As a result, in some cases the range of discrepancies in model results became smaller. However, the main conclusions of the workshop report remained intact. Thus, no present-day model furnishes a reliable standard by which to judge other models, nor are appropriate data available. However, there is a large variation among the band models. The disagreements are worst for single absorbing gas atmospheres, indicating that the better agreement found in the all-gas cases is partly accidental.
Comparisons are still in progress for vertical profiles of radiative heating rates.
Disagreements in radiative heating rates are expected to be larger than for fluxes, because heating rate is the derivative of flux and taking derivatives magnifies errors. Thus, modelers must rely on empirical formulations based on laboratory measurements. Almost all radiation modelers use the empirical continuum formulation of Roberts et al. The adjustments to the self-broadened water vapor coefficients are within the uncertainty of the radiosonde observations. Nevertheless, the results displayed in Figure 6 illustrate the continuing uncertainty about the accuracy of present-day empirical formulations of the continuum and about how to interpret the measurements on which they are based.