Parameterization for narrow band shortwave optical properties of water clouds

Based on the drop size distribution models built from the observational data of microphysical properties of water clouds, the relationships between the optical properties and microphysical characteristics of water clouds have been investigated, and some different parameterization schemes of cloud optical properties have been analyzed. It is found that with the parameterization scheme, in addition to the equivalent radius, also including the mean radius of cloud droplet size distribution, the role of small cloud drops might be able to be considered more properly and better accuracies of parameterization calculation of cloud optical properties can be obtained, compared with that of using only the equivalent radius as parameter.