Spatial distribution of ice and liquid water in Arctic boundary layer clouds and its effects on solar energy budget and remote sensing

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Manfred Wendisch
• Subject Area: Atmospheric Science
• Term: from 2009 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 116121569

We propose to investigate the spatial distribution of ice and liquid water in Arctic boundary layer mixed-phase clouds and its impact on (a) solar energy budget (cloud forcing) and (b) cloud remote sensing. The three-dimensional radiative effects on cloud radiative forcing and remote sensing of cloud properties will be estimated. For this purpose a combination of airborne spectral solar radiation measurements and sophisticated one-dimensional (1D)1 and three-dimensional (3D) radiative transfer simulations is suggested. The measurements will be conducted during the campaign SoRPlC for which funding of 60 flight hours is already granted by AWI. The radiation measurements include downwelling and upwelling spectral irradiance and radiance with the SMART-Albeodometer and upwelling radiances with the hyperspectral imaging system AISA EAGLE. Irradiance measurements will be analyzed with regard to cloud radiative forcing. On measured radiance approved cloud phase retrieval algorithms will be applied to derive the distribution of ice and liquid water in high spatial resolution. This information will be used as input for 1D/3D radiative transfer simulations. On the basis of closure between measured and calculated radiation the impact of the spatial heterogeneity of cloud phase on cloud radiative forcing and remote sensing will be calculated.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants