Longwave radiative exchange analysis of cloudy atmospheres with a net exchange formulation
Abstract
The Next Exchange Formulation (NEF) is an alternative to the usual radiative transfer equation. It was proposed in 1967 by Green for atmospheric sciences and by Hottel for engineering sciences. Until now, the NEF has been used only in a very few cases for atmospheric studies. Recently we have developed a longwave radiative code based on this formulation for a GCM of the Mars planet. Here, we will present results for the Earth atmosphere, obtained with a Monte Carlo Method based on the NEF. In this method, the fluxes are no more considered. The basic variables are the net exchange rates (NER) between each pair of atmospheric layer {i,j}, i.e. the radiative power emitted by i and absorbed by j minus the radiative power emitted by j and absorbed by i. The graphical representation of the NER matrix highlight the radiative exchanges which dominate the radiative budget of the atmosphere and allows one to have a very good insight of the radiative exchanges. Results will be shown for clear sky atmosphere, cloudy atmosphere and atmosphere with dust aerosols. The role of scattering in the longwave radiative exchanges will also be analyzed. The calculation of sensitivity parameter being automatically implemented in the Monte Carlo Method, a complementary sensitivity analysis will be presented that examines how radiative exchanges depend on concentrations profiles of main absorbing and scattering species.
- Publication:
-
EGS - AGU - EUG Joint Assembly
- Pub Date:
- April 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003EAEJA.....6635E