Abstract:
Tropical cirrus clouds help regulate Earth’s temperature by reflecting solar radiation and trapping outgoing longwave radiation. They form either through the detrainment of ice from deep convection (anvil clouds) or ice nucleation induced by gravity waves at very cold temperatures. However, how these clouds will respond to climate warming remains highly uncertain. Small-scale processes shape anvil cloud lifecycles, influencing their spreading and thinning, yet their impact on climate feedbacks is not well understood.
In this talk, I will present recent findings on how anvil clouds may change in a warming world and their implications for climate sensitivity. I will discuss possible mechanisms driving these changes and conclude with ideas on how to better constrain them.
What is the Joint Oslo Seminar (JOS):
- Atmospheric and climate sciences have a stronghold in Oslo among the four institutions University of Oslo, the Meteorological Institute, CICERO and NILU.
- This joint seminar invites renowned international experts to contribute to an informal series of lectures, meant to create interaction with the Oslo atmospheric and climate science community on recent highlights and analysis in the field.
- Normally seminars will be held on Thursdays (12:15 pm -1pm).