Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net
1680-7367
1680-7375
9
1
2009
10.5194/acpd-9-595-2009
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/595/2009/
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/595/2009/acpd-9-595-2009.html
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/595/2009/acpd-9-595-2009.pdf
595
634
2009-01-08
Airborne observations of a subvisible midlevel Arctic ice cloud: microphysical and radiative characterization
A. Lampert
astrid.lampert@awi.de
A. Ehrlich
A. Dörnbrack
O. Jourdan
J.-F. Gayet
G. Mioche
V. Shcherbakov
C. Ritter
M. Wendisch
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, DLR Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, 55099 Mainz, Germany
Laboratoire de Météorologie Physique UMR 6016 CNRS/Université Blaise Pascal, France
Laboratoire de Météorologie Physique, Institut Universitaire de Technologie de Montluçon, 03101 Montluçon Cedex, France
During the Arctic Study of Tropospheric Aerosol, Clouds and Radiation
(ASTAR) campaign, which was conducted in March and April 2007, an
optically thin ice cloud was observed at around 3 km altitude
south of Svalbard. The microphysical and radiative properties of this
particular subvisible midlevel cloud were investigated with
complementary remote sensing and in-situ
instruments. Collocated airborne lidar remote-sensing and spectral
solar radiation measurements were performed at a flight altitude of
2300 m below the cloud base. Under almost stationary
atmospheric conditions, the same subvisible midlevel cloud was probed
with various in-situ sensors roughly 30 min later.
<br><br>
From individual ice crystal samples detected with the Cloud Particle
Imager and the ensemble of particles measured with the Polar
Nephelometer, we retrieved the single-scattering albedo, the
scattering phase function as well as the volume extinction coefficient
and the effective diameter of the crystal population. Furthermore,
a lidar ratio of 21 (±6) sr was deduced by two independent
methods. These parameters in conjunction with the cloud optical
thickness obtained from the lidar measurements were used to compute
spectral and broadband radiances and irradiances with a radiative
transfer code. The simulated results agreed with the observed spectral
downwelling radiance within the range given by the measurement
uncertainty. Furthermore, the broadband radiative simulations
estimated a net (solar plus thermal infrared) radiative forcing of the
subvisible midlevel ice cloud of −0.4 W m<sup>−2</sup>
(−3.2 W m<sup>−2</sup> in the solar and +2.8 W m<sup>−2</sup> in
the thermal infrared wavelength range).
Ansmann,~A., Wandinger,~U., Riebesell,~M., Weitkamp,~C., and Michaelis,~W.: Independent measurement of extinction and backscatter profiles in cirrus clouds by using a~combined Raman elastic-backscatter lidar, Appl. Optics, 31(33), 7113–7131, 1992.
Baran,~A J. and Francis,~P N.: On the radiative properties of cirrus cloud at solar and thermal wavelengths: A~test of model consistency using high-resolution airborne radiance measurements, Q. J. Roy. Meteror. Soc., 130, 763–778, 2004.
Baran,~A J. and Labonnote~L.-C.: On the reflection and polarisation properties of ice cloud,~J. Quant. Spectrosc. Ra., 100, 41–54, 2006.
Baran,~A J. and Labonnote~L.-C.: A~self-consistent scattering model for cirrus. I: The solar region, Q. J. Roy. Meteror. Soc., 133, 1899–1912, 2008.
Beyerle,~G., Gross,~M R., Haner,~D A., Kjome,~N D., McDermid,~I S., McGee, ~T J., Rosen,~J M., Schäfer,~H.-J., and Schrems,~O.: A~lidar and backscatter sonde measurement campaign at Table Mountain during February–March 1997: Observations of cirrus clouds, J. Atmos. Sci., 58, 1275–1287, 2001.
Bierwirth,~E., Wendisch,~M., Ehrlich,~A., Heese,~B., Tesche,~M., Althausen, ~D., Schladitz,~A., Müller,~D., Otto,~S., Trautmann,~T., Dinter,~T., von Hoyningen-Huene,~W., and Kahn,~R.: Spectral surface albedo over Morocco and its impact on the radiative forcing of Saharan dust, Tellus, 61B, doi:10.1111/j.1600-0889.2008.00395.x, 2008.
Blanchet,~J.-P. and List,~R.: Estimation of optical properties of Arctic haze using a~numerical model, Atmos. Ocean, 21, 444–464, 1983.
