An analysis of cloud observations from Vernadsky, Antarctica

Kirchgäßner, Amélie

doi:10.1002/joc.1998

Cited by 5 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…These observations are, in many cases, primarily made to support logistical operations in the Antarctic, yet they do have the ability to provide basic information about clouds around the Antarctic. These observations have been utilized directly to understand Antarctic clouds [e.g., Kirchgäßner , 2010] as well as to determine when clouds interfere with other surface‐based observations of the upper atmosphere [e.g., McCarthy et al , 2007; Balsamo et al , 1997].…”

Section: Observational Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, site‐specific conditions (topography and prevailing wind direction) account for departures from this pattern. For example, the cloud minimum occurs in winter at Faraday, Halley, Neumayer, and McMurdo; in summer at Syowa; and in both summer and winter at Davis [ van den Broeke , 2000; Bailey and Lynch , 2000b; Turner and Pendlebury , 2004; Fogt and Bromwich , 2008; Kirchgäßner , 2010].…”

Section: Spatial and Temporal Variability Of Antarctic Cloud Covermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tropospheric clouds in Antarctica

Bromwich¹,

Nicolas²,

Hines³

et al. 2012

Reviews of Geophysics

148

162

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[1] Compared to other regions, little is known about clouds in Antarctica. This arises in part from the challenging deployment of instrumentation in this remote and harsh environment and from the limitations of traditional satellite passive remote sensing over the polar regions. Yet clouds have a critical influence on the ice sheet's radiation budget and its surface mass balance. The extremely low temperatures, absolute humidity levels, and aerosol concentrations found in Antarctica create unique conditions for cloud formation that greatly differ from those encountered in other regions, including the Arctic. During the first decade of the 21st century, new results from field studies, the advent of cloud observations from spaceborne active sensors, and improvements in cloud parameterizations in numerical models have contributed to significant advances in our understanding of Antarctic clouds. This review covers four main topics: (1) observational methods and instruments, (2) the seasonal and interannual variability of cloud amounts, (3) the microphysical properties of clouds and aerosols, and (4) cloud representation in global and regional numerical models. Aside from a synthesis of the existing literature, novel insights are also presented. A new climatology of clouds over Antarctica and the Southern Ocean is derived from combined measurements of the CloudSat and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellites. This climatology is used to assess the forecast cloud amounts in 20th century global climate model simulations. While cloud monitoring over Antarctica from space has proved essential to the recent advances, the review concludes by emphasizing the need for additional in situ measurements.

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Section: Observational Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Spatial and Temporal Variability Of Antarctic Cloud Covermentioning

confidence: 99%

Tropospheric clouds in Antarctica

Bromwich¹,

Nicolas²,

Hines³

et al. 2012

Reviews of Geophysics

148

162

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Recently performed comprehensive analyses of synoptic observations of cloud parameters recorded at the Antarctic base Faraday/Vernadsky for the period 1960–2005 have shown that one effect of the warming is a significant increase in the annual mean of the total cloud cover. The strongest and most significant positive seasonal trend was found in winter, and positive tendencies are observable in all seasons (Kirchgäßner, 2010). A possible cause for the increase in cloud cover could be the increasing capacity of air to hold water vapour with rising temperatures.…”

Section: Motivationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Synoptic observations began at Faraday/Vernadsky in 1947. For consistency with the analysis of cloud observations by Kirchgäßner (2010), it was intended to use precipitation records from the same period, i.e. years from 1960 to 2005.…”

Section: Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some basic observations of clouds (cloud cover and cloud type) are part of the routine synoptic observations that also include the records on ‘Present weather’ and ‘Past weather’ which the previous sections are based on. For a more detailed description of the cloud observations used in this section, see WMO (1995) and (Kirchgäßner (2010)). Analyses of these cloud observations found a significant increase in the mean annual total cloud cover over the period from 1960 to 2005 with highest increase rate during the winter season (Kirchgäßner, 2010).…”

Section: Cloudsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An analysis of precipitation data from the Antarctic base Faraday/Vernadsky

Kirchgäßner

2011

Intl Journal of Climatology

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A recent study on cloud observations reports an increase in total cloud cover at Faraday/Vernadsky since 1960 in the annual and wintertime data. The aim of this present study is to investigate whether this increase in total cloud cover has influenced the precipitation in this region. For this purpose, precipitation observations at the Antarctic base Faraday/Vernadsky between 1960 and 1999 were analysed. A positive trend, significant at the 5% level, was found in the number of precipitation events recorded during winter, showing an increase of 13 events per decade. The annual number of precipitation days has increased by 5.7 per decade during the period of investigation, with highest increase rates being observed in winter and autumn. The characteristics of these findings confirm that results previously published though trends presented here are ∼50% smaller due to a more thorough data quality control of the observational data. These results indicate that an increase in total cloud cover at Faraday/Vernadsky observed since 1960 in the annual and wintertime data is reflected in higher numbers of precipitation events and days. Analyses of the precipitation type found an increase in the proportion of events of non-frozen precipitation, which is significant (1% level) on an annual basis as well as in spring and autumn (both significant at 5% level). This is a clear manifestation of the year round temperature increase observed over the Antarctic Peninsula. The increase in non-frozen precipitation will have reduced the albedo in the region and will thus have contributed to the temperature-albedo feedback. To refreeze rain that is draining through glaciers energy is extracted from the surrounding ice, thereby physically corroding the ice. This will have contributed to the observed retreat of glaciers around the Antarctic Peninsula. As non-frozen precipitation falling on frozen ground cannot be stored but instead runs off, less water will be available for the ecosystem.

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