A lack of quality data on high clouds has led to inadequate representations within global weather and climate models. Recent advances in spaceborne measurements of the Earth’s atmosphere have provided complementary information on the interior of these clouds. This study demonstrate how an array of space-borne measurements can be used and combined, by close co-located comparisons in space and time, to form a more complete representation of high cloud processes and properties. High clouds are found in the upper atmosphere, where sub-zero temperatures frequently result in the formation of cloud particles that are composed of ice. Weather and climate models characterise the bulk properties of these ice particles to describe the current state of the cloud-sky atmosphere. By directly comparing measurements with simulations undertaken at the same place and time, this study demonstrates how improvements can be made to the representation of cloud properties. The results from this study will assist in the design of future cloud missions to provide a better quality input. These improvements will also help improve weather predictions and lower the uncertainty in cloud feedback response to increasing atmospheric temperature. Most clouds are difficult to monitor by more than one instrument due to continuous changes in: large-scale and sub-cloud scale circulation features, microphysical properties and processes and characteristic chemical signatures. This study undertakes co-located comparisons of high cloud data with a cloud ice dataset reported from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument onboard the Aura satellite that forms part of the A-train constellation. Data from the MLS science team include vertical profiles of temperature, ice water content (IWC) and the mixing ratios of several trace gases. Their vertical resolutions are 3 to 6 km. Initial investigations explore the link between cloud-top properties and the longwave radiation budget, developing methods for estimating cloud top heights using; longwave radiative fluxes, and IWC profiles. Synergistic trios of direct and indirect high cloud measurements were used to validate detections from the MLS by direct comparisons with two different A-train instruments; the NASA Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) onboard on the Aqua satellite. This finding focuses later studies on two high cloud scene types that are well detected by the MLS; deep convective plumes that form from moist ascent, and their adjacent outflows that emanate outwards several hundred kilometres. The second part of the thesis identifies and characterises two different high cloud scenes in the tropics. Direct observational data is used to refine calculations of the climate sensitivity to upper tropospheric humidity and high cloud in different conditions. The data reveals several discernible features of convective outflows are identified using a large sample of MLS data. The key finding, facilitated by the use of co-location, reveals that deep convective plumes exert a large longwave warming effect on the local climate of 52 ± 28Wm−2, with their adjacent outflows presenting a more modest warming of 33 ± 20Wm−2.

The purpose of this study is to develop an improved human radiation exchange model for use by planners and researchers. Although applicable for all environments, emphasis will be on urban areas. All processes of radiation exchange between the human body surface and surrounding environments were investigated through human body area factors (effective radiation area factor, feff, and projected area factor, fp), existing human thermal exchange models and three-dimensional (3D) computer simulation models with collected microclimatic data. For new body area factors, a sample of standing contemporary Canadian adults in normal-weight (male: 31 persons, female: 40) and over-weight (male: 48, female: 20) body mass index (BMI) categories were analyzed. A 3D mean body model was created for each category. Only very small differences in feff and fp were found between genders and BMI categories. Differences in feff and fp values between this study and previous studies were very large, up to 0.101 and 0.173, respectively. Another common body posture, walking, was also studied for the normal-weight male and female BMI categories. 3D computer walking body models at four stride positions were created. The directionless fp values for walking posture had minor differences between genders and positions in a stride. However, the differences of mean directional fp values between azimuth angles were great enough (up to 0.072) to create important differences in modeled radiation receipt. When both standing and walking postures are considered, the mean feff value of standing (0.826) and walking (0.846), 0.836, could be used. However, fp values should be selected carefully because differences between directional and directionless fp values were large enough that they could influence the estimated level of human thermal sensation. A new human radiation exchange model was developed using the new body area factors and compared with five existing models and one method (Burt, COMFA, MENEX, OUT_SET* and RayMan models and the six-directional method) using collected microclimatic data observed in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Most differences between models came from absorbed solar radiation, especially absorbed direct beam solar