The Role and Treatment of Clouds in Atmospheric Models Dr. Mark Jacobson Civil Engineering, Stanford University Abstract Clouds in the atmosphere affect the surface energy balance, the rate of gas and particle transport from the boundary layer to the free troposphere or ground, rates of photochemical reactions, and rates of change of ambient momentum, temperature, and moisture.
Numerical models simulate clouds explicitly or with a cumulus parameterization.
Models of both types usually treat microphysics in a simplified manner to save computer time, but some models treat microphysics in detail. The effects of clouds and cloud condensation nuclei on temperatures and on rates of chemical reactions in the atmosphere are also examined.