Seminar

Abstract

Marine boundary layer clouds play an important role in regulating Earth's albedo. Their structure and evolution are governed by a subtle balance between dynamical factors, aerosols, precipitation, and radiation. Such a complex nature positions marine boundary layer clouds at the heart of climate projection uncertainty, and calls for better constrained observations in all aspects. In this talk, I will focus on the advances in observing near-cloud aerosols and reconstructing three-dimensional (3D) clouds using satellite measurements. Importantly, their implications for radiative forcing estimates and process studies will be discussed. I will also share recent progress on 3D radiative transfer using machine learning techniques that are intended for use by the modeling and remote sensing communities.

---

Christine Chiu is a Professor at the Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University. Prior to joining CSU, she was an Associate Professor at the Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, United Kingdom, a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland–Baltimore County, and an Associated Scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Christine has extensive experience in remote sensing and radiative transfer. She has been working on retrievals for cloud, precipitation, and aerosols; aerosol-cloud-precipitation interactions; and machine learning applications in cloud processes and radiative transfer. Christine is currently serving as the Chair of the Cloud and Precipitation Measurements and Science Group for the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility, co-Chair of DOE ASR Warm Boundary Layer Processes Working Group, and a member of the International Radiation Commission and the Hyperspectral Imaging and Sounding of the Environment Program Committee.