Articles | Volume 19, issue 15
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-10423-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-10423-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Variability in vertical structure of precipitation with sea surface temperature over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal as inferred by Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission precipitation radar measurements
Department of Earth and Climate Science,
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER),
Tirupati 517507, India
Basivi Radhakrishna
National Atmospheric Research Laboratory, Department of Space, Government of India, Gadanki 517112, India
Thota Narayana Rao
National Atmospheric Research Laboratory, Department of Space, Government of India, Gadanki 517112, India
Sreedharan Krishnakumari Satheesh
Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Indian Institute of Science,
Bangalore 560012, India
Related authors
No articles found.
Krishnakant Budhavant, Mohanan Remani Manoj, Samuel Mwaniki Gaita, Henry Holmstrand, Abdus Salam, Ahmed Muslim, Sreedharan K. Satheesh, and Orjan Gustafsson
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-104, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-104, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The South Asian Pollution Experiment-2018 utilized access to 3 strategically located atmospheric receptor observatories. These observational constraints revealed opposite trends during long-range transport in BC-MAC and BrC-MAC. Models estimating the climate effects of particularly BC aerosols may have underestimated the ambient BC-MAC over distant and extensive receptor areas, which could contribute to the discrepancy between aerosol absorption predicted by models constrained by observations.
Nair Krishnan Kala, Narayana Sarma Anand, Mohanan R. Manoj, Srinivasan Prasanth, Harshavardhana S. Pathak, Thara Prabhakaran, Pramod D. Safai, Krishnaswamy K. Moorthy, and Sreedharan K. Satheesh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12801–12819, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12801-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12801-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We present a 3D data set of aerosol black carbon over the Indian mainland by assimilating data from surface, aircraft, and balloon measurements, along with multi-satellite observations. Radiative transfer computations using height-resolved aerosol absorption show higher warming in the free troposphere and will have large implications for atmospheric stability. This data set will help reduce the uncertainty in aerosol radiative effects in climate model simulations over the Indian region.
Kumar Abhijeet, Thota Narayana Rao, Nidamanuri Rama Rao, and Kasimahanthi Amar Jyothi
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 871–888, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-871-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-871-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The present study focuses on retrieving and validating raindrop size distribution (DSD) relations for monsoonal rainfall, which are required for retrieving DSDs with polarimetric radar measurements. The seasonal variation in DSD is quite large and significant, and as a result the coefficients also vary considerably between the seasons and from those existing elsewhere. Among the existing DSD methods, the N-gamma method performs better than the other methods.
Basivi Radhakrishna
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6705–6722, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6705-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6705-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Raindrop size distributions (DSDs) measured by various types of disdrometers are different in the same environmental conditions. The mass-weighted mean diameter (Dm) measured from JWD is larger, and ZDR is smaller than LPM and PARSIVEL due to the resonance effect at X-band frequency. The effect of wind on DSD measured by various disdrometers is not uniform in different regions of a tropical cyclone.
Nair K. Kala, Narayana Sarma Anand, Mohanan R. Manoj, Harshavardhana S. Pathak, Krishnaswamy K. Moorthy, and Sreedharan K. Satheesh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 6067–6085, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6067-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6067-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We present the 3-D distribution of atmospheric aerosols and highlight its variation with respect to longitudes over the Indian mainland and the surrounding oceans using long-term satellite observations and realistic synthesised data. The atmospheric heating due to the 3-D distribution of aerosols is estimated using radiative transfer calculations. We believe that our findings will have strong implications for aerosol–radiation interactions in regional climate simulations.
Archana Devi and Sreedharan K. Satheesh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5365–5376, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5365-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5365-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Global maps of aerosol absorption were generated using a multi-satellite retrieval algorithm. The retrieved values were validated with available aircraft-based measurements and compared with other global datasets. Seasonal and spatial distributions of aerosol absorption over various regions are also presented. The global maps of single scattering albedo with improved accuracy provide important input to climate models for assessing the climatic impact of aerosols on regional and global scales.
Priyanka Banerjee, Sreedharan Krishnakumari Satheesh, and Krishnaswamy Krishna Moorthy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17665–17685, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17665-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17665-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We show that the Atlantic Ocean is the major driver of interannual variability in dust over South Asia since the second decade of the 21st century. This is a shift from the previously important role played by the Pacific Ocean in controlling dust over this region. Following the end of the recent global warming hiatus, anomalies of the North Atlantic sea surface temperature have remotely invoked a weakening of the South Asian monsoon and a strengthening of the dust-bearing northwesterlies.
S. Arora, A. V. Kulkarni, P. Ghosh, and S. K. Satheesh
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLIII-B3-2021, 431–436, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B3-2021-431-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B3-2021-431-2021, 2021
Mohanan R. Manoj, Sreedharan K. Satheesh, Krishnaswamy K. Moorthy, Jamie Trembath, and Hugh Coe
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 8979–8997, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8979-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8979-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Vertical distributions of atmospheric aerosols across the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) and their ability to form clouds have been studied based on airborne measurements during the SWAAMI field campaign. The ability of the aerosols to act as cloud-forming nuclei exhibited large spatial variation across the IGP and strong seasonality with increase in this ability with increase in altitude prior to the onset of monsoon and decrease with increase in altitude during the active phase of the monsoon.
Harshavardhana Sunil Pathak, Sreedharan Krishnakumari Satheesh, Krishnaswamy Krishna Moorthy, and Ravi Shankar Nanjundiah
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14237–14252, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14237-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14237-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We have estimated the aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) by employing the assimilated, gridded aerosol datasets over the Indian region. The present ARF estimates are more accurate and certain than those estimated using the currently available, latest satellite-retrieved aerosol products. Therefore, the present ARF estimates and corresponding assimilated aerosol products emerge as potential candidates for improving the aerosol climate impact assessment at regional, subregional and seasonal scales.
Harshavardhana Sunil Pathak, Sreedharan Krishnakumari Satheesh, Ravi Shankar Nanjundiah, Krishnaswamy Krishna Moorthy, Sivaramakrishnan Lakshmivarahan, and Surendran Nair Suresh Babu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 11865–11886, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-11865-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-11865-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We have developed quality-enhanced, gridded datasets for aerosol optical depth (AOD) and absorption AOD by assimilating highly accurate measurements from the dense network of ground-based stations, with respective satellite-retrieved datasets. The assimilated datasets demonstrate improved accuracy and reduced uncertainties as compared to respective satellite products. Thus, these assimilated products emerge as important tools to improve the accuracy of climate impact assessment of aerosols.
Gaurav Govardhan, Sreedharan Krishnakumari Satheesh, Krishnaswamy Krishna Moorthy, and Ravi Nanjundiah
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 8229–8241, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-8229-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-8229-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We show substantial improvements in the near-surface BC mass concentrations simulated by a regional chemistry transport model, WRF-Chem, over the Indian region, upon scaling up the CMIP5 equivalent anthropogenic BC emissions by 3 and introducing a diurnal variation to those. The diurnality in emissions alone significantly controls the simulated near-surface BC mass concentration, with a mean delay of 3–4 h. The simulated AOD, however, is still underestimated.
James Brooks, James D. Allan, Paul I. Williams, Dantong Liu, Cathryn Fox, Jim Haywood, Justin M. Langridge, Ellie J. Highwood, Sobhan K. Kompalli, Debbie O'Sullivan, Suresh S. Babu, Sreedharan K. Satheesh, Andrew G. Turner, and Hugh Coe
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 5615–5634, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5615-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5615-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Our study, for the first time, presents measurements of aerosol chemical composition and physical characteristics across northern India in the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons of 2016 using the FAAM BAe-146 UK research aircraft. Across northern India, an elevated aerosol layer dominated by sulfate aerosol exists that diminishes with monsoon arrival. The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) boundary layer is dominated by organics, whereas outside the IGP sulfate dominates with increased scattering aerosol.
