Articles | Volume 17, issue 14
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9145-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9145-2017
Research article
 | 
31 Jul 2017
Research article |  | 31 Jul 2017

Cloud albedo changes in response to anthropogenic sulfate and non-sulfate aerosol forcings in CMIP5 models

Lena Frey, Frida A.-M. Bender, and Gunilla Svensson

Data sets

CSIRO-Mk3.6.0 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and the Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence (CSIRO-QCCCE) https://esgf-data.dkrz.de/search/cmip5-dkrz/

HadGEM2-A Met Office Hadley Centre (MOHC) https://esgf-data.dkrz.de/search/cmip5-dkrz/

MRI-CGCM3 Meteorological Research Institute (MRI) https://esgf-data.dkrz.de/search/cmip5-dkrz/

NorESM1-M Norwegian Climate Centre (NCC) https://esgf-data.dkrz.de/search/cmip5-dkrz/

IPSL-CM5A-LR Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace (IPSL) https://esgf-data.dkrz.de/search/cmip5-dkrz/

MIROC5 Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, National Institute for Environmental Studies, and Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology https://esgf-data.dkrz.de/search/cmip5-dkrz/

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Short summary
In this study, the cloud albedo effect in climate models is investigated, separating the influence of anthropogenic sulfate and non-sulfate aerosols. Cloud albedo changes induced by added anthropogenic aerosols are found to be determined by changes in the cloud water content rather than model sensitivity to monthly aerosol variations. The results also indicate that the background aerosol is the main driver for a cloud brightening effect on the month-to-month scale.
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