High resolution modeling of boundary layer clouds

Jan Kazil (1,2), Graham Feingold (2)

Abstract
The abundance and reflectivity of boundary layer clouds are key factors that control Earth's climate, and a leading source of uncertainty in climate projections. The uncertainty arises in part from climate models not resolving (mechanistically representing) the processes that govern boundary layer clouds. High resolution simulations (~10-300 m resolution) of cloud processes begin to fill the gap in understanding. We give an overview of our fully coupled, high resolution simulations of boundary layer clouds over the oceans.