radiation because of differences in fp* (=fp×feff) and feff or some missing components (feff or view factors). The lowest differences between the new model and the RayMan model alter the net all-wave radiation estimate up to 29 Wm-2, which can be significant in the human thermal exchange model. For 3D computer estimation, a new human-urban radiation exchange simulation model was developed combining the new human radiation exchange model and improved urban area factors (i.e., albedos and view factors of sunny and shaded building, ground and vegetation surfaces). The results of the new computer model were compared with microclimatic data collected in Nanaimo, B.C., Canada and Changwon, Republic of Korea as well as with two other 3D computer simulation programs, RayMan Pro and ENVI-met 3.1. The differences between the collected data and the new model were very small. Their correlation was very strong, over 0.99 for total radiation. RayMan Pro and ENVI-met 3.1 programs had larger differences, and their correlations with measured data were weaker than the new model’s. Accurate meteorological and urban setting data should be obtained for better results. The new model will give planners and researchers a simple tool to estimate accurate radiation effects in complex urban areas. / Graduate

Nachhaltige Architektur erfordert neue Bauformen, innovative Konstruktionen und die Verwendung neuartiger Baumaterialien. Zur Abschätzung des Risikos von feuchtebedingten Schäden finden Programme der hygrothermischen Bauteilsimulation Anwendung. Bei der Entwicklung solcher Simulationsprogramme spielt die korrekte Modellierung der Klimarandbedingungen eine entscheidende Rolle. Beim Übergang von der kurzwelligen horizontalen Strahlungsstromdichte auf die kurzwellige Strahlungsstromdichte eines beliebigen Bauteils müssen Himmelsrichtung der Flächennormalen und die Neigung des Bauteils zum Ausschluss von Eigenverschattung berücksichtigt werden. Das dargestellte integrale Modell erlaubt die Berechnung und Programmierung in einem hygrothermischen Simulationsprogramm. Für den Fall, dass nur Messwerte der globalen Strahlungsstromdichte zur Verfügung stehen, können die direkten und diffusen Anteile mithilfe geeigneter Modelle mit einer sehr guten Genauigkeit berechnet werden. Zur Berechnung der langwelligen Strahlungsbilanz eines Bauteils stehen nur selten jene Klimaparameter zur Verfügung, mit denen die atmosphärische langwellige Strahlungsflussdichte analytisch bestimmt werden kann, weshalb semi-empirische Modelle Anwendung finden müssen. Die langwellige Ausstrahlung der Atmosphäre kann mithilfe von bodennaher Lufttemperatur und Luftfeuchte sowie zweier Bedeckungsgrad-Indizes berechnet werden, welche die langwelligen Strahlungseigenschaften der Atmosphäre auf der Basis der vorhandenen kurzwelligen Strahlungsstromdichten beschreiben. Damit wird erstmals ein umfassendes Modell für die langwellige Strahlungsbilanz vorgelegt, welches alle Möglichkeiten der Datenverfügbarkeit berücksichtigt. Die Berechnung der Schlagregenstromdichte auf ein Bauteil kann mit den meisten vorliegenden semi-empirischen Modellen nur sehr ungenau erfolgen. Andere Verfahren, wie z.B. CFD-Simulationen, kommen wegen des beträchtlichen Aufwands meist nicht in Frage. Das bislang einzige vorliegende umfassende validierte semi-empirische Modell von Blocken kann durch die Berücksichtigung der mesoklimatischen Verhältnisse in seiner Genauigkeit verbessert werden. / Sustainable architecture requires new building design, innovative constructions and the use of newly developed building materials. In order to determine the risk of moisture-related damages, computer programs for hygrothermal building part simulation are being used. If one develops such a simulation program, correct modelling of climatic boundary conditions plays an important role. When calculating the shortwave solar radiation flux density at an arbitrary building part on the basis of the shortwave solar radiation flux density on the horizontal surface, one must take into consideration the orientation and the inclination of the building part in order to preclude self-shading. The presented integral model allows the calculation and the programming in a hygrothermal simulation program. If only measured values of global radiation flux density are available, direct and diffuse parts can be determined very precisely by means of validated models. When calculating the longwave radiation balance on a building part, the needed values for the correct determination of atmospheric longwave radiation are hardly available. That’s why semi-empirical models will be applied. The longwave radiation flux density of the atmosphere can be determined on the basis of near-ground temperature and relative humidity and two cloud cover indices, which describe the longwave irradiative properties of the atmosphere by means of available shortwave radiation flux densities. Therewith, firstly an integral model is being presented in order to determine longwave radiation balance, which considers all possibilities of data availability. Most models for determination of driving rain load work with very bad accuracy. Other methods such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are not possible for hygrothermal building part simulations because of the huge effort. The only fully validated semi-empirical model by Blocken can be improved, if meso-climatic boundary conditions are taken into consideration.

