Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A study of convective systems, water vapor and top of the atmosphere cloud radiative forcing over the Indian Ocean using INSAT-1B and ERBE data

  • Published:
Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The distribution of cloud radiative forcing (CRF) at the top of the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean is investigated using satellite observations. Two key regions are considered: The eastern Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal which experience maximum upper-level cloudiness in winter and summer respectively. It is found that longwave CRF in the Bay of Bengal during summer is similar to that over the eastern Indian Ocean during winter. On the other hand shortwave CRF magnitude is larger in the Bay of Bengal. These differences explain the net CRF difference between the two regions. The stronger shortwave forcing seems to be related to the Upper-Level Cloudiness being larger over the Bay than over the eastern Indian Ocean. The reasons for the longwave CRF similarities are analysed in more details. Using the results from a convective system classification method, it is first shown that the longwave radiative properties of the individual systems do not vary much from one region to another. The distribution of the different kind of systems, a proxy for the vertical cloudiness structure, does not either indicate strong difference between the regions. It is then proposed that the substantial precipitable water vapour amount observed over the Bay of Bengal damps the effects of the upper-level cloudiness on radiation compared to the relatively dryer eastern Indian Ocean area; yielding to similar LW CRF in both region despite more Upper-Level Cloudiness over the Bay of Bengal. These observations are supported by idealised radiative transfer computations. The distribution of cloudiness and radiative forcing is then analysed over the whole tropical Indian Ocean for each season. July is characterized by a low longwave CRF regime (relative to January) over the most convectively active part of the Ocean. The non linear damping effect of water vapor on longwave CRF is also shown to contribute to this regime. Overall, this study reaffirms the need for simultaneous documentation of the cloud systems properties together with their moist environment in order to understand the overall net radiative signature of tropical convection at the top of the atmosphere (TOA).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • RP Allan A Slingo MA Ringer (2002) ArticleTitleInfluence of dynamics on the changes in tropical cloud radiative forcing during the 1998 El Niño. J Climate 15 IssueID14 1979–1986 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(2002)015<1979:IODOTC>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barkstrom BR, Harrison EF, Smith GL, Green R, Kibler J, Cess R, the ERBE Science Team (1989) Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) archival and April 1985 results. Bull Amer Meteorol Soc 70: 1254–1262

  • JW Bergman HH Hendon (1998) ArticleTitleCalculating monthly radiative fluxes and heating rates from monthly cloud observations. J Atmos Sci 55 IssueID23 3471–3492 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1998)055<3471:CMRFAH>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JW Bergman HH Hendon (2000) ArticleTitleCloud radiative forcing of the low-latitude tropospheric circulation: Linear calculations. J Atmos Sci 57 IssueID14 2225–2245 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(2000)057<2225:CRFOTL>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E Boer V Ramanathan (1997) ArticleTitleLagrangian approach for deriving cloud characteristics from satellite observations and its implication to cloud parameterization. J Geophys Res 102 IssueIDD17 21383–21399 Occurrence Handle10.1029/97JD00930

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S Bony WD Collins DW Fillmore (2000) ArticleTitleIndian Ocean low clouds during the winter monsoon. J Climate 13 IssueID12 2028–2043 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(2000)013<2028:IOLCDT>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S Bony J-Ph Duvel (1994) ArticleTitleInfluence of the vertical structure of the atmopshere on the seasonal variation of precipitable water and greenhouse effect. J Geophys Res 99 12963–12980 Occurrence Handle10.1029/94JD00482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • RD Cess GL Potter WL Gates J-J Morcrette L Corsetti (1992) ArticleTitleComparison of general circulation models to Earth Radiation Budget Experiment data: Computation of clear-sky fluxes. J Geophys Res 97 IssueIDD18 20,421–20,426

    Google Scholar 

  • RD Cess M Zhang BA Wielicki DF Young X-L Zhou Y Nikitenko (2001) ArticleTitleThe influence of the 1998 El Niño upon cloud-radiative forcing over the pacific warm pool. J Climate 14 IssueID9 2129–2137 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(2001)014<2129:TIOTEN>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TP Charlock V Ramanathan (1985) ArticleTitleThe albedo field and cloud radiative forcing produced by a general circulation model with internally generated cloud optics. J Atmos Sci 42 1408–1429 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1985)042<1408:TAFACR>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C Chou JD Neelin (1999) ArticleTitleCirrus detrainment-temperature feedback. Geophys Res Lett 26 1295–1298 Occurrence Handle10.1029/1999GL900219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JA Coackley DG Baldwin (1984) ArticleTitleTowards the objective analysis of clouds from imagery data. J Clim Appl Meteorol 23 1065–1099 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0450(1984)023<1065:TTOAOC>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WD Collins AK Inamdar (1995) ArticleTitleValidation of clear-sky fluxes for tropical oceans from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment. J Climate 8 IssueID3 569–578 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(1995)008<0569:VOCSFF>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JP Duvel R Roca J Vialard (2004) ArticleTitleOcean mixed layer temperature variations induced by intraseasonal convective perturbations over the Indian Ocean. J Atmos Sci 61 IssueID9 1004–1023 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(2004)061<1004:OMLTVI>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Ellingson J Ellis (1991) ArticleTitleThe intercomparison of radiation codes used in climate models: Longwave results. J Geophys Res 96 8929–8953