Kruthika Eswaran, Sreedharan Krishnakumari Satheesh, and Jayaraman Srinivasan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 3307–3324, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-3307-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-3307-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Multiple satellite retrieval algorithms are used to counter problems, such as cloud contamination, faced by sensors with large pixel sizes. This work uses one such algorithm to retrieve a parameter (single scattering albedo) over the oceans. It was found that the joint algorithm performed better than the original when aerosols were present near the surface. Discrepancy between the measurements was seen when elevated aerosols were present which might not have been detected by cruise instruments.
Chandrika Rajendran Hariram, Gaurav Govardhan, Mohanan Remani Manoj, Narayana Sarma Anand, Karuppiah Kannan, Sreedharan Krishnakumari Satheesh, and Krishnaswamy Krishna Moorthy
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2018-745, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2018-745, 2018
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
The knowledge on the realistic state of mixing of aerosols is inevitable for climate studies. Our paper unravels the existing uncertainties regarding the morphology and mixing state of aerosols, hitherto unexplained. To the best of our knowledge, this is a first-of-its kind study over the Indian region, coupling realistic aerosol observations, advanced spectroscopic, microscopic and image processing techniques on atmospheric aerosols at single particle resolution.
K. Sunilkumar, T. Narayana Rao, and S. Satheeshkumar
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 1719–1735, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-1719-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-1719-2016, 2016
S. Satheesh Kumar, T. Narayana Rao, and A. Taori
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 3893–3901, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3893-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3893-2015, 2015
A. Sandeep, T. N. Rao, and S. V. B. Rao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 7605–7617, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-7605-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-7605-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
The afternoon-evening transition (AET) in the atmospheric boundary layer has been studied in an integrated approach using 3 years of tower, sodar and wind profiler measurements. Such a long-term data set has been used for the first time to understand the behavior of AET. It allowed us to study the seasonal variation. In contrast to the common belief that the transition evolves from bottom to top, the present study clearly showed that the start time of transition follows top-to-bottom evolution.
Related subject area
Subject: Clouds and Precipitation | Research Activity: Remote Sensing | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Physics (physical properties and processes)
Daytime variation in the aerosol indirect effect for warm marine boundary layer clouds in the eastern North Atlantic
Technical note: Bimodal parameterizations of in situ ice cloud particle size distributions
Inter-relations of precipitation, aerosols, and clouds over Andalusia, southern Spain, revealed by the Andalusian Global ObseRvatory of the Atmosphere (AGORA)
On the relationship between mesoscale cellular convection and meteorological forcing: comparing the Southern Ocean against the North Pacific
Aerosol-related effects on the occurrence of heterogeneous ice formation over Lauder, New Zealand ∕ Aotearoa
Low-level Arctic clouds: a blind zone in our knowledge of the radiation budget
Climatologically invariant scale invariance seen in distributions of cloud horizontal sizes
Variability and properties of liquid-dominated clouds over the ice-free and sea-ice-covered Arctic Ocean
The effects of warm air intrusions in the high arctic on cirrus clouds
Asymmetries in cloud microphysical properties ascribed to sea ice leads via water vapour transport in the central Arctic
Observations of Tropical Tropopause Layer clouds from a balloon-borne lidar
Quantifying the dependence of drop spectrum width on cloud drop number concentration for cloud remote sensing
The evolution of deep convective systems and their associated cirrus outflows
Wildfire smoke triggers cirrus formation: lidar observations over the eastern Mediterranean
Rapid saturation of cloud water adjustments to shipping emissions
A Lagrangian Perspective on the Lifecycle and Cloud Radiative Effect of Deep Convective Clouds Over Africa
Sensitivities of cloud radiative effects to large-scale meteorology and aerosols from global observations
Distinct secondary ice production processes observed in radar Doppler spectra: insights from a case study
Investigating the development of clouds within marine cold-air outbreaks
Detection of large-scale cloud microphysical changes within a major shipping corridor after implementation of the International Maritime Organization 2020 fuel sulfur regulations
Examining cloud vertical structure and radiative effects from satellite retrievals and evaluation of CMIP6 scenarios
Influence of cloud microphysics schemes on weather model predictions of heavy precipitation
Convective organization and 3D structure of tropical cloud systems deduced from synergistic A-Train observations and machine learning
Seasonal controls on isolated convective storm drafts, precipitation intensity, and life cycle as observed during GoAmazon2014/5
Uncertainty in aerosol–cloud radiative forcing is driven by clean conditions
Surface-based observations of cold-air outbreak clouds during the COMBLE field campaign
Boundary layer moisture variability at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Eastern North Atlantic observatory during marine conditions
Profile-based estimated inversion strength
Characteristics of supersaturation in midlatitude cirrus clouds and their adjacent cloud-free air
Establishment of an analytical model for remote sensing of typical stratocumulus cloud profiles under various precipitation and entrainment conditions
Satellite remote sensing of regional and seasonal Arctic cooling showing a multi-decadal trend towards brighter and more liquid clouds
Microphysical processes of super typhoon Lekima (2019) and their impacts on polarimetric radar remote sensing of precipitation
The impacts of dust aerosol and convective available potential energy on precipitation vertical structure in southeastern China as seen from multisource observations
Heavy snowfall event over the Swiss Alps: did wind shear impact secondary ice production?
On the global relationship between polarimetric radio occultation differential phase shift and ice water content
Observations of microphysical properties and radiative effects of a contrail cirrus outbreak over the North Atlantic
Natural marine cloud brightening in the Southern Ocean
Distinct regional meteorological influences on low-cloud albedo susceptibility over global marine stratocumulus regions
Diurnal cycles of cloud cover and its vertical distribution over the Tibetan Plateau revealed by satellite observations, reanalysis datasets, and CMIP6 outputs
Satellite observations of seasonality and long-term trends in cirrus cloud properties over Europe: investigation of possible aviation impacts
Ice crystal characterization in cirrus clouds III: retrieval of ice crystal shape and roughness from observations of halo displays
Technical note: Identification of two ice-nucleating regimes for dust-related cirrus clouds based on the relationship between number concentrations of ice-nucleating particles and ice crystals
Highly supercooled riming and unusual triple-frequency radar signatures over McMurdo Station, Antarctica
Ice microphysical processes in the dendritic growth layer: a statistical analysis combining multi-frequency and polarimetric Doppler cloud radar observations
Observing short-timescale cloud development to constrain aerosol–cloud interactions
Exploring relations between cloud morphology, cloud phase, and cloud radiative properties in Southern Ocean's stratocumulus clouds
Observations of cold-cloud properties in the Norwegian Arctic using ground-based and spaceborne lidar
An evaluation of the liquid cloud droplet effective radius derived from MODIS, airborne remote sensing, and in situ measurements from CAMP2Ex
A Lagrangian analysis of pockets of open cells over the southeastern Pacific
The formation and composition of the Mount Everest plume in winter
Shaoyue Qiu, Xue Zheng, David Painemal, Christopher R. Terai, and Xiaoli Zhou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2913–2935, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2913-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2913-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The aerosol indirect effect (AIE) depends on cloud states, which exhibit significant diurnal variations in the northeastern Atlantic. Yet the AIE diurnal cycle remains poorly understood. Using satellite retrievals, we find a pronounced “U-shaped” diurnal variation in the AIE, which is contributed to by the transition of cloud states combined with the lagged cloud responses. This suggests that polar-orbiting satellites with overpass times at noon underestimate daytime mean values of the AIE.
