Optical Scattering and Microphysical Properties of Subvisual Cirrus Clouds, and Climatic Implications.

Details Optical Scattering and Microphysical Properties of Subvisual Cirrus Clouds, and Climatic Implications. Optical Scattering and Microphysical Properties of Subvisual Cirrus Clouds, and Climatic Implications.

Feb 1989

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1989japme..28...91s&link_type=abstract

Journal of Applied Meteorology, vol. 28, Issue 2, pp.91-98

Physics

61

Scientific paper

The optical and microphysical properties of subvisual cirrus clouds are derived from ground-based polarization lidar, shortwave radiation flux, and solar corona measurements of two 0.75 km deep cirrus located near the tropopause. The first cloud produced no visual manifestations under excellent viewing conditions, and the second appeared to be a persistent aircraft contrail that was generally visible except in the zenith direction. Average lidar linear depolarization ratios and volume backscatter coefficients for the two clouds were 0.19 and 0.35, and 0.6 × 103 and 1.4 × 103 (km sr)1, respectively. It is estimated that the zenith-subvisual cirrus contained ice crystals of 25 m effective diameter at a mean concentration of 25 L1 and ice mass content of 0.2 mg m3. The threshold cloud optical thickness for visual-versus-invisible cirrus derived from both broadband shortwave flux and 0.694 m lidar data, is found to be c 0.03. Such values are comparable to those of 5-10 km deep stratospheric aerosol clouds of volcanic origin and polar stratospheric clouds, which are episodic in nature. Hence, we conclude that if these clouds are a fairly common feature of the upper troposphere, as recent SAGE satellite measurements would suggest, then the impact of natural and contrail subvisual cirrus on the planet's radiation balance may be relatively significant.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Optical Scattering and Microphysical Properties of Subvisual Cirrus Clouds, and Climatic Implications. does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Optical Scattering and Microphysical Properties of Subvisual Cirrus Clouds, and Climatic Implications., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Optical Scattering and Microphysical Properties of Subvisual Cirrus Clouds, and Climatic Implications. will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1884975