NASA graphic representing the distribution of solar radiation
Cloud albedo is a measure of the albedo or reflectivity of a cloud. Clouds regulate the amount of solar radiation absorbed by a planet and its solar surface irradiance. Generally, increased cloud cover correlates to a higher albedo and a lower absorption of solar energy. Cloud albedo strongly influences the Earth's energy budget, accounting for approximately half of Earth's albedo.[1][2] Cloud albedo is influenced by the conditions of cloud formation and variations in cloud albedo depend on the total mass of water, the size and shape of the droplets or particles and their distribution in space.[3] Thick clouds reflect a large amount of incoming solar radiation, translating to a high albedo. Thin clouds tend to transmit more solar radiation and, therefore, have a low albedo. Changes in cloud albedo caused by variations in cloud properties have a significant effect on global climate, having the ability to spiral into feedback loops.[3]
^Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Mueller, Richard; Trentmann, Jörg; Träger-Chatterjee, Christine; Posselt, Rebekka; Stöckli, Reto (2011). "The Role of the Effective Cloud Albedo for Climate Monitoring and Analysis". Remote Sensing. 3 (11): 2305–2320. Bibcode:2011RemS....3.2305M. doi:10.3390/rs3112305. ISSN 2072-4292.
^ abHartmann, Dennis (2016). Global Physical Climatology. Australia: Elsevier. pp. 76–78. ISBN 978-0-12-328531-7.
Cloudalbedo is a measure of the albedo or reflectivity of a cloud. Clouds regulate the amount of solar radiation absorbed by a planet and its solar surface...
Albedo (/ælˈbiːdoʊ/ al-BEE-doh; from Latin albedo 'whiteness') is the fraction of sunlight that is diffusely reflected by a body. It is measured on a...
as cloud condensation nuclei, increasing the cloudalbedo. The marine environment has a deficit of cloud condensation nuclei due to lower levels of dust...
increasing temperature. This interaction thus lowers cloudalbedo through decreasing CCN-induced cloud formations and increases the solar radiation allowed...
increased albedo Marine cloud brightening (MCB), which would spray fine sea water to whiten clouds and thus increase cloud reflectivity Albedo enhancement...
thickness, and this limits their use for estimating cloudalbedo or surface solar radiation receipt. Cloud oktas can also be measured using satellite imagery...
number of cloud droplets. This leads to more scattering of shortwave radiation i.e. an increase in the albedo of the cloud, known as the cloudalbedo effect...
not visible, and only clouds and other transient atmospheric phenomena are seen. The Cassini–Huygens probe observed multiple albedo features on Titan after...
contribute to the population of cloud condensation nuclei, mostly leading to increased cloud cover and cloudalbedo according to the so-called CLAW hypothesis...
domain, cloudalbedo is directly related to the nature, size and shape of cloud particles, which themselves are affected by the height of the cloud top....
low-level cloud cover to become more widespread, then these clouds will increase planetary albedo and contribute to cooling, making the overall cloud feedback...
depth of the cloud, which results in an increase in the cloudalbedo making clouds appear whiter. Satellite imagery often shows trails of cloud, or of enhanced...
solar radiation reflected by the cloud systems, earth surface and atmosphere, as well as directly decreasing cloudalbedo with black carbon contamination...
longevity of marine stratocumulus clouds. This would lead to increased cloudalbedo on a regional to global scale, and a cooling effect on the atmosphere...
wavelength data to measure realtime localised rainfall by estimating cloudalbedo, water content, and the corresponding probability of rain. Geographic...
revealed that approximately 25% had a lower cloudalbedo (reflectivity) than the surrounding unpolluted clouds. These dimmer ship tracks tended to have significantly...
decline in DMS production will lead to a decrease in cloud condensation nuclei and a fall in cloudalbedo. The consequence of this will be further climate...
Stephen; Sortino, Graham; Latham, John (2008). "Sea-going hardware for the cloudalbedo method of reversing global warming". Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A. 366 (1882...
decline in DMS production will lead to a decrease in cloud condensation nuclei and a fall in cloudalbedo. The consequence of this will be further climate...
astronomical factors (barycenter changes, solar variation, cosmic ray flux, cloudalbedo feedback, Milankovic cycles), and modes of heat distribution between...
scattering albedo as large as ~0.97. Due to the hygroscopy, a sea salt particle can serve as a very efficient cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), altering cloud reflectivity...
which produce more cloud cover. An increase in cloud cover leads to higher albedo, or surface reflectivity, of the Earth. As albedo increases, however...
there is a spatial negative correlation between albedo and wave‐induced altitude. Noctilucent clouds are generally colourless or pale blue, although occasionally...
reflect sunlight (as measured by cloudalbedo), and a warming effect, insofar as they absorb longwave radiation. For low clouds, the reflection of solar radiation...
Taylor, Karl E.; Ghan, Steven J. (1991). "Planktonic dimethylsulfide and cloudalbedo: An estimate of the feedback response". Climatic Change. 18 (1): 1. Bibcode:1991ClCh...
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