Irene Bartolomé García, Odran Sourdeval, Reinhold Spang, and Martina Krämer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1699–1716, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1699-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1699-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
How many ice crystals of each size are in a cloud is a key parameter for the retrieval of cloud properties. The distribution of ice crystals is obtained from in situ measurements and used to create parameterizations that can be used when analyzing the remote-sensing data. Current parameterizations are based on data sets that do not include reliable measurements of small crystals, but in our study we use a data set that includes very small ice crystals to improve these parameterizations.
Wenyue Wang, Klemens Hocke, Leonardo Nania, Alberto Cazorla, Gloria Titos, Renaud Matthey, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Agustín Millares, and Francisco Navas-Guzmán
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1571–1585, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1571-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1571-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The south-central interior of Andalusia experiences complex precipitation patterns as a result of the semi-arid Mediterranean climate and the influence of Saharan dust. This study monitored the inter-relations between aerosols, clouds, meteorological variables, and precipitation systems using ground-based remote sensing and in situ instruments.
Francisco Lang, Steven T. Siems, Yi Huang, Tahereh Alinejadtabrizi, and Luis Ackermann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1451–1466, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1451-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1451-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Marine low-level clouds play a crucial role in the Earth's energy balance, trapping heat from the surface and reflecting sunlight back into space. These clouds are distinguishable by their large-scale spatial structures, primarily characterized as hexagonal patterns with either filled (closed) or empty (open) cells. Utilizing satellite observations, these two cloud type patterns have been categorized over the Southern Ocean and North Pacific Ocean through a pattern recognition program.
Julian Hofer, Patric Seifert, J. Ben Liley, Martin Radenz, Osamu Uchino, Isamu Morino, Tetsu Sakai, Tomohiro Nagai, and Albert Ansmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1265–1280, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1265-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1265-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
An 11-year dataset of polarization lidar observations from Lauder, New Zealand / Aotearoa, was used to distinguish the thermodynamic phase of natural clouds. The cloud dataset was separated to assess the impact of air mass origin on the frequency of heterogeneous ice formation. Ice formation efficiency in clouds above Lauder was found to be lower than in the polluted Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes but higher than in very clean and pristine environments, such as Punta Arenas in southern Chile.
Hannes Jascha Griesche, Carola Barrientos-Velasco, Hartwig Deneke, Anja Hünerbein, Patric Seifert, and Andreas Macke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 597–612, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-597-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-597-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Arctic is strongly affected by climate change and the role of clouds therein is not yet completely understood. Measurements from the Arctic expedition PS106 were used to simulate radiative fluxes with and without clouds at very low altitudes (below 165 m), and their radiative effect was calculated to be 54 Wm-2. The low heights of these clouds make them hard to observe. This study shows the importance of accurate measurements and simulations of clouds and gives suggestions for improvements.
Thomas D. DeWitt, Timothy J. Garrett, Karlie N. Rees, Corey Bois, Steven K. Krueger, and Nicolas Ferlay
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 109–122, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-109-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-109-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Viewed from space, a defining feature of Earth's atmosphere is the wide spectrum of cloud sizes. A recent study predicted the distribution of cloud sizes, and this paper compares the prediction to observations. Although there is nuance in viewing perspective, we find robust agreement with theory across different climatological conditions, including land–ocean contrasts, time of year, or latitude, suggesting a minor role for Coriolis forces, aerosol loading, or surface temperature.
Marcus Klingebiel, André Ehrlich, Elena Ruiz-Donoso, Nils Risse, Imke Schirmacher, Evelyn Jäkel, Michael Schäfer, Kevin Wolf, Mario Mech, Manuel Moser, Christiane Voigt, and Manfred Wendisch
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15289–15304, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15289-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15289-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we explain how we use aircraft measurements from two Arctic research campaigns to identify cloud properties (like droplet size) over sea-ice and ice-free ocean. To make sure that our measurements make sense, we compare them with other observations. Our results show, e.g., larger cloud droplets in early summer than in spring. Moreover, the cloud droplets are also larger over ice-free ocean than compared to sea ice. In the future, our data can be used to improve climate models.
Georgios Dekoutsidis, Martin Wirth, and Silke Groß
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2708, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2708, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Since decades the earth’s temperature has been rising. The arctic regions are warming faster. Cirrus clouds can contribute to this phenomenon. During warm air intrusions, airmasses are transported into the arctic from the mid-latitudes. The HALO-(AC)3 campaign took place to measure cirrus during intrusion events and under normal conditions. We study the two cloud types based on these measurements and find differences in their geometry, relative humidity distribution and vertical structure.
Pablo Saavedra Garfias, Heike Kalesse-Los, Luisa von Albedyll, Hannes Griesche, and Gunnar Spreen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14521–14546, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14521-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14521-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
An important Arctic climate process is the release of heat fluxes from sea ice openings to the atmosphere that influence the clouds. The characterization of this process is the objective of this study. Using synergistic observations from the MOSAiC expedition, we found that single-layer cloud properties show significant differences when clouds are coupled or decoupled to the water vapour transport which is used as physical link between the upwind sea ice openings and the cloud under observation.
Thomas Lesigne, Francois Ravetta, Aurélien Podglajen, Vincent Mariage, and Jacques Pelon
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2763, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2763, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Upper tropical clouds have a strong impact on Earth climate but are challenging to observe. We report the first long-duration observations of tropical clouds from lidars flying onboard stratospheric balloons. Comparisons with space-borne observations reveal the unique sensitivity of balloon-borne lidar to optically thin clouds. The thinnest ones have a significant coverage and lay in the uppermost troposphere, they are linked with the dehydration of air masses on their way to the stratosphere.
Matthew D. Lebsock and Mikael Witte
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14293–14305, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14293-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14293-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper evaluates measurements of cloud drop size distributions made from airplanes. We find that as the number of cloud drops increases the distribution of the cloud drop sizes narrows. The data are used to develop a simple equation that relates the drop number to the width of the drop sizes. We then use this equation to demonstrate that existing approaches to observe the drop number from satellites contain errors that can be corrected by including the new relationship.
George Horner and Edward Gryspeerdt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14239–14253, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14239-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14239-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Tropical deep convective clouds, and the thin cirrus (ice) clouds that flow out from them, are important for modulating the energy budget of the tropical atmosphere. This work uses a new method to track the evolution of the properties of these clouds across their entire lifetimes. We find these clouds cool the atmosphere in the first 6 h before switching to a warming regime after the deep convective core has dissipated, which is sustained beyond 120 h from the initial convective event.
Rodanthi-Elisavet Mamouri, Albert Ansmann, Kevin Ohneiser, Daniel A. Knopf, Argyro Nisantzi, Johannes Bühl, Ronny Engelmann, Annett Skupin, Patric Seifert, Holger Baars, Dragos Ene, Ulla Wandinger, and Diofantos Hadjimitsis
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14097–14114, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14097-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14097-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
For the first time, rather clear evidence is found that wildfire smoke particles can trigger strong cirrus formation. This finding is of importance because intensive and large wildfires may occur increasingly often in the future as climate change proceeds. Based on lidar observations in Cyprus in autumn 2020, we provide detailed insight into the cirrus formation at the tropopause in the presence of aged wildfire smoke (here, 8–9 day old Californian wildfire smoke).