Cadet~B., Goldfarb,~L., Faduilhe,~D., Baldy,~S., Giraud,~V., Keckhut,~P., and Réchou,~A.: A~sub-tropical cirrus clouds climatology from Reunion Island (21° S, 55° E) lidar data set, Geophys. Res. Lett., 30(3), 1130, doi:10.1029/2002GL016342, 2003.
Cadet,~B., Giraud,~V., Haeffelin,~M., Keckhut,~P., Réchou,~A., and Baldy,~S.: Improved retrievals of the optical properties of cirrus clouds by a~combination of lidar methods, Appl. Optics, 44(9), 1726–1734, 2005.
Chen,~W N., Chiang,~C W., and Nee,~J B.: Lidar ratio and depolarisation ratio for cirrus clouds, Appl. Optics, 31, 6470–6476, 2002.
Curry,~J A. and Ebert,~E E.: Annual cycle of radiation fluxes over the Arctic Ocean: sensitivity to cloud optical properties, J. Climate, 5, 1267–1280, 1992.
Curry,~J A., Rossow,~W B., Randall,~D., and Schramm,~J L.: Overview of Arctic Cloud and radiation characteristics, J. Climate, 9, 1731–1764, 1996.
Dye,~J E. and Baumgardner,~D.: Evaluation of the forward scattering spectrometer probe. Part I: Electronic and optical studies,~J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 1, 329–344, 1984.
Francis,~P N., Foot,~J S., and Baran~A J.: Aircraft measurements of the solar and infrared radiative properties of cirrus and their dependence on ice crystal shape,~J. Geophys. Res., 104, 31685–31696, 1999.
Gayet,~J.-F., Crépel,~O., Fournol,~J F., and Oshchepkov,~S : A~new airborne polar Nephelometer for the measurements of optical and microphysical cloud properties. Part I: Theoretical design, Ann. Geophys., 15, 451–459, 1997.
Gayet,~J.-F., Shcherbakov,~V N., Mannstein,~H., Minikin,~A., Schumann,~U., Ström,~J., Petzold,~A., Ovarlez,~J., and Immler,~F.: Microphysical and optical properties of midlatitude cirrus clouds observed in the southern hemisphere during INCA, Q. J. Roy. Meteror. Soc., 132, 621, 2719–2748, 2006.
Gayet~J.-F., Stachlewska,~I S., Jourdan,~O., Shcherbakov,~V., Schwarzenboeck,~A., and Neuber,~R.: Microphysical and optical properties of precipitating drizzle and ice particles obtained from alternated Lidar and in situ measurements, Ann. Geophys., 25, 1487–1497, 2007.
Giannakaki,~E., Balis,~D S., Amiridis,~V., and Kazadzis,~S.: Optical and geometrical characteristics of cirrus clouds over a~mid-latitude lidar station, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 7, 5519–5530, 2007.
Harrington,~J Y., Reisin,~T., Cotton,~W R., and Kreidenweis,~S M.: Cloud resolving simulations of Arctic stratus, Part II: Transition-season clouds, Atmos. Res., 51, 45–75, 1999.
Herber,~A., Thomason,~L W., Gernandt,~H., Leiterer,~U., Nagel,~D., Schulz, ~K.-H., Kaptur,~J., Albrecht,~T., and Notholt,~J.: Continuous day and night aerosol optical depths observations in the Arctic between 1991 and 1999,~J. Geophys Res., 107(D10), 4097, doi:10.1029/2001JD000536, 2002.
Immler,~F. and Schrems,~O.: Lidar observations of extremely thin clouds at the tropical tropopause, reviewed and revised papers presented at the 23rd International Laser Radar conference 24–28 July 2006, Nara, Japan, Editors: Chikao Nagasawa, Nobuo Sugimoto, I, 547–550, 2006.
Immler,~F., Krüger,~K., Fujiwara,~M., Verver,~G., Rex,~M., and Schrems, O.: Correlation between equatorial Kelvin waves and the occurrence of extremely thin ice clouds at the tropical tropopause, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 8, 4019–4026, 2008.
Intrieri,~J M. and Shupe,~M D.: Characteristics and radiative effects of diamond dust over the western Arctic Ocean region,~J. Climate, 17(15), 2953–2960, 2004.
