Articles | Volume 19, issue 16
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-10717-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-10717-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
26 Aug 2019
Research article |
| 26 Aug 2019
Core and margin in warm convective clouds – Part 1: Core types and evolution during a cloud's lifetime
Reuven H. Heiblum
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of
Science, Rehovot, Israel
Lital Pinto
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of
Science, Rehovot, Israel
Orit Altaratz
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of
Science, Rehovot, Israel
Guy Dagan
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of
Science, Rehovot, Israel
now at: Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, Department of
Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of
Science, Rehovot, Israel
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The effects of aerosol concentration on a cloud's partition to core and margin are examined. The main finding from Part I (i.e. Bcore ⊆ RHcore ⊆ Wcore) is seen for all aerosol concentrations. Clouds can produce positive buoyancy due to both saturated updrafts or unsaturated downdrafts; the latter are dependent on low aerosol concentrations. We show that a cloud's mass is mainly dependent on core processes (condensation), while its volume is mainly dependent on margin processes (evaporation).
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Clouds' responses to global warming contribute the largest uncertainty in climate prediction. Here, we analyze 42 years of global cloud cover in reanalysis data and show a decreasing trend over most continents and an increasing trend over the tropical and subtropical oceans. A reduction in near-surface relative humidity can explain the decreasing trend in cloud cover over land. Our results suggest potential stress on the terrestrial water cycle, associated with global warming.
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Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 16111–16122, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-16111-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-16111-2022, 2022
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Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15767–15775, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15767-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15767-2022, 2022
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Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 16203–16217, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16203-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16203-2021, 2021
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Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 15297–15306, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15297-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15297-2020, 2020
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Guy Dagan and Philip Stier
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 6291–6303, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-6291-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-6291-2020, 2020
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Ensemble daily simulations for two separate month-long periods over a region near Barbados were conducted to investigate aerosol effects on cloud properties and the atmospheric energy budget. For each day, two simulations were conducted with low and high cloud droplet number concentrations representing clean and polluted conditions, respectively. These simulations are used to distinguish between properties that are robustly affected by changes in aerosol concentrations and those that are not.
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The effects of aerosol concentration on a cloud's partition to core and margin are examined. The main finding from Part I (i.e. Bcore ⊆ RHcore ⊆ Wcore) is seen for all aerosol concentrations. Clouds can produce positive buoyancy due to both saturated updrafts or unsaturated downdrafts; the latter are dependent on low aerosol concentrations. We show that a cloud's mass is mainly dependent on core processes (condensation), while its volume is mainly dependent on margin processes (evaporation).
Guy Dagan, Ilan Koren, and Orit Altaratz
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Yevgeny Derimian, Marie Choël, Yinon Rudich, Karine Deboudt, Oleg Dubovik, Alexander Laskin, Michel Legrand, Bahaiddin Damiri, Ilan Koren, Florin Unga, Myriam Moreau, Meinrat O. Andreae, and Arnon Karnieli
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 11331–11353, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-11331-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-11331-2017, 2017
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We present influence of daily occurrence of the sea breeze flow from the Mediterranean Sea on physicochemical and optical properties of atmospheric aerosol deep inland in the Negev Desert of Israel. Sampled airborne dust was found be internally mixed with sea-salt particles and reacted with anthropogenic pollution, which makes the dust highly hygroscopic and a liquid coating of particles appears. These physicochemical transformations are associated with a change in aerosol radiative properties.
Qian Chen, Ilan Koren, Orit Altaratz, Reuven H. Heiblum, Guy Dagan, and Lital Pinto
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 9585–9598, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9585-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-9585-2017, 2017
Guy Dagan, Ilan Koren, Orit Altaratz, and Reuven H. Heiblum
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 7435–7444, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-7435-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-7435-2017, 2017
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Large eddy simulations with bin microphysics are used to study cloud fields' sensitivity to changes in aerosol loading and the time evolution of this response. We show that the mean field properties change with a non-monotonic trend, with an optimum aerosol concentration for which the field reaches its maximal water mass or rain yield. The evolution of the mean thermodynamic properties is studied and shown to cause the migration of the optimal aerosol concentration toward higher values.
