Resolution of Outstanding Issues in Climate Research with Earth Radiation Budget Data: Past and Future

V. Ramanathan

Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) Science Team MeetingLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLivermore, CALivermore, CA October 4-6, 2011

Raval, A. and V. Ramanathan, 1989: Observational Determination of the Greenhouse Effect. Nature, 342: 758‐761

Earth Radiation Budget Experiment: { Joined Team in 1975}

Ramanathan, Barkstrom andHarrison, Physics Today, 1989

Hi tHistory:

Proposed by: NASA Langley Research Center

Original Team Proposing the Mission: 1974-1976George Sweet; George Young; E. Harrison; L. Smith and

Post Doc (V. Ramanathan)

Science Team Chairman (>1978): B. Barkstrom

The work described here involved Collaboration with:The work described here involved Collaboration with: Barkstrom; Harrison; Cess; Coakley; Wielickiand numerous post docs and students from 1985 to 2011.

1975

Abstract. The infrared bands of chlorofluorocarbons and

NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton ,VA

f f fchlorocarbons enhance the atmospheric greenhouse effect. Thisenhancement may lead to an appreciable increase in the global surfacetemperature if the atmospheric concentrations of these compounds reachvalues of the order of 2 parts per billion.f f p p

PART-A: Determination of ForcingPART A: Determination of Forcing

I. Cloud-Radiative Forcing

II. Atmospheric Greenhouse Effect

III. Atmospheric Solar Absorption

Charlock, T. P. and V. Ramanathan, 1985: The Albedo Field and Cloud Radiative Forcing Produced by a General Circulation Model with Internally Generated Cloud Optics. J. Atmos. Sci., 42: 1408‐1429

Ramanathan et al, Science 1989Harrison et al, 1990

Ramanathan, V., R. D. Cess, E. F. Harrison, P. Minnis, B. R. Barkstrom, E. Ahmad, and D. Hartmann, 1989: Cloud‐Radiative Forcing and Climate: Results from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment. Science, 243: 57‐63

Raval, A. and V. Ramanathan, 1989: Observational Determination of the Greenhouse Effect. Nature, 342: 758‐761

Atmospheric Greenhouse Effect ( No Clouds)

Units; Wm-2

3

G399399

G=131268

FTOARaval & Ramanathan, Nature 1989Ramanathan & Inamdar, CUPS, 2006

Resolution of the Basic TOA Forcing Terms

Ga=130

Source: Ramanathan, 1998

Solar Absorption: Anomalies in the Warm Pool

CESS (1995) Found Similar anomalies Globally

volution of the understanding of the atmospheric absorption in the global energy budget (in Wm-2)

Source: Ohmura and Gilgen, 1993; Cess et al. 1995; Pilewskie and Valero, 1995; Ramanathan et al., 1995

8282

NASA-MODISNASA MODIS

November 14 2006 December 21 2001

Ramanathan 2007

Direct observations of Aerosol Direct Forcing: CERES on TRMM Over Maldives INDOEX Results

SurfaceForcingForcing

Top-of-pAtmosphereForcing

Satheesh and Ramanathan, 2000

Ramanathan, Roberts, Ramana, Corrigan, Nature, 2007

PART-B: Estimation of Feedback from ERBE Data

The Water Vapor FeedbackTemp dependence ofSaturation vapor

p

T4

Saturation vapor pressure:

es: e-5400/T

0705400ln

ed s 07.02 TdT

Comparison of Ga and sea surface temperature

Source: Ramanathan, 1998

Unit: Wm-2K-1

G

T4

1.9

3.54 3 T

3 Wm-2

3 Wm

124.3 KWmdTdG KT 5.19.1

3

The planet gives off 1.9 Wm-2 per degree C increase in TemperatureInamdar and Ramanathan 1998

Sea Ice-Albedo FeedbackPistone and Ramanathan, 2011

Some Outstanding Issues That Can be Looked at with CERES Data

The Water Vapor Continuum : Feedback

Spatial Structure of Clouds and Their AlbedosSpatial Structure of Clouds and Their Albedos

Planetary Albedo: Development of a Theory

Zonal Distribution of Atm. Greenhouse Effect (T l & Wi d f CERES)(Total & Window from CERES)

Total

Window

E.R. Boer and V. Ramanathan, Lagrangian Approach for Deriving Cloud Characteristics from Satellite Observations J. Geophys. Res. Atmospheres 1997

Bring In Spatial Structure of Clouds

E.R. Boer and V. Ramanathan, Lagrangian Approach for Deriving Cloud Characteristics from Satellite Observations and Its Implications to Cloud Parameterization. J. Geophys. Res. Atmospheres 1997

70%Why is the Albedo 29%

200 Wm-2

700K650Wm-2 29%700KWm 29%

240 Wm-2341 240 Wm288 K

341Wm-2 18%

http // s st11 img com/ s st img com/I/ 125 Wm-2150Ramanathan, 2007http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/spaceimages_1921_2685747http://www.solarviews.com/raw/venus/venusvis.gif

125 Wm220 K

Wm-2