Effects of clouds on the radiative heat exchange in the atmosphere.

Abstract

Clouds are the main regulators of radiative fluxes. They themselves are subjected to both direct and indirect effects of radiation. The former are caused by absorption and emission of radiation by the clouds. As for the latter heating of the Earth's surface by the Sun ultimately defines the moisture flow into the atmosphere and cloud formation. This paper presents some results of investigations of radiative fluxes under cloud conditions - simple, approximate methods of computation, regularities of the behaviour depending on basic parameters, feedback effects. The work is intended for use in the problems of large-scale dynamics of the atmosphere, and in the GARP program.