Improved Cloud-Radiation Parameterization for GCMs through the ARM Program. Final Progress Report

Climate sensitivity is an important determinant of climate change. In terms of global climate response, climate sensitivity determines the magnitude of climate change due to radiative forcings by greenhouse gases. The IPCC reports have pointed out that much of the uncertainty in climate projections can be attributed to the disparity in modeled climate sensitivity. Thus, it is imperative to understand the magnitude of climate sensitivity for a given model, and an understanding of what role physical processes play in determining the models particular climate sensitivity.