An A-train and MERRA view of cloud, thermodynamic, and dynamic variability within the subtropical marine boundary layer

Kahn, Brian H.; Matheou, Georgios; Yue, Qing; Fauchez, Thomas; Fetzer, Eric J.; Lebsock, Matthew; Martins, João; Schreier, Mathias M.; Suzuki, Kentaroh; Teixeira, João

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9451-2017

Articles | Volume 17, issue 15

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9451-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9451-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Articles | Volume 17, issue 15

Research article

|

07 Aug 2017

Research article |

| 07 Aug 2017

An A-train and MERRA view of cloud, thermodynamic, and dynamic variability within the subtropical marine boundary layer

Brian H. Kahn, Georgios Matheou, Qing Yue, Thomas Fauchez, Eric J. Fetzer, Matthew Lebsock, João Martins, Mathias M. Schreier, Kentaroh Suzuki, and João Teixeira

Data sets

The AIRS version 6 data sets Goddard Earth Services Data and Information Services Center http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/

The MODIS collection 6 data sets Level~1 and Atmosphere and Archive Distribution System http://ladsweb.nascom.nasa.gov

The MERRA data sets GMAO http://www.cloudsat.cira.colostate.edu/

CloudSat data CloudSat Data Processing Center http://www.cloudsat.cira.colostate.edu/

Short summary

The global-scale patterns of subtropical marine boundary layer clouds are investigated with coincident NASA A-train satellite and reanalysis data. This study is novel in that all data are used at the finest spatial and temporal resolution possible. Our results are consistent with surface-based data and suggest that the combination of satellite and reanalysis data sets have potential to add to the global context of our understanding of the subtropical cumulus-dominated marine boundary layer.