CAREER: Cloud Trends and Global Climate Change

这一职业资助项目提供了一种新的研究方法，试图通过量化历史数据记录中的云辐射反馈来减少气候系统对温室气体变暖的敏感性的不确定性。这项研究的重点是被认为对气候系统具有最大辐射影响的三种云类型：海洋副热带低层；海洋夏季风暴路径；以及热带深对流。将被用作研究基础的数据集是Warren和Hahn(1999)创建的云星表，它提供了从1952年开始的记录，比卫星记录早了30年。这项研究活动预计将加强对云反馈机制和气候敏感性的科学理解，有助于改善对与气候变化相关的全球变暖的理解和建模。该项目的成果将通过对K-12学生及其教师的公开讲座和教育向普通民众传播。

This career grant project offers a novel research approach to attempt to reduce our uncertainty of climate system sensitivity to greenhouse warming by quantifying cloud radiative feedbacks in the historical data record. The study focuses on the three clouds types believed to have the greatest radiative impact on the climate system: Oceanic subtropical low-level; oceanic summertime storm-track; and tropical deep convection. The data set to be utilized as a basis for the research is the cloud catalogue created by Warren and Hahn (1999) which offers a record beginning in 1952, pre-dating the satellite record by three decades. The research activity is expected to enhance scientific understanding of cloud feedback mechanisms and climate sensitivity, contributing towards improvements in understanding and modeling global warming associated with climate change. The results of this project will be communicated to the general population via public lectures and education of K-12 students and their teachers.