Band-by-band spectral radiative kernels based on the ERA5 reanalysis

Area of Science:

• Climate Science
• Atmospheric Physics
• Earth System Science

Background:

• Radiative kernels are essential for diagnosing radiation variability and climate feedback.
• Existing broadband flux kernels lack crucial spectral information, limiting detailed analysis.
• There is a growing scientific interest in spectral changes within the Earth's radiation budget.

Purpose of the Study:

• To generate a novel set of band-by-band radiative kernels with spectral information.
• To enable the analysis of spectrally decomposed radiation changes at the top of atmosphere, surface, and atmosphere.
• To demonstrate the utility of these new kernels in climate model analysis.

Main Methods:

• Development of band-by-band radiative kernels utilizing the ERA5 (fifth generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) reanalysis dataset.
• Comparison of radiative sensitivity from the new ERA5 kernels with an existing spectral kernel.
• Validation through a spectral radiation closure test.
• Application in analyzing spectral feedbacks from an ensemble of global climate models (GCMs).

Main Results:

• Successfully generated new ERA5 band-by-band radiative kernels incorporating spectral information.
• Demonstrated the radiative sensitivity quantified by the new kernels through comparison and validation.
• Showcased the practical benefits of the ERA5 kernels in analyzing spectral feedbacks from GCMs.

Conclusions:

• The new ERA5 band-by-band radiative kernels provide valuable spectral detail for radiation budget analysis.
• These kernels enhance the diagnosis of climate feedback by offering spectrally decomposed insights.
• The developed kernels are a significant advancement for climate modeling and Earth radiation budget research.