Observations made during the 1987 El NiƱo show that in the upper range of sea surface temperatures, the greenhouse effect increases with surface temperature at a rate which exceeds the rate at which radiation is being emitted from the surface. In response to this 'super greenhouse effect', highly reflective cirrus clouds are produced which act like a
thermostat, shielding the ocean from solar radiation. The regulatory effect of these cirrus clouds may limit sea surface temperatures to less than 305 K.
Links:
[1] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/feature-article/thermodynamic-regulation-ocean-warming-cirrus-clouds-deduced-observations-1987-el
[2] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/author/v-ramanathan-0
[3] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/author/w-collins
[4] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/journal/nature
[5] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/global-warming
[6] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/oceans-and-seas
[7] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/el-nino
[8] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/green-house-gases
[9] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/climate-change
[10] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/climate-science