    Google Scholar 

  • AV Gambheer GS Bhat (2000) ArticleTitleLife cycle characteristics of deep cloud systems over the Indian region using INSAT-1B pixel data. Mon Wea Rev 128 IssueID12 4071–4083 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(2000)129<4071:LCCODC>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BN Goswami MRS Ajaya (2001) ArticleTitleIntraseasonal oscillations and interannual variability of the Indian summer monsoon. J Climate 14 IssueID6 1180–1198 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(2001)014<1180:IOAIVO>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WM Gray JD Sheaffer JA Knaff (1992) ArticleTitleHypothesized mechanism for stratospheric QBO influence on ENSO variability. Geophys Res Lett 19 IssueID2 107–110

    Google Scholar 

  • EF Harrison P Minnis BR Barkstrom V Ramanathan RD Cess GG Gibson (1990) ArticleTitleSeasonal variation of cloud radiative forcing derived from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment. J Geophys Res 95 18687–18703

    Google Scholar 

  • Harshvardhan DA Randall TG Corsetti DA Dazlich (1989) ArticleTitleEarth radiation budget and cloudiness simulations with a general circulation model. J Atmos Sci 46 1922–1942 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1989)046<1922:ERBACS>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DL Hartmann ME Ockert-Bell ML Michelsen (1992) ArticleTitleThe effect of cloud type on Earth’s energy balance: Global analysis. J Climate 5 IssueID11 1281–1304 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(1992)005<1281:TEOCTO>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • AK Inamdar V Ramanathan (1998) ArticleTitleTropical and global scale interactions among water vapor, atmospheric greenhouse effect and surface temperature. J Geophys Res 103 32177–32194 Occurrence Handle10.1029/1998JD900007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC, Climate Change (2001) The Scientific Basis, Contribution of Working Group I to the 3rd Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In: (Houghton JT, Ding Y, Griggs DJ, Noguer M, van der Linden PJ, Xiaosu D, eds), Cambridge University Press, pp 944

  • JE Janowiak PA Arkin (1991) ArticleTitleRainfall variations in the tropics during 1986–1989, as estimated from observations of cloud-top temperature. J Geophys Res 96 3359–3373

    Google Scholar 

  • RH Johnson TM Rickenbach SA Rutledge PE Ciesielski WH Schubert (1999) ArticleTitleTrimodal characteristics of tropical convection. J Climate 12 2397–2418 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(1999)012<2397:TCOTC>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E Kalnay co-authors (1996) ArticleTitleThe NCEP/NCAR 40-years reanalysis project. Bull Amer Meteorol Soc 77 437–471 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0477(1996)077<0437:TNYRP>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JT Kiehl (1994) ArticleTitleOn the observed near cancellation between longwave and short-wave cloud forcing in tropical regions. J Climate 7 559–565 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(1994)007<0559:OTONCB>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JT Kiehl V Ramanathan (1990) ArticleTitleComparison of cloud forcing derived from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment with the NCAR community climate model. J Geophys Res 95 11,679–11,698

    Google Scholar 

  • AG Laing JM Fritsch (1993) ArticleTitleMesoscale convective complexes over the Indian monsoon region. J Climate 6 911–919 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(1993)006<0911:MCCOTI>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G Liu JA Curry R-S Sheu (1995) ArticleTitleClassification of clouds over the western equatorial Pacific Ocean using combined infrared and microwave satellite data. J Geophys Res 100 13811–13826 Occurrence Handle10.1029/95JD00823

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JJ Morcrette Y Fouquart (1985) ArticleTitleOn systematic errors in parameterized calculations of long wave radiative transfer. Q J Roy Meteorol Soc 111 691–708 Occurrence Handle10.1256/smsqj.46902

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ME Ockert-Bell DL Hartmann (1992) ArticleTitleThe effect of cloud type on earth’s energy balance: Results for selected regions. J Climate 5 IssueID10 1157–1171 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(1992)005<1157:TEOCTO>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M Rajeevan J Srinivasan (2000) ArticleTitleNet cloud radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere in the Asian Monsoon region. J Climate 13 650–657 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(2000)013<0650:NCRFAT>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • V Ramanathan RD Cess EF Harrison P Minnis BR Barkstrom E Ahmad D Hartmann (1989) ArticleTitleCloud-radiative forcing and climate: Results from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment. Science 243 57–63

