- Ref: PID2022-142708NA-I00
- Funding agency: MINISTERIO DE CIENCIA E INNOVACIÓN
- Realization: 01/09/2023 - 31/08/2026
- PIs: María José Granados Muñoz, Juan Antonio Bravo Aranda
- Researchers: Matheus Tolentino da Silva (Universidad de Granada), Diego Patrón Aguilera (Universidad de Granada), María Soledad Fernández Carvelo (Universidad de Granada), Pablo Ortiz Amezcua (Universidad de Granada), Daniel González Fernández (Universidad de Valladolid), Stefan Kneifel (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Múnich, Alemania)
Abstract
Clouds in the Earth's atmosphere are a key component influencing many aspects of human life. Clouds life cycle and properties are of particular importance for the evolution of weather and climate, as they regulate the global distribution of precipitation (influencing the hydrological cycle) and affect the Earth's radiative budget. The representation of cloud processes in climate models has been a dominant source of uncertainty in our understanding of changes in the climate system for decades. The net cloud feedback was assessed to be 0.42 [–0.10 to 0.94] Wm–2°C–1 in the last IPCC report, which implies an amplification of human-induced warming. However, the uncertainty range is still considerable. In order to increase confidence in climate projections, a thorough assessment of cloud processes and how they are assimilated in global models is still required. For this, research on cloud processes needs to be performed, by improving both the representation of clouds in models and the observational capabilities. For the latter, radars are key remote-sensors that allow for the study of cloud life cycle and their influence on radiative transfer, advancing our understanding of the role of clouds in climate. Observation networks such as CLOUDNET provide large spatial coverage in Europe. However, most of the stations are located in Northern Europe, with only two stations in the Mediterranean basin, being one of them the AGORA station in Granada (Spain). Considering that the Mediterranean basin is key for monitoring and assessing climate change, the analysis of cloud properties and its impact on precipitation and radiation is crucial in this region to account for the spatial variability of cloud processes and the specific conditions of the region. In this context, the general objective of CLOUDWATCH project is to enhance our understanding of cloud life cycle, cloud physical processes and cloud 3D structures and to estimate their impact on precipitation and radiation in the Western Mediterranean. This objective is tackled through an integrated use of advanced high-performance instrumentation operated at the AGORA station. AGORA is a unique site equipped with singular instrumentation and located in a privileged site. The state-of-the-art remote sensing equipment used in CLOUDWATCH, unique in the Iberian Peninsula and rare in Europe, can provide a relevant view on cloud structure, microphysical properties, and its relationship with radiation and precipitation. In the framework of CLOUDWATCH, both routinary cloud measurements for obtaining a long-term cloud database and intensive field campaigns for a more comprehensive analysis in specific cases are performed. CLOUDWATCH takes advantage of the multiwavelength Raman lidar with dual field-of-view ALHAMBRA and the multifrequency scanning Doppler cloud radar with depolarization NEBULA, in combination with additional ancillary remote sensors. The study of 3D structure using the radar scanning capabilities is key since it allows better cloud parameterizations for cloud resolving models and a better understanding of precipitation compared to traditional 1D measurements in the zenithal direction. Since observational cloud research is challenging due to its fast holistic evolution this multi-instrumental exploration allows us to establish relationships between cloud 3D structure and its microphysics and precipitation and radiation.