eCite Digital Repository
Sensitivity of UVER enhancement to broken liquid water clouds: a Monte Carlo approach
Citation
Nunez, M and Marin, MJ and Serrano, D and Utrillas, MP and Fienberg, K and Martinez-Lozano, JA, Sensitivity of UVER enhancement to broken liquid water clouds: a Monte Carlo approach, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 121, (2) pp. 949-964. ISSN 2169-897X (2016) [Refereed Article]
![]() | PDF 951Kb |
Copyright Statement
Copyright 2016 American Geophysical Union
Abstract
The study uses a Monte Carlo radiative transfer model to examine the sensitivity of the UV erythemal radiation (UVER) enhancement to broken liquid water clouds of the cumulus and stratocumulus type. The model uses monochromatic radiation at 310 nm corresponding approximately to the peak of the product between irradiance and the erythemal curve. All scattering, absorption, extinction coefficients, and spectral albedos are tuned to this wavelength. In order of importance, fractional cloud cover, the area of individual cloud patches, and cloud thickness exert a strong influence on the enhancement, with smaller contributions from cloud optical depth, cloud base height, and solar zenith angle. In order to produce realistic enhancements for our study area located in the Valencia region of Spain (39°30′N, 0°25′W), measurements were obtained from a Landsat image of the region in combination with a spectral Fourier transform model. The Monte Carlo model, as applied to the Fourier transform cloud distribution, produced satisfactory results compared to 1 year of measured UVER enhancement for the study region provided that fractional cloud cover was equal to or greater than 3/10. At smaller cloud fractions, the neglect of cloud patches less than 50 m × 50 m in area by the model created significant discrepancies.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
---|---|
Keywords: | cloud optical depth, monte carlo, ultraviolet radiation, enhancement |
Research Division: | Earth Sciences |
Research Group: | Atmospheric sciences |
Research Field: | Atmospheric radiation |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Other environmental management |
Objective Field: | Other environmental management not elsewhere classified |
UTAS Author: | Nunez, M (Dr Manuel Nunez) |
ID Code: | 106743 |
Year Published: | 2016 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 5 |
Deposited By: | Geography and Spatial Science |
Deposited On: | 2016-02-18 |
Last Modified: | 2017-10-30 |
Downloads: | 168 View Download Statistics |
Repository Staff Only: item control page