Cloud-radiation-hydrological interactions : measuring and modeling

The KNMI has built an environment to study clouds-radiation-hydrologic interactions for climate model development. A cloud detection system which provides high resolution cloud characteristics over an area of 100*100 km2 has been installed. Cloud fields were studied to asess the merits of the system. Observations will be used to validate parametrization schemes of clouds and radiation in climate models. Global data sets on clouds and radiation were evaluated for use in climate modeling. An environment for climate model development has been built. The climate model radiative transfer scheme has been improved with respect to atmospheric constituents which dominate the enhanced greenhouse effect. A line-by-line model has been developed to study radiative transfer with high spectral resolution.