Abstract
The effect of cloud cover on incoming longwave radiation reaching the ground surface is investigated using an analytic procedure. Results show that the contribution of a cloud deck depends not only on cloud type, but also on cloudless emissivity. The widely accepted notion that the enhancement factor for a cloud deck depends only on the cloud type is misleading and could lead to inconsistent results. Results in this paper explain the difference between observed and empirically derived incoming longwave radiation during overcast conditions in cold and mountainous regions. The effect of cloudless emissivity should be taken into account to represent adequately the contribution of cloud cover on incoming longwave radiation. The enhancement factor of all cloud types spans a wide range; it reaches its maximum values during dry atmospheric conditions and diminishes, almost linearly, as atmospheric humidity increases. The difference in the enhancement factor could reach as much as 100%. [Key words: longwave radiation enhancement, cloud contribution, clear-sky emissivity, atmospheric radiation, cloud emissivity.]
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