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https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2193
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2193
30 Jul 2024
 | 30 Jul 2024

Estimation of the radiation budget during MOSAiC based on ground-based and satellite remote sensing observations

Carola Barrientos-Velasco, Christopher J. Cox, Hartwig Deneke, J. Brant Dodson, Anja Hünerbein, Matthew D. Shupe, Patrick C. Taylor, and Andreas Macke

Abstract. An accurate representation of the radiation budget is essential for investigating the radiative effect that clouds have on the climate system, especially in the Arctic, an environment highly sensitive to complex and rapid environmental changes. In this study, we analyse a unique dataset of observations from the central Arctic made during the MOSAiC (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate) expedition in conjunction with state-of-the-art satellite products from CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System) to investigate the radiative effect of clouds and radiative closure at the surface and the top of the atmosphere (TOA). We perform a series of radiative transfer simulations using derived cloud macro- and microphysical properties as inputs to the simulations for the entire MOSAiC period, comparing our results to collocated satellite products and ice-floe observations. The radiative closure biases were generally within the instrumental uncertainty, indicating that the simulations are sufficiently accurate to realistically reproduce the radiation budget during MOSAiC. Comparisons of the simulated radiation budget relative to CERES show similar values in the terrestrial flux but relatively large differences in the solar flux, which is attributed to a lower surface albedo and a possible underestimation of atmospheric opacity by CERES. While the simulation results were consistent with the observations, more detailed analyses reveal an overestimation of simulated cloud opacity for cases involving geometrically thick ice clouds. In the annual mean, we found that the presence of clouds leads to a loss of 5.2 W m-2, of the atmospheric-surface system to space, while the surface gains 25 W m-2, and the atmosphere is cooled by clouds by 30.2 W m-2, during the MOSAiC expedition.

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Carola Barrientos-Velasco, Christopher J. Cox, Hartwig Deneke, J. Brant Dodson, Anja Hünerbein, Matthew D. Shupe, Patrick C. Taylor, and Andreas Macke

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Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2193', Aku Riihelä, 22 Aug 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2193', Anonymous Referee #2, 26 Aug 2024
Carola Barrientos-Velasco, Christopher J. Cox, Hartwig Deneke, J. Brant Dodson, Anja Hünerbein, Matthew D. Shupe, Patrick C. Taylor, and Andreas Macke
Carola Barrientos-Velasco, Christopher J. Cox, Hartwig Deneke, J. Brant Dodson, Anja Hünerbein, Matthew D. Shupe, Patrick C. Taylor, and Andreas Macke

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Short summary
Understanding how clouds affect the climate, especially in the Arctic, is crucial. This study used data from the largest polar expedition in history, MOSAiC, and the CERES satellite to analyse the impact of clouds on radiation. Simulations showed accurate results, aligning with observations. Over the year, clouds caused the atmospheric-surface system to lose 5.2 W/m² of radiative energy to space, while the surface gained 25 W/m², and the atmosphere cooled by 30.2 W/m².