Abstract

Clouds are ubiquitous: they arise for every solar system planet that possesses an atmosphere and are likely a leading mechanism for obscuring spectral features in exoplanet observations. As observational capabilities continue to improve, there is need for computationally efficient planetary climate models that appropriately handle cloudy atmospheric environments that arise on these worlds. We generate a new 1D radiative-convective terrestrial planet climate model that self-consistently handles patchy clouds through a parameterized microphysical treatment of condensation and sedimentation processes. Our model is general enough to recreate Earth's atmospheric radiative environment without overparameterization, while also maintaining a simple implementation that is applicable to a wide range of atmospheric compositions and physical planetary properties. After validating this newly developed climate model against Earth, we explore the climatic effects of clouds on the inner edge of the Habitable Zone.