Quality controlled radiometer data from Macquarie Island, 2016-2018

Quality controlled data from the radiometers and All-Sky camera on Macquarie Island from the 2016-18 campaignSite Macquarie Island Latitude -54.4996 Longitude 158.9437 UT offset +10 hours.All data in UTC.Radiometer data scaled to Watts per square meter All-Sky camera images interpreted to cloud fraction R data frames and .csv versions are equivalent.Clouds and their radiative effects have very large uncertainties in present climate models and their quantification continues to be a challenge. The inadequate representation of clouds and moist convection in climate models is the main limitation in current representations of the climate system. Large biases in shortwave radiation and sea surface temperatures in the Southern Ocean are characteristic of most models. These biases are due to an incorrect microphysical representation of clouds in models, in particular the ability to simulate sufficient low-level clouds. We will deploy a suite of instruments to Macquarie Island and then to Davis to characterise clouds and their effects on surface energy balance in the high southern latitudes. We will use the data collected to validate satellite cloud retrievals; evaluate weather forecasting and climate models; and aid in model development.