Eswaran, K.; Satheesh, S. K.; Srinivasan, J. (2015). Dependence of \'critical cloud fraction' on aerosol composition. ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE LETTERS, 16(3), 380-385.

Abstract
Recent studies, over regions influenced by biomass burning aerosol, have shown that it is possible to define a critical cloud fraction' (CCF) at which the aerosol direct radiative forcing switch from a cooling to a warming effect. Using 4 years of multi-satellite data analysis, we show that CCF varies with aerosol composition and changed from 0.28 to 0.13 from postmonsoon to winter as a result of shift from less absorbing to moderately absorbing aerosol. Our results indicate that we can estimate aerosol absorption from space using independently measured top of the atmosphere (TOA) fluxes [Cloud Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization-Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer-Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CALIPSO-MODIS-CERES)] combined algorithms for example.

DOI:
10.1002/asl2.571

ISSN:
1530-261X