Peter Manshausen, Duncan Watson-Parris, Matthew W. Christensen, Jukka-Pekka Jalkanen, and Philip Stier
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12545–12555, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12545-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12545-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol from burning fuel changes cloud properties, e.g., the number of droplets and the content of water. Here, we study how clouds respond to different amounts of shipping aerosol. Droplet numbers increase linearly with increasing aerosol over a broad range until they stop increasing, while the amount of liquid water always increases, independently of emission amount. These changes in cloud properties can make them reflect more or less sunlight, which is important for the earth's climate.
William K. Jones, Martin Stengel, and Philip Stier
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2059, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2059, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Storm clouds cover large areas of the tropics. These clouds both reflect incoming sunlight and trap heat from the atmosphere below, regulating the temperature of the tropics. Over land, storm clouds occur in the late afternoon and evening, and so exist both during the daytime and at night. Changes in this timing could upset the balance of the respective cooling and heating effects of these clouds. We find that isolated storms have a larger effect on this balance than their small size suggests.
Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Alyson Douglas, Timothy A. Myers, Peer Nowack, Philip Stier, Casey J. Wall, and Sarah Wilson Kemsley
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10775–10794, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10775-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10775-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study uses an observation-based cloud-controlling factor framework to study near-global sensitivities of cloud radiative effects to a large number of meteorological and aerosol controls. We present near-global sensitivity patterns to selected thermodynamic, dynamic, and aerosol factors and discuss the physical mechanisms underlying the derived sensitivities. Our study hopes to guide future analyses aimed at constraining cloud feedbacks and aerosol–cloud interactions.
Anne-Claire Billault-Roux, Paraskevi Georgakaki, Josué Gehring, Louis Jaffeux, Alfons Schwarzenboeck, Pierre Coutris, Athanasios Nenes, and Alexis Berne
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10207–10234, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10207-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10207-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Secondary ice production plays a key role in clouds and precipitation. In this study, we analyze radar measurements from a snowfall event in the Jura Mountains. Complex signatures are observed, which reveal that ice crystals were formed through various processes. An analysis of multi-sensor data suggests that distinct ice multiplication processes were taking place. Both the methods used and the insights gained through this case study contribute to a better understanding of snowfall microphysics.
Rebecca J. Murray-Watson, Edward Gryspeerdt, and Tom Goren
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 9365–9383, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9365-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9365-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds formed in Arctic marine cold air outbreaks undergo a distinct evolution, but the factors controlling their transition from high-coverage to broken cloud fields are poorly understood. We use satellite and reanalysis data to study how these clouds develop in time and the different influences on their evolution. The aerosol concentration is correlated with cloud break-up; more aerosol is linked to prolonged coverage and a stronger cooling effect, with implications for a more polluted Arctic.
Michael S. Diamond
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8259–8269, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8259-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8259-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Fuel sulfur regulations were implemented for ships in 2020 to improve air quality but may also accelerate global warming. We use spatial statistics and satellite retrievals to detect changes in the size of cloud droplets and find evidence for a resulting decrease in cloud brightness within a major shipping corridor after the sulfur limits went into effect. Our results confirm both that the regulations are being followed and that they are having a warming influence via their effect on clouds.
Hao Luo, Johannes Quaas, and Yong Han
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8169–8186, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8169-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8169-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds exhibit a wide range of vertical structures with varying microphysical and radiative properties. We show a global survey of spatial distribution, vertical extent and radiative effect of various classified cloud vertical structures using joint satellite observations from the new CCCM datasets during 2007–2010. Moreover, the long-term trends in CVSs are investigated based on different CMIP6 future scenarios to capture the cloud variations with different, increasing anthropogenic forcings.
Gregor Köcher, Tobias Zinner, and Christoph Knote
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6255–6269, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6255-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6255-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Polarimetric radar observations of 30 d of convective precipitation events are used to statistically analyze 5 state-of-the-art microphysics schemes of varying complexity. The frequency and area of simulated heavy-precipitation events are in some cases significantly different from those observed, depending on the microphysics scheme. Analysis of simulated particle size distributions and reflectivities shows that some schemes have problems reproducing the correct particle size distributions.
Claudia J. Stubenrauch, Giulio Mandorli, and Elisabeth Lemaitre
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5867–5884, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5867-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5867-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Organized convection leads to large convective cloud systems and intense rain and may change with a warming climate. Their complete 3D description, attained by machine learning techniques in combination with various satellite observations, together with a cloud system concept, link convection to anvil properties, while convective organization can be identified by the horizontal structure of intense rain.
Scott E. Giangrande, Thiago S. Biscaro, and John M. Peters
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5297–5316, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5297-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5297-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our study tracks thunderstorms observed during the wet and dry seasons of the Amazon Basin using weather radar. We couple this precipitation tracking with opportunistic overpasses of a wind profiler and other ground observations to add unique insights into the upwards and downwards air motions within these clouds at various stages in the storm life cycle. The results of a simple updraft model are provided to give physical explanations for observed seasonal differences.
Edward Gryspeerdt, Adam C. Povey, Roy G. Grainger, Otto Hasekamp, N. Christina Hsu, Jane P. Mulcahy, Andrew M. Sayer, and Armin Sorooshian
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4115–4122, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4115-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4115-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The impact of aerosols on clouds is one of the largest uncertainties in the human forcing of the climate. Aerosol can increase the concentrations of droplets in clouds, but observational and model studies produce widely varying estimates of this effect. We show that these estimates can be reconciled if only polluted clouds are studied, but this is insufficient to constrain the climate impact of aerosol. The uncertainty in aerosol impact on clouds is currently driven by cases with little aerosol.
Zackary Mages, Pavlos Kollias, Zeen Zhu, and Edward P. Luke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3561–3574, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3561-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3561-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Cold-air outbreaks (when cold air is advected over warm water and creates low-level convection) are a dominant cloud regime in the Arctic, and we capitalized on ground-based observations, which did not previously exist, from the COMBLE field campaign to study them. We characterized the extent and strength of the convection and turbulence and found evidence of secondary ice production. This information is useful for model intercomparison studies that will represent cold-air outbreak processes.
Maria P. Cadeddu, Virendra P. Ghate, David D. Turner, and Thomas E. Surleta
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3453–3470, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3453-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3453-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We analyze the variability in marine boundary layer moisture at the Eastern North Atlantic site on a monthly and daily temporal scale and examine its fundamental role in the control of boundary layer cloudiness and precipitation. The study also highlights the complex interaction between large-scale and local processes controlling the boundary layer moisture and the importance of the mesoscale spatial distribution of vapor to support convection and precipitation.
Zhenquan Wang, Jian Yuan, Robert Wood, Yifan Chen, and Tiancheng Tong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3247–3266, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3247-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3247-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study develops a novel profile-based algorithm based on the ERA5 to estimate the inversion strength in the planetary boundary layer better than the previous inversion index, which is a key low-cloud-controlling factor. This improved measure is more effective at representing the meteorological influence on low-cloud variations. It can better constrain the meteorological influence on low clouds to better isolate cloud responses to aerosols or to estimate low cloud feedbacks in climate models.
Georgios Dekoutsidis, Silke Groß, Martin Wirth, Martina Krämer, and Christian Rolf
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3103–3117, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3103-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3103-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Cirrus clouds affect Earth's atmosphere, deeming our study important. Here we use water vapor measurements by lidar and study the relative humidity (RHi) within and around midlatitude cirrus clouds. We find high supersaturations in the cloud-free air and within the clouds, especially near the cloud top. We study two cloud types with different formation processes. Finally, we conclude that the shape of the distribution of RHi can be used as an indicator of different cloud evolutionary stages.
