Links between tropical congestus clouds and atmospheric infrared spectroscopy

• As a function of height, there are three maxima in spatially-averaged tropical cloud fraction.
• Observations show that tropical congestus clouds terminate at 5-6 km height.
• Decreases in clear-sky radiative cooling with height drives cloud top formation in the tropics.
• We demonstrate the existence of a mid-infrared water vapor absorption feature using a line-by-line radiative transfer model.
• This absorption feature leads to strong cooling and drives convective outflow at 5-6 km.

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