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The Role of Earth's Major Cloud Systems in the Hemispheric Albedo Symmetry.

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Title: The Role of Earth's Major Cloud Systems in the Hemispheric Albedo Symmetry.
Authors: Oreopoulos, Lazaros1 (AUTHOR) lazaros.oreopoulos@nasa.gov, Cho, Nayeong1,2 (AUTHOR), Lee, Dongmin1,3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Climate. Dec2025, Vol. 38 Issue 23, p7203-7215. 13p.
Subjects: Albedo, Energy budget (Geophysics), Modes of variability (Climatology), Cloudiness, Climate research, Analysis of variance
Geographic Terms: Southern Hemisphere
Abstract: We conduct an in-depth investigation of the role of major climatological cloud systems in the well-known near symmetry at multiannual scales between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere reflected solar radiation (RSR). Here, we quantify the degree of symmetry for the entirety of a recent 22-yr period while also analyzing how its interannual variability is modulated by cloud systems which we have previously termed "regimes of regimes" (RORs). By pairing RORs with monthly RSR values from the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) EBAF dataset, we elucidate how several large RSR asymmetries at the ROR level, mainly due to strong ROR hemispheric population contrasts, combine in a compensatory way to produce near symmetry at the hemispheric level. We also investigate how interannual variations of small RSR asymmetries relate to interannual asymmetry variations at the ROR level, which we also find to be mainly because of trends in ROR populations. Overall, we find statistically significant darkening in both hemispheres but have lower confidence in the darkening's hemispheric contrast. Finally, we probe the role of the complementary symmetry in absorbed solar radiation (ASR), and specifically of its atmospheric component, in the broader context of hemispheric energetics. Our analysis sheds light on the role of major global cloud systems in modulating the mean state and variability of the equitable contribution of the two hemispheres to the global RSR. Significance Statement: The nearly equal amounts of solar energy reflected by Earth's two hemispheres on a multiannual basis are a well-observed aspect of the planet's energetics, but its significance remains unexplained. While the role of clouds in this phenomenon has been previously investigated, this work goes into more detail in investigating it with the help of a new classification of cloud systems. We find that even if the prevailing systems differ between the two hemispheres, the uneven contributions to reflected solar radiation cancel each other almost exactly to produce symmetric reflected solar energy, while other components of the energy budget are asymmetric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Climate is the property of American Meteorological Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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DbLabel: Engineering Source
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The Role of Earth's Major Cloud Systems in the Hemispheric Albedo Symmetry.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Oreopoulos%2C+Lazaros%22">Oreopoulos, Lazaros</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> lazaros.oreopoulos@nasa.gov</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cho%2C+Nayeong%22">Cho, Nayeong</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee%2C+Dongmin%22">Lee, Dongmin</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Climate%22">Journal of Climate</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 38 Issue 23, p7203-7215. 13p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Albedo%22">Albedo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Energy+budget+%28Geophysics%29%22">Energy budget (Geophysics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Modes+of+variability+%28Climatology%29%22">Modes of variability (Climatology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cloudiness%22">Cloudiness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Climate+research%22">Climate research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Analysis+of+variance%22">Analysis of variance</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Southern+Hemisphere%22">Southern Hemisphere</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: We conduct an in-depth investigation of the role of major climatological cloud systems in the well-known near symmetry at multiannual scales between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere reflected solar radiation (RSR). Here, we quantify the degree of symmetry for the entirety of a recent 22-yr period while also analyzing how its interannual variability is modulated by cloud systems which we have previously termed "regimes of regimes" (RORs). By pairing RORs with monthly RSR values from the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) EBAF dataset, we elucidate how several large RSR asymmetries at the ROR level, mainly due to strong ROR hemispheric population contrasts, combine in a compensatory way to produce near symmetry at the hemispheric level. We also investigate how interannual variations of small RSR asymmetries relate to interannual asymmetry variations at the ROR level, which we also find to be mainly because of trends in ROR populations. Overall, we find statistically significant darkening in both hemispheres but have lower confidence in the darkening's hemispheric contrast. Finally, we probe the role of the complementary symmetry in absorbed solar radiation (ASR), and specifically of its atmospheric component, in the broader context of hemispheric energetics. Our analysis sheds light on the role of major global cloud systems in modulating the mean state and variability of the equitable contribution of the two hemispheres to the global RSR. Significance Statement: The nearly equal amounts of solar energy reflected by Earth's two hemispheres on a multiannual basis are a well-observed aspect of the planet's energetics, but its significance remains unexplained. While the role of clouds in this phenomenon has been previously investigated, this work goes into more detail in investigating it with the help of a new classification of cloud systems. We find that even if the prevailing systems differ between the two hemispheres, the uneven contributions to reflected solar radiation cancel each other almost exactly to produce symmetric reflected solar energy, while other components of the energy budget are asymmetric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Climate is the property of American Meteorological Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=190575879
RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1175/JCLI-D-25-0242.1
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 7203
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Albedo
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Energy budget (Geophysics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Modes of variability (Climatology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cloudiness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Climate research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Analysis of variance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Southern Hemisphere
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Role of Earth's Major Cloud Systems in the Hemispheric Albedo Symmetry.
        Type: main
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          Name:
            NameFull: Oreopoulos, Lazaros
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            NameFull: Cho, Nayeong
      – PersonEntity:
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            NameFull: Lee, Dongmin
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 12
              Text: Dec2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 08948755
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              Value: 38
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              Value: 23
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Climate
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