The representation of high-latitude surface processes and quantifying surface-climate feedbacks are some of the most serious shortcomings of present day Arctic land surface modelling. The energy balance of seasonally snow-covered sparse deciduous forests at high latitudes is poorly understood and inaccurately represented within hydrological and climate models. Snow cover plays an important role in wintertime fluxes of energy, water and carbon, controlling the length of the active growing season and hence the overall carbon balance of Arctic ecosystems. Snow cover is non-uniform and spatially variable, as wind redistributes snow from areas of exposed open tundra to sheltered areas within the forest, where a deeper snowpack develops. Low solar zenith angles, coupled with sparse deciduous leafless trees, cast shadows across the snow surface. The spatial distribution of canopy gaps determines the timing of direct radiation which penetrates down through the canopy to the snow surface. The forest canopy also excludes incoming longwave radiation and yet also emits longwave radiation to the snow surface. Consequently the forest canopy plays a key role in the radiation balance of sparse forests. To improve our knowledge of these complex processes, meteorological and field observations were taken in an area of highly heterogeneous birch Betula pubescens ssp. czerepanovii forest in Abisko, Sweden during the spring of 2008 and 2009. Detailed measurements of short and longwave radiation above and below the canopy, hemispherical photographs, tree temperatures and snow surveys were conducted to quantify the radiation balance of the sparse deciduous forest. An array of below canopy pyranometers found the mean canopy transmissivity to be 74 % in 2008 and 76 % in 2009. Hemispherical photographs taken at the pyranometer locations analysed with Gap Light Analyzer (GLA) showed reasonable agreement with a mean canopy transmissivity of 75 % in 2008 and 74 % in 2009. The canopy transmissivity was found to be independent of the diffuse fraction of radiation as the canopy is very sparse. A series of survey grids and transects were established to scale up from the below canopy pyranometers to the landscape scale. Hemispherical photographs analysed with GLA showed the sparse forest canopy had a mean transmissivity of 78 % and a mean LAI of 0.25, whereas the open tundra had a mean transmissivity of 97 % and a mean LAI of < 0.01. Snow surveys showed the sparse forest snow depth to vary between 0.34 and 0.55 m, whereas the snow depth in the open tundra varied between 0.12 and 0.18 m. Observations of canopy temperatures showed a strong influence of incident shortwave radiation warming the tree branches to temperatures up to 15 °C warmer than ambient air temperature on the south facing sides of the trees, and up to 6 °C on the north facing sides of the trees. To reproduce the observed radiation balance, two canopy models (Homogenous and Clumped) were developed. The Homogeneous canopy model assumes a single tree tile with a uniform sparse canopy. The Clumped canopy model assumes a tree and a grass tile, where the tree tile is permanently in shade from the canopy and the grass tile receives all the incoming radiation. These canopy models identified the need for a parameter that accounts for the spatial and temporal variation of the shaded gaps within the sparse forest. JULES (Joint UK Land Environment Simulator) is the community land surface model used in the UK Hadley Centre GCM suite. Modifications of the land-surface interactions were included in JULES to represent the shaded gaps within the sparse deciduous forest. New parameterisations were developed for the time-varying sunlit fractions of the gap (flit), the sky-view fraction (fv), and the longwave radiation emitted from the canopy (LWtree). These model developments were informed by field observations of the forest canopy and evaluated against the below canopy short and longwave radiation observed data sets. The JULES Shaded gap model output showed a strong positive relationship with the observations of below canopy shortwave and longwave radiation. The JULES Shaded gap model improves the ratio of observed to modelled short and longwave radiation on sunny days compared to the JULES model. The JULES Shaded gap model reduces the time to snow melt by 2 to 4 days compared to the JULES model, making the model output more aligned with in-situ observational data. This shortening of the modelled snow-season directly impacts on the simulated carbon and water balance regionally and has wider relevance at the pan-Arctic scale. When JULES Shaded Gap was evaluated on the global scale, it improved the modelled snowmass across large areas of sparse forest in northern Canada, Scandinavia and Northern Russia with respect to GlobSnow. The performance of the land surface-snow-vegetation interactions of JULES was improved by using the Shaded gap to model the radiation balance of sparse forests in climate-sensitive Arctic regions. Furthermore these observational data can be used to develop and evaluate high latitude land-surface processes and biogeochemical feedbacks in other earth system models.