Huazhe Shang, Souichiro Hioki, Guillaume Penide, Céline Cornet, Husi Letu, and Jérôme Riedi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2729–2746, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2729-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2729-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We find that cloud profiles can be divided into four prominent patterns, and the frequency of these four patterns is related to intensities of cloud-top entrainment and precipitation. Based on these analyses, we further propose a cloud profile parameterization scheme allowing us to represent these patterns. Our results shed light on how to facilitate the representation of cloud profiles and how to link them to cloud entrainment or precipitating status in future remote-sensing applications.
Luca Lelli, Marco Vountas, Narges Khosravi, and John Philipp Burrows
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2579–2611, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2579-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2579-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Arctic amplification describes the recent period in which temperatures have been rising twice as fast as or more than the global average and sea ice and the Greenland ice shelf are approaching a tipping point. Hence, the Arctic ability to reflect solar energy decreases and absorption by the surface increases. Using 2 decades of complementary satellite data, we discover that clouds unexpectedly increase the pan-Arctic reflectance by increasing their liquid water content, thus cooling the Arctic.
Yabin Gou, Haonan Chen, Hong Zhu, and Lulin Xue
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2439–2463, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2439-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2439-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This article investigates the complex precipitation microphysics associated with super typhoon Lekima using a host of in situ and remote sensing observations, including rain gauge and disdrometer data, as well as polarimetric radar observations. The impacts of precipitation microphysics on multi-source data consistency and radar precipitation estimation are quantified. It is concluded that the dynamical precipitation microphysical processes must be considered in radar precipitation estimation.
Hongxia Zhu, Rui Li, Shuping Yang, Chun Zhao, Zhe Jiang, and Chen Huang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2421–2437, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2421-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2421-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The impacts of atmospheric dust aerosols and cloud dynamic conditions on precipitation vertical development in southeastern China were studied using multiple satellite observations. It was found that the precipitating drops under dusty conditions grow faster in the middle layer but slower in the upper and lower layers compared with their pristine counterparts. Quantitative estimation of the sensitivity of the precipitation top temperature to the dust aerosol optical depth is also provided.
Zane Dedekind, Jacopo Grazioli, Philip H. Austin, and Ulrike Lohmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2345–2364, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2345-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2345-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Simulations allowing ice particles to collide with one another producing more ice particles represented surface observations of ice particles accurately. An increase in ice particles formed through collisions was related to sharp changes in the wind direction and speed with height. Changes in wind speed and direction can therefore cause more enhanced collisions between ice particles and alter how fast and how much precipitation forms. Simulations were conducted with the atmospheric model COSMO.
Ramon Padullés, Estel Cardellach, and F. Joseph Turk
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2199–2214, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2199-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2199-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The results of comparing the polarimetric radio occultation observables and the ice water content retrieved from the CloudSat radar in a global and statistical way show a strong correlation between the geographical patterns of both quantities for a wide range of heights. This implies that horizontally oriented hydrometeors are systematically present through the whole globe and through all vertical levels, which could provide insights on the physical processes leading to precipitation.
Ziming Wang, Luca Bugliaro, Tina Jurkat-Witschas, Romy Heller, Ulrike Burkhardt, Helmut Ziereis, Georgios Dekoutsidis, Martin Wirth, Silke Groß, Simon Kirschler, Stefan Kaufmann, and Christiane Voigt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1941–1961, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1941-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1941-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Differences in the microphysical properties of contrail cirrus and natural cirrus in a contrail outbreak situation during the ML-CIRRUS campaign over the North Atlantic flight corridor can be observed from in situ measurements. The cirrus radiative effect in the area of the outbreak, derived from satellite observation-based radiative transfer modeling, is warming in the early morning and cooling during the day.
Gerald G. Mace, Sally Benson, Ruhi Humphries, Peter M. Gombert, and Elizabeth Sterner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1677–1685, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1677-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1677-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The number of cloud droplets per unit volume is a significantly important property of clouds that controls their reflective properties. Computer models of the Earth's atmosphere and climate have low skill at predicting the reflective properties of Southern Ocean clouds. Here we investigate the properties of those clouds using satellite data and find that the cloud droplet number and cloud albedo in the Southern Ocean are related to the oceanic phytoplankton abundance near Antarctica.
Jianhao Zhang and Graham Feingold
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1073–1090, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1073-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1073-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Using observations from space, we show maps of potential brightness changes in marine warm clouds in response to increases in cloud droplet concentrations. The environmental and aerosol conditions in which these clouds reside covary differently in each ocean basin, leading to distinct evolutions of cloud brightness changes. This work stresses the central importance of the covariability between meteorology and aerosol for scaling up the radiative response of cloud brightness changes.
Yuxin Zhao, Jiming Li, Lijie Zhang, Cong Deng, Yarong Li, Bida Jian, and Jianping Huang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 743–769, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-743-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-743-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Diurnal variations of clouds play an important role in the radiative budget and precipitation. Based on satellite observations, reanalysis, and CMIP6 outputs, the diurnal variations in total cloud cover and cloud vertical distribution over the Tibetan Plateau are explored. The diurnal cycle of cirrus is a key focus and found to have different characteristics from those found in the tropics. The relationship between the diurnal cycle of cirrus and meteorological factors is also discussed.
Qiang Li and Silke Groß
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15963–15980, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15963-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15963-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The IPCC report identified that cirrus clouds have a significant impact on the radiation balance comparable to the CO2 effects, which, however, is still hard to parameterize. The current study investigates the possible impact of aviation on cirrus properties based on the analysis of 10-year lidar measurements of CALIPSO. The results reveal that there is a significant positive trend in cirrus depolarization ratio in the last 10 years before COVID-19, which is strongly correlated with aviation.
Linda Forster and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15179–15205, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15179-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15179-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We present a novel retrieval using ground-based imaging observations of halo displays together with radiative transfer simulations to help improve our understanding of ice crystal properties representative of cirrus clouds. Analysis of 4400 calibrated HaloCam images featuring a 22° halo revealed aggregates of hexagonal columns of 20 µm effective radius with a mixture of about 37 % smooth and 63% severely roughened surfaces as the best match in general.
Yun He, Zhenping Yin, Fuchao Liu, and Fan Yi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13067–13085, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13067-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13067-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A method is proposed to identify the sole presence of heterogeneous nucleation and competition between heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation for dust-related cirrus clouds by characterizing the relationship between dust ice-nucleating particle concentration calculated from CALIOP using the POLIPHON method and in-cloud ice crystal number concentration from the DARDAR-Nice dataset. Two typical cirrus cases are shown as a demonstration, and the proposed method can be extended to a global scale.
Frederic Tridon, Israel Silber, Alessandro Battaglia, Stefan Kneifel, Ann Fridlind, Petros Kalogeras, and Ranvir Dhillon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12467–12491, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12467-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12467-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The role of ice precipitation in the Earth water budget is not well known because ice particles are complex, and their formation involves intricate processes. Riming of ice crystals by supercooled water droplets is an efficient process, but little is known about its importance at high latitudes. In this work, by exploiting the deployment of an unprecedented number of remote sensing systems in Antarctica, we find that riming occurs at much lower temperatures compared with the mid-latitudes.
