1-13: Impact of Clouds on the Radiation Balance

Importance of this Unit to the Course

Clouds are a part of the hydrological cycle as described in a previous unit, and they reflect and absorb energy as described the unit on the energy balance. These factors mean that clouds will play a critical role in climate and our ability to make models of climate as will be discussed in Block 2.

Objectives

To examine how clouds lead to both warming and cooling in the climate system.
To review the satellite observations of cloud cover and global patterns of heating and cooling.

Preparation for Discussion (You must complete this section before class.)

Read the summary information. (Print text for offline review; images only.)

Take the Quiz

Review additional reading material (this material is not covered in the quiz, but offers more ideas for online discussion)

Discussion (online / face-to-face) (See your portfolio for due dates and times)

A major component of the course is participation in the online dialog. The following types of comments are required:

Social Comments
Knowledge-building Comments
Ethical Comments

The following may be used as discussion starters for the online dialog:

Unit Problem to Ponder:

Why can some clouds cause global cooling and others cause global warming?
Unit exam questions from previous years
Unit discussions from previous years, available from the current online discussion

Additional Reading