Collaborative Research: Global Cloud Climatology from Surface Observations: Analyses and Decadal Update

智力优势：正在研究各种云类型的全球分布及其季节和日变化，以及云在过去半个世纪中如何变化的研究。正在建立数据库，旨在有助于澄清云与气候系统其他组成部分的相互作用，并推断云辐射强迫的变化。对于涉及云层的全球变化研究，需要一个覆盖全球并具有一致观测程序的长时间记录。从陆地站和海洋中的船只上对云进行的常规地面气象观测符合这些要求。在美国国家科学基金会之前的两次拨款下，私人投资者已经制作了5度和10度网格箱的云量气候学，在1952-1997年期间，海洋上每天8次，在陆地上1971-1996年，每月8次。对于这一新的研究项目，这两个数据库都将用1997-2006十年的云观测数据进行更新。还将作出安排，在该项目结束后继续例行更新海洋云观测数据库。陆地和海洋的年际变化和趋势分析将更新到2006年。将进行若干研究以审查数据的特点：描述日循环，比较昼夜趋势，比较岛屿观测与附近船只的观测结果，量化区域和全球时间序列中的不确定性，调查北极云的年际变化和趋势，以及确定云底高度与海表面温度的关系。更广泛的影响：这项研究的更广泛影响是在气候研究领域。根据该项目制作的数据库将广泛分发，供科学界使用。它们将在气候建模、云过程研究以及气候变化的检测和归因方面得到应用。

Intellectual merit: A study of the global distribution of the various cloud types and their seasonal and diurnal variations, as well as a study of how clouds have changed in the past half-century, are underway. Databases are being created that are designed to be useful in clarifying the interactions of clouds with other components of the climate system and to infer changes in cloud radiative forcing. For global-change studies involving clouds, a long period of record with global coverage and with consistent observing procedures is necessary. Routine surface weather observations of clouds from land stations and from ships in the ocean meet these requirements. Under two previous NSF grants the PIs have produced a climatology of cloud-type amounts for 5-degree and 10-degree grid boxes, seasonally and monthly, for eight times per day for the years 1952-1997 over the oceans and 1971-1996 over land. For this renewed research project, both databases will be updated with cloud observations for the decade 1997-2006. Arrangements will also be made for continuation of routine updating of the cloud-observations database for the ocean after termination of this project. The analysis of interannual variations and trends for land and ocean will be updated to 2006. A number of studies will be done to examine characteristics of the data: describing diurnal cycles, comparing day trends to night trends, comparing island observations to those of nearby ships, quantifying uncertainties in regional and global time-series, investigating interannual variations and trends of Arctic clouds, and determining the relation of cloud base height to sea-surface temperature. Broader impact: The broader impact of the research is in the area of climate research. The databases produced under this project will be distributed widely for use by the scientific community. They will find applications in climate modeling, cloud process studies, and in detection and attribution of climate change.