We all agree that clouds add beauty and interest to the sky – but what about the clouds we can’t see?

Sub-visible cirrus clouds cover approximately 80% of the tropical Western Pacific but are too faint to be seen from the ground. Scientists need Lidar (laser-based radar) and other instruments to track them although they may be seen edge-on as a faint presence from the air.

As these clouds are not currently used in models for climate change meteorologists need to answer the question of how these huge, invisible clouds affect infra-red radiation.

Read the full article on Subvisible Clouds on the Guardian website.