Satellite-Based Assessment of the Aerosol Effect on Global Warm Cloud Properties

We present characteristics of global warm cloud properties and warm-rain process in conjunction with the aerosol index (AI) and the lower-tropospheric stability (LTS). The Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) and Visible/Infrared Radiance Imager (VIRS) simultaneously derive cloud-top droplet effect radius, column droplet radius, cloud fraction, cloud liquid water path, cloud optical depth, and a warm rain index. These cloud properties are clustered by different bins of LTS, and then compared with GOCART-derived AI and MODIS-derived AI values. Results indicate that the characteristics of the aerosol-cloud interactions significant vary between different cloud types and thermodynamic environments. This indicates that the radiative effect and warm-rain process due to aerosols have significant heterogeneous regional climate forcing effects.