Predicting decadal trends in cloud droplet number concentration using reanalysis and satellite data
Cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) is the key state variable that moderates the relationship between aerosol and the radiative forcing arising from aerosol–cloud interactions. Uncertainty related to the effect of anthropogenic aerosol on cloud properties represents the largest uncertainty...
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doaj-c7bc586392eb43589ff68a85112fc0a42020-11-25T01:05:26ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242018-02-01182035204710.5194/acp-18-2035-2018Predicting decadal trends in cloud droplet number concentration using reanalysis and satellite dataD. T. McCoy0F. A.-M. Bender1D. P. Grosvenor2D. P. Grosvenor3J. K. Mohrmann4D. L. Hartmann5R. Wood6P. R. Field7P. R. Field8School of Earth and Environment, Institute of Climate and Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UKDepartment of Meteorology and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, SwedenSchool of Earth and Environment, Institute of Climate and Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UKNational Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UKDepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, USADepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, USADepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, USASchool of Earth and Environment, Institute of Climate and Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UKMetOffice, Exeter, EX1 3PB, UKCloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) is the key state variable that moderates the relationship between aerosol and the radiative forcing arising from aerosol–cloud interactions. Uncertainty related to the effect of anthropogenic aerosol on cloud properties represents the largest uncertainty in total anthropogenic radiative forcing. Here we show that regionally averaged time series of the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observed CDNC of low, liquid-topped clouds is well predicted by the MERRA2 reanalysis near-surface sulfate mass concentration over decadal timescales. A multiple linear regression between MERRA2 reanalyses masses of sulfate (SO<sub>4</sub>), black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC), sea salt (SS), and dust (DU) shows that CDNC across many different regimes can be reproduced by a simple power-law fit to near-surface SO<sub>4</sub>, with smaller contributions from BC, OC, SS, and DU. This confirms previous work using a less sophisticated retrieval of CDNC on monthly timescales. The analysis is supported by an examination of remotely sensed sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>) over maritime volcanoes and the east coasts of North America and Asia, revealing that maritime CDNC responds to changes in SO<sub>2</sub> as observed by the ozone monitoring instrument (OMI). This investigation of aerosol reanalysis and top-down remote-sensing observations reveals that emission controls in Asia and North America have decreased CDNC in their maritime outflow on a decadal timescale.https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/2035/2018/acp-18-2035-2018.pdf |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
D. T. McCoy F. A.-M. Bender D. P. Grosvenor D. P. Grosvenor J. K. Mohrmann D. L. Hartmann R. Wood P. R. Field P. R. Field |
spellingShingle |
D. T. McCoy F. A.-M. Bender D. P. Grosvenor D. P. Grosvenor J. K. Mohrmann D. L. Hartmann R. Wood P. R. Field P. R. Field Predicting decadal trends in cloud droplet number concentration using reanalysis and satellite data Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
author_facet |
D. T. McCoy F. A.-M. Bender D. P. Grosvenor D. P. Grosvenor J. K. Mohrmann D. L. Hartmann R. Wood P. R. Field P. R. Field |
author_sort |
D. T. McCoy |
title |
Predicting decadal trends in cloud droplet number concentration using reanalysis and satellite data |
title_short |
Predicting decadal trends in cloud droplet number concentration using reanalysis and satellite data |
title_full |
Predicting decadal trends in cloud droplet number concentration using reanalysis and satellite data |
title_fullStr |
Predicting decadal trends in cloud droplet number concentration using reanalysis and satellite data |
title_full_unstemmed |
Predicting decadal trends in cloud droplet number concentration using reanalysis and satellite data |
title_sort |
predicting decadal trends in cloud droplet number concentration using reanalysis and satellite data |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
series |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
issn |
1680-7316 1680-7324 |
publishDate |
2018-02-01 |
description |
Cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) is the key state
variable that moderates the relationship between aerosol and the radiative
forcing arising from aerosol–cloud interactions. Uncertainty related to the
effect of anthropogenic aerosol on cloud properties represents the largest
uncertainty in total anthropogenic radiative forcing. Here we show that
regionally averaged time series of the Moderate-Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observed CDNC of low, liquid-topped clouds is
well predicted by the MERRA2 reanalysis near-surface sulfate mass concentration
over decadal timescales. A multiple linear regression between MERRA2
reanalyses masses of sulfate (SO<sub>4</sub>), black carbon (BC), organic carbon
(OC), sea salt (SS), and dust (DU) shows that CDNC across many different
regimes can be reproduced by a simple power-law fit to near-surface
SO<sub>4</sub>, with smaller contributions from BC, OC, SS, and DU. This confirms
previous work using a less sophisticated retrieval of CDNC on monthly timescales. The analysis is supported by an examination of remotely sensed sulfur
dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>) over maritime volcanoes and the east coasts of North
America and Asia, revealing that maritime CDNC responds to changes in
SO<sub>2</sub> as observed by the ozone monitoring instrument (OMI). This
investigation of aerosol reanalysis and top-down remote-sensing observations
reveals that emission controls in Asia and North America have decreased CDNC
in their maritime outflow on a decadal timescale. |
url |
https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/2035/2018/acp-18-2035-2018.pdf |
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