Variation and Influencing Factors of Cloud Characteristics over Qinghai Lake from 2006 to 2019

Li, Lin; Sun, Minmin; Mei, Jing

doi:10.3390/su141911935

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 45 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Cloud cover and cloud microphysical properties have regional characteristics which influence the regional radiative balance and local climate, which also involve cloud formation [19,20]. For example, Liu [21] and Wang et al [18] found that the distribution of cloud properties has significant regional characteristics over the Tibetan Plateau: the cloud optical thickness and cloud water paths decrease from the southeast to the northwest.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional Characteristics of Cloud Properties over the Loess Plateau

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As an important meteorological element, clouds play an important role in the radiative transfer process and atmospheric and water circulation. The Loess Plateau is the largest arid and semi-arid area in China, with a fragile ecological environment. However, few scholars have studied the spatial and temporal variations in cloud properties in the Loess Plateau. Therefore, in this study, cloud properties in the Loess Plateau were analyzed at the annual, seasonal, and diurnal scales based on Himawari-8 cloud products. The results show that cloud frequency (CF), cloud optical thickness (COT) and cloud effective radius (CER) show obvious spatial discrepancies in the Loess Plateau. Regions with high CF and COT values are mainly concentrated in the southern part of the Loess Plateau. In general, areas with high CER values also have low COT values. The highest CF values are observed in summer, and the highest COT values mainly appear in autumn. However, the highest CER values mainly appear in spring and winter. In terms of the diurnal variation, the CF is high at midday and low in the morning and afternoon, while the diurnal variation in COT values is the opposite: there are high COT values in the morning and afternoon and low values at midday. The CER values show an increasing trend from morning to afternoon and reach a maximum at 17:00 BJT. High CF values in the southern Loess Plateau and in summer relate to surface water and heat conditions; the vegetation cover, total column water vapor and temperature values are relatively high in this area. High COT values in the southern Loess Plateau are associated with sufficient water vapor levels and high levels of aerosol optical thickness. However, high CER levels in the northern Loess Plateau and in spring and winter may be caused by a higher nucleation rate related to the colder temperature. Moreover, more factors could influence CER, i.e., water vapor and aerosols, but they show complex relationships with the CER which need further explored.

show abstract