Inoue,~J., Liu,~J., Pinto,~J O., and Curry,~J A.: Intercomparison of arctic regional climate models: Modeling clouds and radiation for SHEBA in May 1998, J. Climate, 19, 4167–4178, 2006.
Jiang,~H., Cotton,~W R., Pinto,~J O., Curry,~J A., and Weissbluth,~M. J: Cloud resolving simulations of mixed-phase Arctic stratus observed during BASE: sensitivity to concentration of ice crystals and large-scale heat and moisture advection,~J. Atmos. Sci., 57, 2105–2117, 2000.
Jourdan,~O., Oshchepkov,~S., Gayet,~J.-F., Shcherbakov,~V N., and Isaka, ~H.: Statistical analysis of cloud light scattering and microphysical properties obtained from airborne measurements,~J. Geophys. Res., 108(D5), 4155, doi:10.1029/2002JD002723, 2003a.
Jourdan,~O., Oshchepkov,~S., Shcherbakov,~V., Gayet,~J.-F., and Isaka,~H.: Assessment of cloud optical parameters in the solar region: Retrievals from airborne measurements of scattering phase functions,~J. Geophys. Res., 108(D18), 4572, doi:10.1029/2003JD003493, 2003b.
Key,~J R., Yang,~P., Baum,~B A., and Nasiri,~S L.: Parameterization of shortwave ice cloud optical properties for various particle habits,~J. Geophys. Res-Atmos., 107(D13), 4181, doi:10.1029/2001JD000742, 2002.
King,~M D., Platnick,~S., Yang,~P., Arnold,~G T., Gray,~M A., Riedi,~J C., Ackerman,~S A., and Liou,~K.-N.: Remote sensing of liquid water and ice cloud optical thickness and effective radius in the Arctic: application of airborne multispectral MAS data,~J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 21, 857–875, 2004.
Klett,~J D.: Lidar inversions with variable backscatter/extinction values, Appl. Optics, 24, 1638–1648, 1985.
Labonnote,~L.-C., Brogniez,~G., Buriez, J.-C., Doutriaux-Boucher,~M., Gayet, J.-F., and Macke, A: Polarized light scattering by inhomogeneous hexagonal monocrystals: Validation with ADEOS-POLDER measurements,~J. Geophys. Res., 106, 12139–12154, 2001.
Lawson,~P., Heymsfield,~A J., Aulenbach,~S M., and Jensen,~T L.: Shapes, sizes and light scattering properties of ice crystals in cirrus and a~persistent contrail during SUCCES, Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 1331–1334, 1998.
Lawson,~R P., Baker,~B A., Schmitt,~C G., and Jensen,~T L.: An overview of microphysical properties of Arctic clouds observed in May and July 1998 during FIRE ACE,~J. Geophys. Res., 106(D14), 14989–15014, 2001.
Liu,~L. and Mishchenko,~M I.: Constraints on PSC particle microphysics derived from lidar observations,~J. Quant. Spectrosc. Ra., 70, 817–831, 2001.
Masuda,~K., Kobayashi,~T., Raschke,~E., Albers,~F., Koch,~W., and Maixner, ~U.: Short-wave radiation flux divergence in Arctic cirrus: a~case study, Atmos. Res., 53, 251–267, 2000.
Mayer,~B. and Kylling,~A.: Technical note: The libRadtran software package for radiative transfer calculations – description and examples of use, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 5, 1855–1877, 2005.
McGill,~M J., Vaughan,~M A., Trepte,~C R., Hart,~W D., Hlavka,~D L., Winker,~D.M, and Kuehn,~R. Airborne validation of spatial properties measured by the CALIPSO lidar,~J. Geophys. Res., 112, D20201, doi:10.1029/2007JD008768, 2007.
Oshchepkov,~S L., Isaka H., Gayet,~J F., Sinyuk,~A., Auriol,~F., and Havemann,~S.: Microphysical properties of mixed-phase & ice clouds retrieved from in situ airborne \qutPolar Nephelometer measurements, Geophys. Res. Lett., 27, 209–213, 2000.
