| _version_ | 1866901137819435008 |
|---|---|
| author | Du, Shuangchen Su, Hui |
| author_facet | Du, Shuangchen Su, Hui |
| contents | <div> <div> <div> <p>Marine low clouds are effective at cooling the Earth's surface by reflecting solar radiation. Existing research suggests that the uncertainty surrounding low cloud feedback in subtropical and extratropical regions is crucial to understanding the model spread in Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity (ECS). Previous studies showed that the seasonal variations of marine low clouds in relation to surface temperature are indicative of long-term low cloud feedback. However, controversies exist for the inference of ECS based on observed seasonal cycle of low clouds, as the exact definitions of low clouds are inconsistent across different studies. In this study, we classify marine low clouds into various types and examine their sensitivity to various cloud-controlling factors (CCFs) across seasonal, interannual timescales in models and observations. First, we separate low clouds into three regimes based on cloud top height: 1) the lower boundary layer cloud with cloud top capped at 850 hPa (LBC), 2) the upper boundary layer cloud with cloud top between 850 and 700 hPa (UBC), and 3) the multi- layer cloud with cloud top above 700 hPa (MLC). This cloud classification framework provides a robust resolution to previously contentious debates regarding subtropical low-cloud seasonality. Furthermore, it provides a unified mechanistic basis for interpreting how different types of clouds, which respond to different cloud controlling factors across multiple timescales, lead to inter-model spread.</p> </div> </div> </div> |
| format | Recurso digital |
| id | zenodo_https___doi_org_10_5281_zenodo_18048399 |
| institution | Zenodo |
| language | |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Zenodo |
| record_format | zenodo |
| spellingShingle | The factors controlling marine low clouds Across Multiple Timescales Du, Shuangchen Su, Hui <div> <div> <div> <p>Marine low clouds are effective at cooling the Earth's surface by reflecting solar radiation. Existing research suggests that the uncertainty surrounding low cloud feedback in subtropical and extratropical regions is crucial to understanding the model spread in Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity (ECS). Previous studies showed that the seasonal variations of marine low clouds in relation to surface temperature are indicative of long-term low cloud feedback. However, controversies exist for the inference of ECS based on observed seasonal cycle of low clouds, as the exact definitions of low clouds are inconsistent across different studies. In this study, we classify marine low clouds into various types and examine their sensitivity to various cloud-controlling factors (CCFs) across seasonal, interannual timescales in models and observations. First, we separate low clouds into three regimes based on cloud top height: 1) the lower boundary layer cloud with cloud top capped at 850 hPa (LBC), 2) the upper boundary layer cloud with cloud top between 850 and 700 hPa (UBC), and 3) the multi- layer cloud with cloud top above 700 hPa (MLC). This cloud classification framework provides a robust resolution to previously contentious debates regarding subtropical low-cloud seasonality. Furthermore, it provides a unified mechanistic basis for interpreting how different types of clouds, which respond to different cloud controlling factors across multiple timescales, lead to inter-model spread.</p> </div> </div> </div> |
| title | The factors controlling marine low clouds Across Multiple Timescales |
| url | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18048399 |