A Decade of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer: Is a Solar-Cloud Link Detectable?

作者：Laken Benjamin^*; Palle Enric; Miyahara Hiroko

来源：Journal of Climate, 2012, 25(13): 4430-4440.

DOI：10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00306.1

Based on the results of decadal correlation studies between the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project detected cloud anomalies and the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) flux, it has been suggested that a relationship exists between solar activity and cloud cover. If valid, such a relationship could have important implications for scientists%26apos; understanding of recent climate change. In this work, an analysis of the first decade of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-detected cloud anomalies are presented, and the data at global and local geographical resolutions to total solar irradiance (TSI), OCR variations, and the multivariate El Nino-Southern Oscillation index are compared. The study identities no statistically significant correlations between cloud anomalies and TSI/GCR variations, and concludes that solar-related variability is not a primary driver of monthly to annual MODIS cloud variability. The authors observe a net increase in cloud detected by MODIS over the past decade of similar to 0.58%, arising from a combination of a reduction in high- to midlevel cloud (-0.31%) and an increase in low-level cloud (0.89%); these long-term changes may be largely attributed to ENSO-induced cloud variability.

• 出版日期2012-7-1