Investigation of negative cloud radiative forcing over the Indian subcontinent and adjacent oceans during the summer monsoon season

Abstract

Radiative properties of clouds over the Indian subcontinent and nearby oceanic regions (0-25° N, 60-100° E) during the Asian summer monsoon season (June-September) are investigated using the Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) flux data. Using multiyear satellite data, the net cloud radiative forcing (NETCRF) at the TOA over the Indian region during the Asian monsoon season is examined. The seasonal mean NETCRF is found to be negative (with its magnitude exceeding ~30 Wm-2) over (1) the northern Bay of Bengal (close to the Myanmar-Thailand coast), (2) the Western Ghats and (3) the coastal regions of Myanmar. Such strong negative NETCRF values observed over the Indian monsoon region contradict the assumption that near cancellation between LWCRF and SWCRF is a generic property of all tropical convective regions. The seasonal mean cloud amount (high and upper middle) and corresponding cloud optical depth observed over the three regions show relatively large values compared to the rest of the Indian monsoon region. Using satellite-derived cloud data, a statistical cloud vertical model delineating the cloud cover and single-scattering albedo was developed for the three negative NETCRF regions. The shortwave (SW), longwave (LW) and net cloud radiative forcing over the three negative NETCRF regions are calculated using the rapid radiative transfer model (RRTM) with the cloud vertical model as input. The NETCRF estimated from CERES observations show good comparison with that computed using RRTM (within the uncertainty limit of CERES observations). Sensitivity tests are conducted using RRTM to identify the parameters that control the negative NETCRF observed over these regions during the summer monsoon season. Increase in atmospheric water vapor content during the summer monsoon season is found to influence the negative NETCRF values observed over the region. © Author(s) 2014.