Role of radiative transfer in maintenance and destruction of stratocumulus clouds

A mesoscale numerical model is used to study the physical processes in the maintenance of a stratocumulus topped boundary layer. The model includes a surface energy budget, closure using a scheme based on the turbulence kinetic energy, a five category cloud physics scheme and radiative transfer. Model results demonstrate the role radiative flux divergence plays in the maintenance of a stratocumulus layer. Radiative heating and cooling of the cloud layer destabilizes the upper boundary layer and decouples that portion of the boundary layer from the surface layer. Eventually, sufficient solar radiation reaches the surface to overcome the decoupling and the cloud layer dissipates.