    Google Scholar 

  • V Ramanathan W Collins (1991) ArticleTitleThermodynamic regulation of ocean warming by cirrus clouds deduced from observations of the 1987 El Niño. Nature 351 27–32 Occurrence Handle10.1038/351027a0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Reynolds (1988) ArticleTitleA real-time global sea surface temperature analysis. J Climate 1 75–86 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(1988)001<0075:ARTGSS>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roca R (2000) Validation of GCMs cloudiness using METEOSAT observations. ECMWF/EuroTRMM Workshop on the Assimilation of precipitation and cloud radiances in NWP models, Reading, UK, 6–10 November, 20 p

  • R Roca V Ramanathan (2000) ArticleTitleScale dependence of monsoonal convective systems over the Indian Ocean. J Climate 13 1286–1298 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(2000)013<1286:SDOMCS>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roca R, Viollier M, Picon L, Desbois M (2002) A multisatellite analysis of deep convection and its moist environment over the Indian Ocean during the winter monsoon. J Geophys Res 107(D19): 8012; DOI: 10.1029/2000JD000040

    Google Scholar 

  • WB Rossow RA Schiffer (1991) ArticleTitleISCCP cloud data products. Bull Amer Meteorol Soc 72 IssueID1 2–20 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0477(1991)072<0002:ICDP>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • V Sathiyamoorthy PK Pal PC Joshi (2004) ArticleTitleInfluence of the upper-tropospheric wind shear upon cloud radiative forcing in the Asian monsoon region. J Climate 17 IssueID14 2725–2735 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(2004)017<2725:IOTUWS>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G Sèze H Pawlowska (2001) ArticleTitleCloud analysis from METEOSAT-5 during INDOEX. J Geophys Res 106 IssueIDD22 28415–28426 Occurrence Handle10.1029/2001JD900097

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OP Sharma H Le Treut G Sèze L Fairhead R Sadourny (1998) ArticleTitleInterannual variations of summer monsoons: Sensitivity to cloud radiative forcing. J Climate 11 IssueID8 1883–1905

    Google Scholar 

  • D Sikka S Gadgil (1980) ArticleTitleOn the maximum cloud zone and the ITCZ over the Indian Ocean longitudes during the south-west monsoon. Mon Wea Rev 108 1840–1853 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1980)108<1840:OTMCZA>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons AJ (2001) Development of the ERA-40 data-assimilation system. ERA-40 Project Report Series, No. 3, ECMWF

  • EA Smith AV Mehta (1990) ArticleTitleThe role of organized tropical storms and cyclones on intraseasonal oscillations in the Asian monsoon domain based on INSAT satellite measurements. Meteorol Atmos Phys 44 195–218 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01026818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • RW Spencer WD Braswell (1997) ArticleTitleHow dry is the tropical free troposphere? Implications for global warming theory. Bull Amer Meteorol Soc 78 IssueID6 1097–1106 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0477(1997)078<1097:HDITTF>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • B Tian V Ramanathan (2002) ArticleTitleRole of tropical clouds in surface and atmospheric energy budget. J Climate 15 IssueID3 296–305 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(2002)015<0296:ROTCIS>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PM Udelhofen DL Hartmann (1995) ArticleTitleInfluence of tropical cirrus cloud systems on the relative humidity in the upper troposphere. J Geophys Res 100 7423–7440 Occurrence Handle10.1029/94JD02826

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uppala S (2001) ECMWF ReAnalysis 1957–2001, ERA-40. ERA-40 Project Report Series, No. 3, ECMWF

  • FJ Wentz (1997) ArticleTitleA well-calibrated ocean algorithm for special sensor microwave/imager. J Geophys Res 102 IssueIDC4 8703–8718 Occurrence Handle10.1029/96JC01751

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FJ Wentz M Schabel (2000) ArticleTitlePrecise climate monitoring using complementary satellite data sets. Nature 403 414–416 Occurrence Handle10.1038/35000184 Occurrence Handle10667790

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • BA Wielicki et al. (1996) ArticleTitleClouds and the earths radiant energy system (CERES): An Earth Observing System Experiment. Bull Amer Meteorol Soc 77 853–868 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0477(1996)077<0853:CATERE>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EM Wilcox V Ramanathan (2001) ArticleTitleScale dependence of the thermodynamic forcing of tropical monsoon clouds: Results from TRMM observations. J Climate 14 IssueID7 1511–1524 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(2001)014<1511:SDOTTF>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CS Zender (1999) ArticleTitleGlobal climatology of abundance and solar absorption of oxygen collision complexes. J Geophys Res 104 IssueIDD25 24471–24484 Occurrence Handle10.1029/1999JD900797

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, CNRS, Paris, France

    R. Roca, L. Picon & M. Desbois

  2. Centre de recherche en Climatologie, Dijon, France

    S. Louvet

Authors
  1. R. Roca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Louvet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L. Picon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Desbois
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Roca, R., Louvet, S., Picon, L. et al. A study of convective systems, water vapor and top of the atmosphere cloud radiative forcing over the Indian Ocean using INSAT-1B and ERBE data. Meteorol. Atmos. Phys. 90, 49–65 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-004-0098-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-004-0098-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation