Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Cloud Cover and Fog Inundation in Coastal California: Ecological Implications

Earth Interactions

BharatRastogi¹ 

关键词: Circulation/dynamics;    Atmosphere–ocean interaction;    Cloud cover;    Atmosphere/ocean structure/phenomena;    Fog;    Vegetation;    Observational techniques and algorithms;    Radiosonde observations;    Remote sensing;   

DOI  :  10.1175/EI-D-15-0033.1

学科分类：地球科学(综合)

来源: American Geophysical Union

【 摘 要 】

AbstractThe presence of low-lying stratocumulus clouds and fog has been known to modify biophysical and ecological properties in coastal California where forests are frequently shaded by low-lying clouds or immersed in fog during otherwise warm and dry summer months. Summer fog and stratus can ameliorate summer drought stress and enhance soil water budgets and often have different spatial and temporal patterns. Here, this study uses remote sensing datasets to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of cloud cover over California’s northern Channel Islands. The authors found marine stratus to be persistent from May to September across the years 2001–12. Stratus clouds were both most frequent and had the greatest spatial extent in July. Clouds typically formed in the evening and dissipated by the following early afternoon. This study presents a novel method to downscale satellite imagery using atmospheric observations and discriminate patterns of fog from those of stratus and help explain patterns of...

【 授权许可】

Unknown