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Publication Abstracts

Pincus et al. 2015

Pincus, R., E.J. Mlawer, L. Oreopoulos, A.S. Ackerman, S. Caek, M. Brath, S.A. Buehler, K.E. Cady-Pereira, J.N.S. Cole, J.-L. Dufresne, M. Kelley, J. Li, J. Manners, D.J. Paynter, R. Roehrig, M. Sekiguchi, and M.D. Schwarzkopf, 2015: Radiative flux and forcing parameterization error in clear, clean skies. Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, no. 13, 5485-5492, doi:10.1002/2015GL064291.

This article reports on the accuracy in aerosol- and cloud-free conditions of the radiation parameterizations used in climate models. Accuracy is assessed relative to observationally validated reference models for fluxes under present-day conditions and forcing (flux changes) from quadrupled concentrations of carbon dioxide. Agreement among reference models is typically within 1 W/m2, while parameterized calculations are roughly half as accurate in the longwave and even less accurate, and more variable, in the shortwave. Absorption of shortwave radiation is underestimated by most parameterizations in the present day and has relatively large errors in forcing. Error in present-day conditions is essentially unrelated to error in forcing calculations. Recent revisions to parameterizations have reduced error in most cases. A dependence on atmospheric conditions, including integrated water vapor, means that global estimates of parameterization error relevant for the radiative forcing of climate change will require much more ambitious calculations.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{pi08000i,
  author={Pincus, R. and Mlawer, E. J. and Oreopoulos, L. and Ackerman, A. S. and Caek, S. and Brath, M. and Buehler, S. A. and Cady-Pereira, K. E. and Cole, J. N. S. and Dufresne, J.-L. and Kelley, M. and Li, J. and Manners, J. and Paynter, D. J. and Roehrig, R. and Sekiguchi, M. and Schwarzkopf, M. D.},
  title={Radiative flux and forcing parameterization error in clear, clean skies},
  year={2015},
  journal={Geophysical Research Letters},
  volume={42},
  number={13},
  pages={5485--5492},
  doi={10.1002/2015GL064291},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - pi08000i
AU  - Pincus, R.
AU  - Mlawer, E. J.
AU  - Oreopoulos, L.
AU  - Ackerman, A. S.
AU  - Caek, S.
AU  - Brath, M.
AU  - Buehler, S. A.
AU  - Cady-Pereira, K. E.
AU  - Cole, J. N. S.
AU  - Dufresne, J.-L.
AU  - Kelley, M.
AU  - Li, J.
AU  - Manners, J.
AU  - Paynter, D. J.
AU  - Roehrig, R.
AU  - Sekiguchi, M.
AU  - Schwarzkopf, M. D.
PY  - 2015
TI  - Radiative flux and forcing parameterization error in clear, clean skies
JA  - Geophys. Res. Lett.
JO  - Geophysical Research Letters
VL  - 42
IS  - 13
SP  - 5485
EP  - 5492
DO  - 10.1002/2015GL064291
ER  -

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