Leonie von Terzi, José Dias Neto, Davide Ori, Alexander Myagkov, and Stefan Kneifel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11795–11821, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11795-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11795-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We present a statistical analysis of ice microphysical processes (IMP) in mid-latitude clouds. Combining various radar approaches, we find that the IMP active at −20 to −10 °C seems to be the main driver of ice particle size, shape and concentration. The strength of aggregation at −20 to −10 °C correlates with the increase in concentration and aspect ratio of locally formed ice particles. Despite ongoing aggregation, the concentration of ice particles stays enhanced until −4 °C.
Edward Gryspeerdt, Franziska Glassmeier, Graham Feingold, Fabian Hoffmann, and Rebecca J. Murray-Watson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11727–11738, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11727-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11727-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The response of clouds to changes in aerosol remains a large uncertainty in our understanding of the climate. Studies typically look at aerosol and cloud processes in snapshot images, measuring all properties at the same time. Here we use multiple images to characterise how cloud temporal development responds to aerosol. We find a reduction in liquid water path with increasing aerosol, party due to feedbacks. This suggests the aerosol impact on cloud water may be weaker than in previous studies.
Jessica Danker, Odran Sourdeval, Isabel L. McCoy, Robert Wood, and Anna Possner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10247–10265, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10247-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10247-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Using spaceborne lidar-radar retrievals, we show that seasonal changes in cloud phase outweigh changes in cloud-phase statistics across cloud morphologies at given cloud-top temperatures. These results show that cloud morphology does not seem to pose a primary constraint on cloud-phase statistics in the Southern Ocean. Meanwhile, larger changes in in-cloud albedo across cloud morphologies are observed in supercooled liquid rather than mixed-phase stratocumuli.
Britta Schäfer, Tim Carlsen, Ingrid Hanssen, Michael Gausa, and Trude Storelvmo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9537–9551, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9537-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9537-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Cloud properties are important for the surface radiation budget. This study presents cold-cloud observations based on lidar measurements from the Norwegian Arctic between 2011 and 2017. Using statistical assessments and case studies, we give an overview of the macro- and microphysical properties of these clouds and demonstrate the capabilities of long-term cloud observations in the Norwegian Arctic from the ground-based lidar at Andenes.
Dongwei Fu, Larry Di Girolamo, Robert M. Rauber, Greg M. McFarquhar, Stephen W. Nesbitt, Jesse Loveridge, Yulan Hong, Bastiaan van Diedenhoven, Brian Cairns, Mikhail D. Alexandrov, Paul Lawson, Sarah Woods, Simone Tanelli, Sebastian Schmidt, Chris Hostetler, and Amy Jo Scarino
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8259–8285, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8259-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8259-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Satellite-retrieved cloud microphysics are widely used in climate research because of their central role in water and energy cycles. Here, we provide the first detailed investigation of retrieved cloud drop sizes from in situ and various satellite and airborne remote sensing techniques applied to real cumulus cloud fields. We conclude that the most widely used passive remote sensing method employed in climate research produces high biases of 6–8 µm (60 %–80 %) caused by 3-D radiative effects.
Kevin M. Smalley, Matthew D. Lebsock, Ryan Eastman, Mark Smalley, and Mikael K. Witte
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8197–8219, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8197-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8197-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We use geostationary satellite observations to track pockets of open-cell (POC) stratocumulus and analyze how precipitation, cloud microphysics, and the environment change. Precipitation becomes more intense, corresponding to increasing effective radius and decreasing number concentrations, while the environment remains relatively unchanged. This implies that changes in cloud microphysics are more important than the environment to POC development.
Edward E. Hindman and Scott Lindstrom
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7995–8008, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7995-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7995-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Winds buffeting the Mt. Everest massif often produce plumes. This systematic study identified plumes from daily observations of real-time, on-line images from a geosynchronous meteorological satellite. The corresponding meteorological data were used with a cloud-forming model to show the plumes were composed, depending on the temperature, of droplets, crystals or both. They were not composed of resuspended snow, which is a common belief. We estimated the plumes may produce significant snowfall.
Cited articles
Albrecht, B. A.: Aerosols, cloud microphysics, and fractional cloudiness,
Science, 245, 1227–1230, 1989.
Awaka, J., Iguchi, T., and Okamoto, K.: TRMM PR standard algorithm 2A23 and
its performance on bright band detection, J. Meteorol. Soc. Jpn., 87A, 31–52, 2009.
Bhat, G. S., Gadgil, S., Kumar, P. V. H., Kalsi, S. R., Madhusoodanan, P.,
Murty, V. S., Rao, C. V. P., Babu, V. R., Rao, L. V., Rao, R. R.,
Ravichandran, M., Reddy, K. G., Rao, P. S., Sengupta, D., Sikka, D. R.,
Swain, J., and Vinayachandran, P. N.: BOBMEX: The Bay of Bengal Monsoon
Experiment, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 82, 2217–2244, 2001.
Cao, Q., Hong, Y., Gourley, J. J., Qi, Y., Zhang, J., Wen, Y., and
Kirstetter, P. E.: Statistical and physical analysis of the vertical
structure of precipitation in the mountainous west region of the United
States using 11+ years of space borne observations from TRMM precipitation
radar, J. Appl. Meteorol. Climatol., 52, 408–424, 2013.
Chaudhari, H. S., Pokhrel, S., Mohanty, S., and Saha, S. K.: Seasonal
prediction of Indian summer monsoon in NCEP coupled and uncoupled model,
Theor. Appl. Climatol., 114, 459–477, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-0854-8,
2013.
Chaudhari, H. S., Pokhrel, S., Kulkani, A., Hazra, A., and Saha, S. K.:
Clouds-SST relationship and interannual variability modes of Indian summer
monsoon in the context of clouds and SSTs: observational and modelling
aspects, Int. J. Climatol., 36, 4723–4740, https://doi.org/10.1002/ joc.4664, 2016.
Chen, Q., Fan, J., Hagos, S., Gustafson Jr., W. I., and Berg, L. K.: Roles
of wind shear at different vertical levels: Cloud system organization and
properties, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 120, 6551–6574, 2015.
Creamean, J. M., Suski, K. J., Rosenfeld, D., Cazorla, A., DeMott, P. J.,
Sullivan, R. C., White, A. B., Ralph, F. M., Minnis, P., Comstock, J. M.,
Tomlinson, J. M., Kimberly, A., and Prather, K. A.: Dust and biological
aerosols from the Sahara and Asia influence precipitation in the western
U.S., Science, 339, 1572–1578, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1227279, 2013.
Dee, D. P., Uppala, S. M., Simmons, A. J., Berrisford, P., Poli, P.,
Kobayashi, S., Andrae, U., Balmaseda, M. A., Balsamo, G., Bauer, P.,
Bechtold, P., Beljaars, A. C., van de Berg, L., Bidlot, J., Bormann, N.,
Delsol, C., Dragani, R., Fuentes, M., Geer, A. J., Haimberger, L., Healy,
S. B., Hersbach, H., Hólm, E. V., Isaksen, L., Kållberg, P.,
Köhler, M., Matricardi, M., McNally, A. P., Monge-Sanz, B. M.,
Morcrette, J., Park, B., Peubey, C., de Rosnay, P., Tavolato, C.,
Thépaut, J., and Vitart, F.: The ERA-Interim reanalysis:
Configuration and performance of the data
assimilation system, Q. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc., 137, 553–597, 2011.
ECMWF: ERA Interim Reanalysis Datasets, available at: https://apps.ecmwf.int/datasets/,
last access: 4 May 2017.
Emanuel, K. A.: Atmospheric convection, Oxford University Press, Oxford,
1994.
Fabry, F. and Zawadzki, I.: Long-term radar observations of the melting
layer of precipitation and their interpretation, J. Atmos. Sci., 52, 838–851, 1995.
