Remote Sensing of Namibian Marine Stratocumulus Clouds

摘要

The role of clouds in the Earth's radiation budget is considered a high priority in climate studies. Clouds can act to warm (high, cold, thin clouds) or cool (low, warm, thick clouds) the Earth-atmosphere system. Of special interest in the latter category are the extensive semi-permanent boundary layer Stratocumulus cloud decks located offshore the west coasts of the continents. In the case of southern Africa, such stratus is associated with upwelling from the Benguela current While other marine Stratocumulus regimes have been the object of numerous experimental and satellite studies, Stratocumulus off the Namibian coast has received little attention. Existing analyses of southern Africa continental and marine Stratocumulus clouds are presented, including climatologies and cloud parameter remote sensing results. Future satellite and field work efforts are also discussed.