Spatially Inhomogeneous Cirrus: Influence on Atmospheric Radiation

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Stephan Borrmann; Professor Dr. Manfred Wendisch
• Co-Applicant: Professor Dr. Peter Spichtinger
• Subject Area: Atmospheric Science
• Term: from 2010 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 164905996

The radiative effects of inhomogeneous cirrus fields will be studied by a combination of airborne measurements (radiation and microphysical properties), a three-dimensional (3D) radiative transfer model and a dynamic cloud-resolving cirrus model. An instrumented aircraft (Lear-Jet) will sample spectral radiation above cirrus within a field campaign. From these data the microphysical cirrus properties will be retrieved and compared to simultaneous in situ measurements collected with an aircraft-towed sensor shuttle which is mounted below the Lear-Jet. In close collocation the spatial inhomogeneities of the sampled cirrus fields will be observed by an imaging digital CCD camera. In parallel, a cloud-resolving model will simulate microphysical cirrus fields. The combined in situ measured and retrieved microphysical cirrus fields as well as the simulated microphysical cirrus fields will be used as input to a 3D radiative transfer model to investigate the radiative effects of spatially inhomogeneous cirrus.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Switzerland