Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 4: Problem 7

What role do clouds play in the Earth-atmosphere radiation balance? Is cloud type important? Compare high, thin cirrus clouds and lower, thick stratus clouds.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Overall, clouds play a crucial role in the Earth-atmosphere radiation balance by reflecting sunlight and trapping heat. The cloud type is important as high, thin cirrus clouds generally have a net warming effect due to their altitude and transparency, whereas lower, thick stratus clouds have a net cooling effect due to their high reflectivity.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the role of Clouds

Clouds play a crucial role in the Earth-atmosphere radiation balance. They reflect sunlight back into space, thereby reducing the amount of solar energy reaching the Earth's surface and causing a cooling effect. Simultaneously, they absorb and re-emit the heat radiating from the Earth's surface, which traps heat in the atmosphere and causes a warming effect. This dual role of clouds makes the Earth-atmosphere radiation balance complex.
02

Impact of High, Thin Cirrus Clouds

Cirrus clouds are high and thin. They predominantly have a warming effect because they are more transparent to solar radiation and more effective at trapping outgoing longwave radiation due to their high altitude. As a result, they allow a large portion of the sunlight to reach the Earth's surface while keeping some of the Earth's radiated heat from escaping into space.
03

Impact of Lower, Thick Stratus Clouds

Stratus clouds, on the other hand, are lower and often much thicker than cirrus clouds. Due to their increased thickness and reflectivity, they are more effective at reflecting incoming solar radiation back into space. Consequently, they have a more significant cooling effect as they prevent a large amount of sunlight from reaching the Earth's surface.
04

Cloud Type Importance

The type of cloud therefore significantly impacts the Earth-atmosphere radiation balance. Thick, lower clouds like Stratus tend to have a net cooling effect due to their high reflectivity. Conversely, thin, high clouds like Cirrus clouds tend to have a net warming effect because they trap more outgoing longwave radiation.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

What is the basis for the urban heat island concept? Describe the climatic effects attributable to urban as compared with nonurban environments.

What are the similarities and differences between an actuz greenhouse and the gaseous atmospheric greenhouse? Why is Earth's greenhouse effect changing?

In what way does the presence of sulfate aerosols affect solar radiation received at ground level? How does it affect cloud formation?

Diagram a simple energy balance for the troposphere. Label each shortwave and longwave component and the directional aspects of related flows.

What are the expenditure pathways for surface net radiation? What kind of work is accomplished?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Geography Textbooks

Sustainable Urban Development

Read Explanation

Regenerating Places

Read Explanation

Water Cycle

Read Explanation

Diverse Places

Read Explanation

Dynamic Landscapes

Read Explanation

Changing Economic World

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free