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T14:25:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_guilherme_reinke.pdf: 5244899 bytes, checksum: 883a2f12008ef21f2da3eb9001e720b6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-03-13 / The main objective of the study was to obtain the relation between Pacific and Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomalies and Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) anomalies in South America (SA) and, moreover, evaluate the relationship of rainfall in Brazil to SST. Data from reanalysis of SST and OLR of the NCEP/NCAR were used, between the months of October and March of the period from 1982 to 2007, which was applied the statistical technique of Principal Components (PC), allowing the study of the correlation between the two variables. Data of precipitation of 691 stations in Brazil, obtained from the Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET), Agência Nacional de Águas (ANA) and Fundação Estadual de Pesquisa Agropecuária (FEPAGRO), were correlated with the scores of the SST and were used to prepare the rainfall climatology in the country, which enabled the understanding of the rainfall regime in spring and summer. Finally, a model was developed to forecast of the rainfall in Brazil with two months for advance, between December and March, using as predictors the first five scores of the SST. The correlations between the PC1 of the SST and the PC1 of the OLR shown to be significants at 1%, where the PC1 of SST is related with the ENSO pattern, showing in October: desintensification or intensification of convection in central and southern of Argentina; November: opposite pattern of OLR anomalies between south of Brazil and the area of activity of the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ); January: reduction or increase of convection in the northwestern of SA; December, February and March: intensification or desintensification of convection associated with the Bolivian High, and also in north of the North and Northeast Regions of Brazil. Moreover, in all months of the study, the PC2 of the SST showed the indication of a dipole pattern between the Central and Equatorial Atlantic adjacent to the northeastern coast of Brazil, and South Atlantic, in middle latitudes. In October, November and March, OLR anomalies areas associated with a pattern of more oceanic SACZ seem to be directly related to a strong gradient of SST anomalies, with positive anomalies in the northeast coast of Brazil and negative anomalies on the south-southeast coast of the country. When it was of the SST with the rainfall in Brazil, it was found in the months of November, December and January, similar patterns seen in the correlations between the SST and OLR. In the four months in which the model was applied to predict the rainfall, it was noted that South and Northeast regions of Brazil have the best potential for forecasting. / O principal objetivo do estudo foi obter a relação entre anomalias de Temperatura da Superfície do Mar (TSM) dos Oceanos Pacífico e Atlântico e anomalias de Radiação de Onda Longa (ROL) na América do Sul (AS) e, além disso, avaliar a relação da TSM com a precipitação no Brasil. Foram utilizados dados de reanálises de TSM e ROL do NCEP/NCAR, entre os meses de outubro a março do período de 1982 até 2007, aos quais foi aplicada a técnica estatística de Componentes Principais (CP), possibilitando o estudo da correlação entre as duas variáveis. Dados de precipitação de 691 estações no Brasil, obtidos junto ao Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET), Agência Nacional de Águas (ANA) e Fundação Estadual de Pesquisa Agropecuária (FEPAGRO), foram correlacionados com os escores da TSM e usados na elaboração da climatologia da precipitação no país, que permitiu um entendimento do regime de chuvas nos períodos de primavera e verão. Por fim, foi desenvolvido um modelo de previsão da precipitação no Brasil com dois meses de antecedência, entre dezembro e março, usando como preditores os cinco primeiros escores da TSM. As correlações entre a CP1 da TSM e a CP1 da ROL mostraram ser significativas a 1%, em que a CP1 da TSM está relacionada com o padrão ENOS, apresentando em outubro: intensificação ou desintensificação da convecção no centro e sul da Argentina; novembro: padrão oposto de anomalias de ROL entre o Sul do Brasil e a área de atuação da Zona de Convergência do Atlântico Sul (ZCAS); janeiro: redução ou aumento da convecção no noroeste da AS; dezembro, fevereiro e março: intensificação ou desintensificação da convecção associada à Alta da Bolívia e, também, no norte das Regiões Norte e Nordeste do Brasil. Além disso, em todos os meses do estudo, a CP2 da TSM mostrou no Oceano Atlântico a indicação de um padrão de dipolo entre o Atlântico Equatorial e Central adjacente à costa Nordeste do Brasil, e o Atlântico Sul, em latitudes médias. Em outubro, novembro e março, áreas de anomalias de ROL associadas com um padrão de ZCAS mais oceânica parecem estar diretamente relacionadas com um forte gradiente de anomalias de TSM, com anomalias positivas na costa nordeste do Brasil e negativas na costa Sul-Sudeste do país. Ao relacionar a TSM com a precipitação no Brasil foram encontrados nos meses de novembro, dezembro e janeiro, padrões semelhantes aos vistos nas correlações entre a TSM e ROL. Nos quatro meses em que foi aplicado o modelo de previsão da precipitação, pôde-se notar que as Regiões Sul e Nordeste do Brasil apresentam os melhores potenciais para a previsão.

