Publication Abstracts

Tan et al. 2024

Tan, I., M.D. Zelinka, Q. Coopman, B.H. Kahn, L. Oreopoulos, G. Tselioudis, D.T. McCoy, and N. Li, 2024: Contributions from cloud morphological changes to the interannual shortwave cloud feedback based on MODIS and ISCCP satellite observations. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 129, no. 8, e2023JD040540, doi:10.1029/2023JD040540.

The surface temperature-mediated change in cloud properties, referred to as the cloud feedback, continues to dominate the uncertainty in climate projections. A larger number of contemporary global climate models (GCMs) project a higher degree of warming than the previous generation of GCMs. This greater projected warming has been attributed to a less negative cloud feedback in the Southern Ocean. Here, we apply a novel "double decomposition method" that employs the "cloud radiative kernel" and "cloud regime" concepts, to two datasets of satellite observations to decompose the interannual cloud feedback into contributions arising from changes within and shifts between cloud morphologies. Our results show that contributions from the latter to the cloud feedback is large for certain regimes. We then focus on interpreting how both changes within and between cloud morphologies impact the shortwave cloud optical depth feedback over the Southern Ocean in light of additional observations. Results from the across-regime analysis reveal that a general shift from thick storm-track clouds to thinner oceanic low-level clouds contributes to a positive feedback over the Southern Ocean that is offset by shifts from thinner broken clouds to thicker mid- and low-level clouds. Results from the within regime analysis reveal that the wind response to warming increases low- and mid-level cloud optical thickness in the same region. Our novel analysis can be applied to evaluate GCMs and potentially diagnose shortcomings pertaining to their physical parameterizations of particular cloud morphologies.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{ta05200z,
  author={Tan, I. and Zelinka, M. D. and Coopman, Q. and Kahn, B. H. and Oreopoulos, L. and Tselioudis, G. and McCoy, D. T. and Li, N.},
  title={Contributions from cloud morphological changes to the interannual shortwave cloud feedback based on MODIS and ISCCP satellite observations},
  year={2024},
  journal={Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres},
  volume={129},
  number={8},
  pages={e2023JD040540},
  doi={10.1029/2023JD040540},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ta05200z
AU  - Tan, I.
AU  - Zelinka, M. D.
AU  - Coopman, Q.
AU  - Kahn, B. H.
AU  - Oreopoulos, L.
AU  - Tselioudis, G.
AU  - McCoy, D. T.
AU  - Li, N.
PY  - 2024
TI  - Contributions from cloud morphological changes to the interannual shortwave cloud feedback based on MODIS and ISCCP satellite observations
JA  - J. Geophys. Res. Atmos.
JO  - Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
VL  - 129
IS  - 8
SP  - e2023JD040540
DO  - 10.1029/2023JD040540
ER  -

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