and winds. The global, annual mean values obtained are: cloud top height = 4.0 km above mean sea level (MSL), cloud base height = 2.4 km MSL, cloud layer thickness = 1.6 km, and separation distance between consecutive layers = 2.2 km. Multilayered clouds occur 42% of the time and are predominately two-layered. The lowest layer of multi-layered cloud systems is usually located in the atmospheric boundary layer (below 2 km height MSL). Clouds over the ocean occur more frequently at lower levels and are more often formed in multiple layers than over land. Latitudinal variations of CVS also show maxima and minima that correspond to the locations of the intertropical convergence zone, the summer monsoons, the subtropical subsidence zones, and the midlatitude storm zones. Multilayered clouds exist most frequently in the tropics and least frequently in the subtropics; there are more multi-layered clouds in summer than in winter. Cloud layers are thicker in winter than in summer at middle and high latitudes, but thinner in winter in the Southeast Asia.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{wa06000k,
  author={Wang, J. and Rossow, W. B. and Zhang, Y.-C.},
  title={Cloud vertical structure and its variations from a 20-year global rawinsonde dataset},
  year={2000},
  journal={Journal of Climate},
  volume={13},
  pages={3041--3056},
  doi={10.1175/1520-0442(2000)013%3C3041%3ACVSAIV%3E2.0.CO;2},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - wa06000k
AU  - Wang, J.
AU  - Rossow, W. B.
AU  - Zhang, Y.-C.
PY  - 2000
TI  - Cloud vertical structure and its variations from a 20-year global rawinsonde dataset
JA  - J. Climate
JO  - Journal of Climate
VL  - 13
SP  - 3041
EP  - 3056
DO  - 10.1175/1520-0442(2000)013%3C3041%3ACVSAIV%3E2.0.CO;2
ER  -

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