Findlater, J.: A major low-level air current near the Indian Ocean during
the northern summer, Q. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc., 95, 362–380, 1969.
Fu, Y. and Liu, G.: The variability of tropical precipitation profiles and
its impact on microwave brightness temperatures as inferred from TRMM data,
J. Appl. Meteorol., 40, 2130–2143, 2001.
Gadgil, S.: Monsoon–ocean coupling, Current Sci., 78, 309–323, 2000.
Gadgil, S., Joseph, P. V., and Joshi, N. V.: Ocean atmosphere coupling over
monsoonal regions, Nature, 312, 141–143, 1984.
Geerts, B. and Dejene, T.: Regional and diurnal variability of the vertical
structure of precipitation systems in Africa based on space borne radar
data, J. Climate, 18, 893–916, 2005.
Guo, J., Liu, H., Li, Z., Rosenfeld, D., Jiang, M., Xu, W., Jiang, J. H., He,
J., Chen, D., Min, M., and Zhai, P.: Aerosol-induced changes in the vertical
structure of precipitation: a perspective of TRMM precipitation radar, Atmos.
Chem. Phys., 18, 13329–13343, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-13329-2018,
2018.
Houze, R. A.: Mesoscale convective systems, Rev. Geophys., 42, RG4003,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2004RG000150, 2004.
Houze, R. A. and Churchill, D. D.: Mesoscale organization and cloud
microphysics in a Bay of Bengal depression, J. Atmos. Sci., 44, 1845–1867, 1987.
Houze, R. A., Wilton, D. C., and Smull, B. F.: Monsoon convection in the
Himalayan region as seen by the TRMM precipitation radar, Q. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc., 133, 1389–1411,
2007.
Houze, R. A., Rasmussen, K. L., Zuluaga, M. D., and Brodzik, S. R.: The
variable nature of convection in the tropics and subtropics: A legacy of 16
years of the Tropical rainfall measuring mission satellite, Rev. Geophys., 53, 994–1021,
2015.
Hsu, N., Tsay, S., King, M., and Herman, J.: Aerosol properties over
bright-reflecting source regions, Geosci. Remote Sens. IEEE Trans., 42, 557–569, 2004.
Hubanks, P., King, M., Platnick, S., and Pincus, R.: MODIS atmosphere L3
gridded product algorithm theoretical basis document collection 005 Version
1.1, Tech. Rep. ATBD-MOD-30, NASA, 2008.
Iguchi, T., Kozu, T., Kwiatkowski, J., Meneghini, R., Awaka, J., and
Okamoto, K.: Uncertainties in the rain profiling algorithm for the TRMM
precipitation radar, J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 87A, 1–30, https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj.87A.1, 2009.
Krishnamurti, T.: Cooling of the Arabian Sea and the onset-vortex during
1979, Recent progress in equatorial oceanography: A report of the final
meeting of SCOR WORKING GROUP 47 in Venice, Italy, 1–12, 1981 (Available
from Nova Univ., Ocean Science Center, Dania, FL 33004).
Krishnamurti, T. N.: Summer monsoon experiment – A review, Mon. Weather Rev., 113,
1590–1626, 1985.
Kumar, S., Hazra, A., and Goswami, B. N.: Role of interaction between
dynamics, thermodynamics and cloud microphysics on summer monsoon
precipitating clouds over the Myanmar coast and the Western Ghats, Clim. Dynam., 43,
911–924, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-013-1909-3, 2014.
LAADS DAAC: Earth Data, available at:
https://ladsweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/, last access: 4 May 2017.
Levy, R., Remer, L., Mattoo, S., Vermote, E., and Kaufman, Y.:
Second-generation operational algorithm: Retrieval of aerosol properties
over land from inversion of moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer
spectral reflectance, J. Geophys. Res., 112, D13211, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JD007811, 2007.
Li, R. and Min, Q.-L.: Impacts of mineral dust on the vertical structure of
precipitation, J. Geophys. Res., 115, D09203, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JD011925,
2010.
Liu. C. and Zipser, E. J.: Why does radar reflectivity tend to increase
downward toward the ocean surface, but decrease downward toward the land
surface?, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 118, 135–148, https://doi.org/10.1029/2012JD018134, 2013.
Liu, C., Zipser, E., and Nesbitt, S. W.: Global distribution of tropical
deep convection: Different perspectives using infrared and radar as the
primary data source, J. Climate, 20, 489–503, 2007.
Meenu, S., Parameswaran, K., and Rajeev, K.: Role of sea surface temperature
and wind convergence in regulating convection over the tropical Indian
Ocean, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 117, D14102, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JD016947, 2012.
Nair, A. K. M. and Rajeev, K.: Multiyear CloudSat and CALIPSO observations
of the dependence of cloud vertical distribution on sea surface temperature
and tropospheric dynamics, J. Climate, 27, 672–683, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00062.1,
2014.
Narayanan, M. S. and Rao, B. M.: Detection of monsoon inversion by TIROS-N
satellite, Nature, 294, 546–548, 1981.
Nuijens, L., Emanuel, K., Masunaga, H., and L'Ecuyer, T.: Implications of
warm rain in shallow cumulus and congestus clouds for large-scale
circulations, Surv. Geophys., 38, 1257–1282, 2017.
Oueslati, B. and Bellon, G.: The double ITCZ bias in CMIP5 models:
interaction between SST, large-scale circulation and precipitation, Clim. Dynam., 44,
585–607, 2015.
Platnick, S., Meyer, K. G., King, M. D., Wind, G., Amarasinghe, N., Marchant,
B., Arnold, G. T., Zhang, Z., Hubanks, P. A., Holz, R. E., Yang, P., Ridgway,
W. L., and Riedi, J.: The MODIS cloud optical and microphysical products:
Collection 6 updates and examples from Terra and Aqua, IEEE Trans. Geosci.
Remote Sens., 55, 502–525, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2016.2610522, 2017.
Rajeevan, M., Unnikrishnan, C. K., and Preethi, B.: Evaluation of the
ENSEMBLES multi-model seasonal forecasts of Indian summer monsoon
variability, Clim. Dynam., 38, 2257–2274, 2012.
Rajendran, K., Nanjundiah, R. S., Gadgil, S., and Srinivasan, J.: How good
are the simulations of tropical SST–rainfall relationship by IPCC AR4
atmospheric and coupled models?, J. Earth Sys. Sci., 121, 595–610, 2012.
Rajendran, K., Gadgil, S. and Surendran, S.: Monsoon season local control on
precipitation over warm tropical oceans, Meteorol. Atmos. Phys.,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-018-0649-7, in press, 2018.
Rao, T. N., Kirankumar, N. V. P., Radhakrishna, B., Rao, D. N., and
Nakamura, K.: Classification of tropical precipitating systems using wind
profiler spectral moments. Part I: Algorithm description and validation, J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol.,
25, 884–897, 2008.
Rao, T. N., Saikranthi, K., Radhakrisna, B., and Rao, S. V. B.: Differences
in the climataological characteristics of precipitation between active and
break spells of the Indian summer monsoon, J. Climate, 29, 7797–7814, 2016.
Remer, L., Kaufman, Y., Tanr,́ D., Mattoo, S., Chu, D.,
Martins, J., Li, R., Ichoku, C., Levy, R., Kleidman, R., Eck, T., Vermote,
E., and Holben, B.: The MODIS aerosol algorithm, products, and validation,
J. Atmos. Sci., 62, 947–973, 2005.
Romatschke, U., Medina, S., and Houze, R. A.: Regional, seasonal, and
diurnal variations of extreme convection in the South Asian region, J. Climate, 23,
419–439, 2010.