Peter, Th., Luo, B. P., Wirth, M., Kiemle, C., Flentje, H., Yushkov, V. A., Khattatov, V., Rudakov, V., Thomas, A., Borrmann, S., Toci, G., Mazzinghi, P., Beuermann, J., Schiller, C., Cairo, F., Di Donfrancesco, G., Adriani, A., Volk, C. M., Strom, J., Noone, K., Mitev, V., MacKenzie, R. A., Carslaw, K. S., Trautmann, T., Santacesaria, V., and Stefanutti, L.: Ultrathin Tropical Tropopause Clouds (UTTCs): I. Cloud morphology and occurrence, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 3, 1083–1091, 2003.
Rinke,~A., Dethloff,~K., and Fortmann,~M.: Regional climate effects of Arctic Haze, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L16202, doi:10.1029/2004GL020318, 2004.
Sassen,~K., Griffin,~M K., and Dodd,~G C.: Optical scattering and microphysical properties of subvisual cirrus clouds, and climatic implications,~J. Appl. Meteorol., 28, 91–98, 1989.
Scheuer,~E., Talbot,~R W., Dibb,~J E., Seid,~G K., and DeBell,~L.: Seasonal distributions of fine aerosol sulfate in the North American Arctic basin during TOPSE,~J. Geophys. Res. 108(D4), 8370, doi:10.1029/2001JD001364, 2003.
Schweiger,~A J., Lindsay,~R W., Key,~J R., and Francis,~J A.: Arctic clouds in multiyear satellite data sets,~J. Geophys. Res., 26(13), 1845–1848, 1999.
Shcherbakov,~V N., Gayet,~J.-F., Jourdan,~O., Minikin,~A., Ström,~J., and Petzold,~A.: Assessment of cirrus cloud optical and microphysical data reliability by applying statistical procedures,~J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 22(4), 409–420, 2005.
Shupe,~M D. and Intrieri,~J M.: Cloud radiative forcing of the Arctic surface: The influence of cloud properties, surface albedo and solar zenith angle,~J. Climate, 17, 616–628, 2004.
Spichtinger, P., Gierens, K., and Dörnbrack, A.: Formation of ice supersaturation by mesoscale gravity waves, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 5, 1243–1255, 2005.
Stachlewska,~I S., Wehrle,~G., Stein,~B., and Neuber,~R.: Airborne Mobile Aerosol Lidar for measurements of Arctic aerosols, Proceedings of 22nd International Laser Radar Conference (ILRC2004), ESA SP-561, 1, 87–89, 2004.
Stamnes,~K., Tsay,~S., Wiscombe,~W., and Jayaweera,~K.: A~numerically stable algorithm for discrete-ordinate-method radiative transfer in multiple scattering and emitting layered media, Appl. Optics, 27, 2502–2509, 1988.
Thomas,~A., Borrmann,~S., Kiemle,~C., Cairo,~F., Volk,~M., Beuermann,~J., Lepuchov,~B., Santacesaria,~V., Matthey,~R., Rudakov,~V., Yushkov,~V., MacKenzie,~A R., and Stefanutti,~L.: In situ measurements of background aerosol and subvisible cirrus in the tropical tropopause region,~J. Geophys. Res., 107(D24), 4763, doi:10.1029/2001JD001385, 2002.
Vaughan,~M., Young,~S., Winker,~D., Powell,~K., Omar,~A., Liu,~Z., Hu,~Y., and Hostetler,~C.: Fully automated analysis of space-based lidar data: An overview of the CALIPSO retrieval algorithms and data products, Proc. SPIE Int. Soc. Opt. Eng., 5575, 16–30, 2004.
Wendisch,~M., Müller,~D., Schell,~D., and Heintzenberg,~J.: An airborne spectral albedometer with active horizontal stabilization,~J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 18, 1856–1866, 2001.
Wernli,~H. and Davies,~H C.: A~Lagrangian-based analysis of extrtropical cyclones, I: The method and some applications,~Q J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 123, 467–489, 1997.
Winker,~D M., Hunt,~B H., and McGill,~M J.: Initial performance assessment of CALIOP, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L19803, doi:10.1029/2007GL030135, 2007.
Yang,~P. and Liou,~K N.: Geometric-optics-integral-equation method for light scattering by nonspherical ice crystals, Appl. Optics, 35, 6568–6584, 1996.
You,~Y., Kattawar,~G W., Yang,~P., Hu,~Y X., and Baum,~B A.: Sensitivity of depolarized lidar signals to cloud and aerosol particle properties,~J. Quant. Spectrosc. Ra., 100, 470–482, 2006.