A Better Picture of Clouds
Some of us look at clouds and see animal shapes. Scientists are looking beyond. For the first time, a team of scientists led by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory used actual measurements of clouds and the atmosphere in the polluted skies over southeast China to evaluate an oft-used climate model. They wanted to see how well the model describes the effect of tiny particles from pollution on clouds, and how those clouds influence precipitation.
Gauging Water's Future
Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Oak Ridge National Laboratory found ways to improve the capabilities of a land model within global and regional Earth system models to estimate water runoff. Accurate runoff predictions can lead to better information for managing sustainable water for personal and industrial consumption.
Driving Change in Technology
To steer an energy technology change you must understand the factors that can drive such a change. Scientists from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Maryland, working at the Joint Global Change Research Institute, found that domestic policy decisions and characteristics of the technology itself are the dominant factors in large-scale energy transitions.
The Proof is in the Clouds
For most people, clouds are just an indication of whether it's a "good" or "bad" day. A team of scientists from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that certain clouds hold the key to climate behavior prediction. The researchers improved the modeling system to simulate the way clouds interact with particles in the air.
Predicting Arctic Sea Ice Loss
Arctic clouds are strongly tied to Arctic sea ice loss. To find the strength of those ties, a team led by scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory tested a prominent climate model with observed data and found that it significantly underestimates liquid water content in specific Arctic clouds, which affects how much solar energy transfers to the sea ice. They point out the areas of bias and recommend specific improvements to reduce those shortcomings. Their study is published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.
Worldwide Water in the Balance
To study the wellspring of atmospheric water, you have to start with tropical clouds. Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory showed that global climate models are not accurately depicting the true depth and strength of tropical clouds that have a strong hold on the general circulation of atmospheric heat and the global water balance. Their analysis points to the need for model improvements to project water cycle changes in the 21st century. The research was published in the Journal of Climate.
