Preliminary Evaluation of Cloud Fraction Simulations by GAMIL2 Using COSP

Abstract

The Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparisons Project (CFMIP) Observation Simulator Package (COSP) is adopted in the Grid-point Atmospheric Model of IAP LASG (GAMIL2) during CFMIP at Phase II to evaluate the model cloud fractions in a consistent way with satellite observations. The cloud simulation results embedded in the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) control experiment are presented using three satellite simulators: International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) lidar onboard the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO). Overall, GAMIL2 can produce horizontal distributions of the low cloud fraction that are similar to the satellite observations, and its similarities to the observations on different levels are shown in Taylor diagrams. The discrepancies among satellite observations are also shown, which should be considered during evaluation.