Nachhaltige Architektur erfordert neue Bauformen, innovative Konstruktionen und die Verwendung neuartiger Baumaterialien. Zur Abschätzung des Risikos von feuchtebedingten Schäden finden Programme der hygrothermischen Bauteilsimulation Anwendung. Bei der Entwicklung solcher Simulationsprogramme spielt die korrekte Modellierung der Klimarandbedingungen eine entscheidende Rolle. Beim Übergang von der kurzwelligen horizontalen Strahlungsstromdichte auf die kurzwellige Strahlungsstromdichte eines beliebigen Bauteils müssen Himmelsrichtung der Flächennormalen und die Neigung des Bauteils zum Ausschluss von Eigenverschattung berücksichtigt werden. Das dargestellte integrale Modell erlaubt die Berechnung und Programmierung in einem hygrothermischen Simulationsprogramm. Für den Fall, dass nur Messwerte der globalen Strahlungsstromdichte zur Verfügung stehen, können die direkten und diffusen Anteile mithilfe geeigneter Modelle mit einer sehr guten Genauigkeit berechnet werden. Zur Berechnung der langwelligen Strahlungsbilanz eines Bauteils stehen nur selten jene Klimaparameter zur Verfügung, mit denen die atmosphärische langwellige Strahlungsflussdichte analytisch bestimmt werden kann, weshalb semi-empirische Modelle Anwendung finden müssen. Die langwellige Ausstrahlung der Atmosphäre kann mithilfe von bodennaher Lufttemperatur und Luftfeuchte sowie zweier Bedeckungsgrad-Indizes berechnet werden, welche die langwelligen Strahlungseigenschaften der Atmosphäre auf der Basis der vorhandenen kurzwelligen Strahlungsstromdichten beschreiben. Damit wird erstmals ein umfassendes Modell für die langwellige Strahlungsbilanz vorgelegt, welches alle Möglichkeiten der Datenverfügbarkeit berücksichtigt. Die Berechnung der Schlagregenstromdichte auf ein Bauteil kann mit den meisten vorliegenden semi-empirischen Modellen nur sehr ungenau erfolgen. Andere Verfahren, wie z.B. CFD-Simulationen, kommen wegen des beträchtlichen Aufwands meist nicht in Frage. Das bislang einzige vorliegende umfassende validierte semi-empirische Modell von Blocken kann durch die Berücksichtigung der mesoklimatischen Verhältnisse in seiner Genauigkeit verbessert werden. / Sustainable architecture requires new building design, innovative constructions and the use of newly developed building materials. In order to determine the risk of moisture-related damages, computer programs for hygrothermal building part simulation are being used. If one develops such a simulation program, correct modelling of climatic boundary conditions plays an important role. When calculating the shortwave solar radiation flux density at an arbitrary building part on the basis of the shortwave solar radiation flux density on the horizontal surface, one must take into consideration the orientation and the inclination of the building part in order to preclude self-shading. The presented integral model allows the calculation and the programming in a hygrothermal simulation program. If only measured values of global radiation flux density are available, direct and diffuse parts can be determined very precisely by means of validated models. When calculating the longwave radiation balance on a building part, the needed values for the correct determination of atmospheric longwave radiation are hardly available. That’s why semi-empirical models will be applied. The longwave radiation flux density of the atmosphere can be determined on the basis of near-ground temperature and relative humidity and two cloud cover indices, which describe the longwave irradiative properties of the atmosphere by means of available shortwave radiation flux densities. Therewith, firstly an integral model is being presented in order to determine longwave radiation balance, which considers all possibilities of data availability. Most models for determination of driving rain load work with very bad accuracy. Other methods such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are not possible for hygrothermal building part simulations because of the huge effort. The only fully validated semi-empirical model by Blocken can be improved, if meso-climatic boundary conditions are taken into consideration.