Role of vertical structure of cloud microphysical properties on cloud radiative forcing over the Asian monsoon region

Abstract

Five years (2006–2010) of clouds and earth’s radiant energy system (CERES) and CloudSat data have been analyzed to examine the role of vertical structure of cloud microphysical properties on cloud radiative forcing (CRF) parameters at the top-of-the atmosphere over the Asian monsoon region during the summer monsoon season (June–September) and the Pacific warm pool region during April. Vertical profile of cloud properties (optical depth, cloud liquid water content and cloud ice water content) derived from CloudSat data has been used for the present analysis. Shortwave, longwave and net CRF derived from the CERES data have been used. The results suggest an imbalance between shortwave cloud radiative forcing and longwave cloud radiative forcing over the Asian monsoon region consistent with the results reported earlier. The present analysis suggests that over the Bay-of-Bengal (BoB), vertical profile of cloud microphysical properties determine more than 50 % of variance in CRF. However, over the Pacific warm pool region, cloud microphysical property profiles does not contribute significantly to variance in net CRF (<10 %). Over the BoB, large asymmetry between shortwave and longwave CRF is caused by large amounts of cloud liquid water content in the layer between the surface and 9 km. The present study highlights the importance of accurate representation of cloud microphysical properties in determining the influence of clouds on the radiative balance over the top-of-the atmosphere.