Rosenfeld, D., Andreae, M. O., Asmi, A., Chin, M., de Leeuw, G., Donovan, D.
P., Kahn, R., Kinne, S., Kivekäs, N., Kulmala, M., Lau, W., Sebastian
Schmidt, K., Suni, T., Wagner, T., Wild, M., and Quaas, J.: Global
observations of aerosol-cloud-precipitation-climate interactions, Rev.
Geophys., 52, 750–808, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013RG000441, 2014.
Roxy, M.: Sensitivity of precipitation to sea surface temperature over the
tropical summer monsoon region—and its quantification, Clim. Dynam., 43, 1159–1169,
2014.
Roxy, M., Tanimoto, Y., Preethi, B., Terray, P., and Krishnan, R.:
Intraseasonal SST-precipitation relationship and its spatial variability
over the tropical summer monsoon region, Clim. Dynam., 41, 45–61, 2013.
Sabin, T., Babu, C., and Joseph, P.: SST–convection relation over tropical
oceans, Int. J. Climatol., 33, 1424–1435, 2012.
Saikranthi, K., Rao, T. N., Radhakrishna, B., and Rao, S. V. B.: Morphology
of the vertical structure of precipitation over India and adjoining oceans
based on long-term measurements of TRMMPR, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 119, 8433–8449,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD021774, 2014.
Saikranthi, K., Radhakrishna, B., Satheesh, S. K., and Rao, T. N.: Spatial
variation of different rain systems during El Niño and La Niña
periods over India and adjoining ocean, Clim. Dynam., 50, 3671–3685,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-017-3833-4, 2018.
Saikranthi, K., Radhakrishna, B., Rao, T. N., and Satheesh, S. K.:
Differences in the association of sea surface temperature – precipitating
systems over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea during southwest monsoon
season, Int. J. Climatol., https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.6074, in press, 2019.
Sathiyamoorthy, V., Mahesh, C., Gopalan, K., Prakash, S., Shukla, B. P., and
Mathur, A.: Characteristics of low clouds over the Arabian Sea, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 118,
13489–13503, 2013.
Schumacher, C. and Houze, R. A.: Stratiform rain in the tropics as seen by
the TRMM precipitation radar, J. Climate, 16, 1739–1756, 2003.
Sengupta, D., Goswami, B. N., and Senan, R.: Coherent intraseasonal
oscillations of ocean and atmosphere during the Asian summer monsoon,
Geophys. Res. Lett., 28, 4127–4130, 2001.
Shenoi, S. S. C., Shankar, D., and Shetye, S. R.: Differences in heat
budgets of the near-surface Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal: Implications for
the summer monsoon, J. Geophys. Res., 107, 3052, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JC000679, 2002.
Shige, S. and Kummerow, C. D.: Precipitation-Top Heights of Heavy Orographic
Rainfall in the Asian Monsoon Region, J. Atmos. Sci., 73, 3009–3024, 2016.
Shige, S., Nakano, Y., and Yamamoto, M. K.: Role of orography, diurnal
cycle, and intraseasonal oscillation in summer monsoon rainfall over Western
Ghats and Myanmar coast, J. Climate, 30, 9365–9381, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0858.1,
2017.
Sunilkumar, K., Rao, T. N., Saikranthi, K., and Rao, M. P.: comprehensive
evaluation of multisatellite precipitation estimates over India using
gridded rainfall data, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 120, 8987–9005,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JD023437, 2015.
Takahashi, H. G. and Dado, J. M. B.: Relationship between sea surface
temperature and rainfall in the Philippines during the Asian summer monsoon,
J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 96, 283–290, https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj.2018-031, 2018.
Takayabu, Y. N., Shige, S., Tao, W., and Hirota, N.: Shallow and deep latent
heating modes over tropical Oceans observed with TRMM PR spectral latent
heating Data, J. Climate, 23, 2030–2046, 2010.
Tao, W., Smith, E. A., Adler, R. F., Haddad, Z. S., Hou, A. Y., Iguchi, T.,
Kakar, R., Krishnamurti, T. N., Kummerow, C. D., Lang, S., Meneghini, R.,
Nakamura, K., Nakazawa, T., Okamoto, K., Olson, W. S., Satoh, S., Shige, S.,
Simpson, J., Takayabu, Y., Tripoli, G. J., and Yang, S.: Retrieval of latent
heating from TRMM measurements,
B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 87, 1555–1572, 2006.
Tao, W.-K., Chen, J.-P., Li, Z., Wang, C., and Zhang, C.: Impact of aerosols
on convective clouds and precipitation, Rev. Geophys., 50, RG2001,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2011RG000369, 2012.
Tao, W., Takayabu, Y. N., Lang, S., Shige, S., Olson, W., Hou, A.,
Skofronick-Jackson, G., Jiang, X., Zhang, C., Lau, W., Krishnamurti, T. N.,
Waliser, D., Grecu, M., Ciesielski, P. E., Johnson, R. H., Houze, R., Kakar,
R., Nakamura, K., Braun, S., Hagos, S., Oki, R., and Bhardwaj, A.: TRMM
latent heating retrieval: Applications and comparisons with field campaigns
and large-scale analyses, Meteorological Monographs – Multi-scale
Convection-Coupled Systems in the Tropics: A tribute to Dr. Michio Yanai,
56, 2.1–2.34, https://doi.org/10.1175/AMSMONOGRAPHS-D-15-0013.1, 2016.
Twomey, S.: The influence of pollution on the short wave albedo of clouds,
J. Atmos. Sci., 34, 1149–1152, 1977.
University of Washington: 3-D gridded TRMM Data Set, available at: http://trmm.atmos.washington.edu/, last access: 4 May 2017.
Wallace, J. M. and Hobbs, P. V.: Atmospheric science: An introductory
survey, Second edition, Academic press, 85 pp., 2006.
Wang, B., Ding, Q., Fu, X., Kang, I.-S., Jin, K., Shukla, J., and
Doblas-Reyes, F.: Fundamental challenge in simulation and prediction of
summer monsoon rainfall, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L15711, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL022734, 2005.
Weller, R. A., Farrar, J. T., Buckley, J., Mathew, S., Venkatesan, R.,
Lekha, J. S., Chaudhuri, D., Kumar, N. S., and Kumar, B. P.: Air-sea
interaction in the Bay of Bengal, Oceanography, 29, 28–37, 2016.
Woolnough, S. J., Slingo, J. M., and Hoskins, B. J.: The relationship between
convection and sea surface temperature on intraseasonal timescales, J. Climate, 13,
2086–2104, 2000.
Wu, R. and Kirtman, B. P.: Roles of Indian and Pacific Ocean air–sea
coupling in tropical atmospheric variability, Clim. Dynam., 25, 155–170, 2005.
Download
The requested paper has a corresponding corrigendum published. Please read the corrigendum first before downloading the article.
- Article
(6682 KB) - Full-text XML
- Corrigendum
-
Supplement
(507 KB) - BibTeX
- EndNote
Short summary
Recent studies have shown that simulation of monsoons can be improved with an exact representation of SST–precipitation relationship. The vertical structure of precipitation with SST is distinctly different over the Arabian Sea than over the Bay of Bengal. The reflectivity profiles show variation with SST over the Arabian Sea and do not show considerable variation with SST over the Bay of Bengal. The variations in reflectivity profiles seem to originate at the cloud formation stage itself.
Recent studies have shown that simulation of monsoons can be improved with an exact...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint