Clouds reflect incoming solar radiation and intercept outgoing longwave radiation, having a large potential impact on climate. On the other hand, climate changes influence global cloud distributions and cloud properties.

To understand the important roles of cloud-climate interactions, we must define the radiative characteristics and physical processes of clouds.

1)Aircraft observations and ground-based observations of aerosol and cloud structures and radiative properties for various cloud types.

2)Analysis of satellite data on cloud distributions, cloud heights, cloud sizes and shapes, and types of clouds on a global scale.

3)Numerical modeling study of the radiative effects of aerosol and clouds

Airborne Cloud-Radiation Observing System (ACROS) for aircraft (Beechcraft B200 Super King Air: B200) experiments (left picture). Cloud mycrophysics probes (PMS FSSP100, DMT CAPS, and King hot wire) and temperature sensor installed on B200 (right picture).

Ground observation in Miyako-jima

International Projects

1) Aeolian Dust Experiment on Climate impact (ADEC)

2) Asian Atmospheric Particulate Environmental Change Experiment (APEX)

Japanese Cloud-Climate Study (JACCS)

The Third Laboratory was in charge of the executive office of the Japanese Cloud-Climate Study (JACCS) program that was a decade-long (FY1991-1999) climate research program sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.