Warm cloud study from ground-based remote sensing using different radiative transfer approaches

Abstract

In this work, an analysis of radiation fields in cloudy atmospheres, as well as of cloud shape factor is presented based on results obtained from different radiative transfer models. The radiative transfer approaches include a plane-parallel approximation (1D), a three-dimensional radiative transfer model (3D) and an analytical model that has been developed and adjusted by the authors. The irradiances are obtained from simulations with the numerical radiative transfer models, considering only cumulus clouds. Furthermore, a shape factor related to cloud roughness is derived from the combination of the analytical model with the 3D numerical model, considering the same atmospheric conditions for all simulations.