Consider a location where the average flux of solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere is 400 W/m^2.  A cloud scatters 50% of incident solar radiation back to space, and it has an infrared absorptivity of 1.0 .Determine the temperature of the cloud top for which the combined effects of the cloud on solar and infrared radiation would cancel. Assume that the outgoing flux of infrared radiation from the cloud free atmosphere is emitted entirely from heights below the cloud top. Select one: a. -65.4\deg C b. -59.3\deg C c. -22.5\deg C d. -29.3\deg C   if it were 10 C colder, what would be the net change in radiative flux absorbed by the climate system as a result of the cloud? Does this have an impact on global climate that is warming or cooling?   What is the lowest cloud top height at which the climate would experience net positive heating? Let us assume that the troposphere has a lapse rate of 6 C per km and that the ground temperature is 30 C.

Applications and Investigations in Earth Science (9th Edition)
9th Edition
ISBN:9780134746241
Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Publisher:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
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  • Consider a location where the average flux of solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere is 400
    W/m^2.  A cloud scatters 50% of incident solar radiation back to space, and it has an infrared absorptivity of 1.0 .Determine the temperature of the cloud top for which the combined effects of the cloud on solar and infrared radiation would cancel. Assume that the outgoing flux of infrared radiation from the cloud free atmosphere is emitted entirely from heights below the cloud top.
    Select one:
    a. -65.4\deg C
    b. -59.3\deg C
    c. -22.5\deg C
    d. -29.3\deg C
     
    if it were 10 C colder, what would be the net change in radiative flux absorbed by the climate system as a result of the cloud? Does this have an impact on global climate that is warming or cooling?
     
    What is the lowest cloud top height at which the climate would experience net positive heating? Let us assume that the troposphere has a lapse rate of 6 C per km and that the ground temperature is 30 C.
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