Yaniv Tubul, Ilan Koren, Orit Altaratz, and Reuven H. Heiblum
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2017-121, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2017-121, 2017
Revised manuscript not accepted
Chandan Sarangi, Sachchida Nand Tripathi, Vijay P. Kanawade, Ilan Koren, and D. Sivanand Pai
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 5185–5204, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5185-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5185-2017, 2017
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Aerosol-induced perturbations in cloud systems and rainfall are very uncertain. This study provides observational evidence of a robust positive association between aerosol–cloud–rainfall properties over the Indian summer monsoon region. Observed and modeled aerosol–cloud microphysical changes illustrate that cloud invigoration under a high AOD scenario can explain most of the aerosol-associated changes in cloud fraction, cloud top pressure, and surface rainfall over this region.
Y. Tubul, I. Koren, and O. Altaratz
Earth Syst. Dynam., 6, 781–788, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-6-781-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-6-781-2015, 2015
Y. Ben Ami, O. Altaratz, Y. Yair, and I. Koren
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 15, 2449–2459, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-15-2449-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-15-2449-2015, 2015
S. Fuzzi, U. Baltensperger, K. Carslaw, S. Decesari, H. Denier van der Gon, M. C. Facchini, D. Fowler, I. Koren, B. Langford, U. Lohmann, E. Nemitz, S. Pandis, I. Riipinen, Y. Rudich, M. Schaap, J. G. Slowik, D. V. Spracklen, E. Vignati, M. Wild, M. Williams, and S. Gilardoni
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 8217–8299, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-8217-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-8217-2015, 2015
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Particulate matter (PM) constitutes one of the most challenging problems both for air quality and climate change policies. This paper reviews the most recent scientific results on the issue and the policy needs that have driven much of the increase in monitoring and mechanistic research over the last 2 decades. The synthesis reveals many new processes and developments in the science underpinning climate-PM interactions and the effects of PM on human health and the environment.
G. Feingold, I. Koren, T. Yamaguchi, and J. Kazil
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 7351–7367, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-7351-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-7351-2015, 2015
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Most research on the relationship between aerosol and closed/open cell transitions tends to focus on the closed to open transition. Here we address the two-way transition between closed and open cellular states using a cloud resolving model. We find inherent asymmetry in the transitions and explain the source of the asymmetry. Results are supported by a dynamical system analogue to the full system.
G. Dagan, I. Koren, and O. Altaratz
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 2749–2760, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2749-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2749-2015, 2015
E. Tas, A. Teller, O. Altaratz, D. Axisa, R. Bruintjes, Z. Levin, and I. Koren
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 2009–2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2009-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2009-2015, 2015
G. Snider, C. L. Weagle, R. V. Martin, A. van Donkelaar, K. Conrad, D. Cunningham, C. Gordon, M. Zwicker, C. Akoshile, P. Artaxo, N. X. Anh, J. Brook, J. Dong, R. M. Garland, R. Greenwald, D. Griffith, K. He, B. N. Holben, R. Kahn, I. Koren, N. Lagrosas, P. Lestari, Z. Ma, J. Vanderlei Martins, E. J. Quel, Y. Rudich, A. Salam, S. N. Tripathi, C. Yu, Q. Zhang, Y. Zhang, M. Brauer, A. Cohen, M. D. Gibson, and Y. Liu
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 505–521, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-505-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-505-2015, 2015
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We have initiated a global network of ground-level monitoring stations to measure concentrations of fine aerosols in urban environments. Our findings include major ions species, total mass, and total scatter at three wavelengths. Results will be used to further evaluate and enhance satellite remote sensing estimates.
E. Hirsch, I. Koren, Z. Levin, O. Altaratz, and E. Agassi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 9001–9012, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-9001-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-9001-2014, 2014
A. K. Mishra, K. Klingmueller, E. Fredj, J. Lelieveld, Y. Rudich, and I. Koren
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 7213–7231, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-7213-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-7213-2014, 2014
R. H. Heiblum, I. Koren, and G. Feingold
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 6063–6074, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-6063-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-6063-2014, 2014
G. Feingold and I. Koren
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 20, 1011–1021, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-20-1011-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-20-1011-2013, 2013
E. Hirsch, I. Koren, O. Altaratz, Z. Levin, and E. Agassi
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acpd-13-28729-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acpd-13-28729-2013, 2013
Revised manuscript not accepted
Related subject area
Subject: Clouds and Precipitation | Research Activity: Atmospheric Modelling and Data Analysis | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Physics (physical properties and processes)
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Modeling impacts of ice-nucleating particles from marine aerosols on mixed-phase orographic clouds during 2015 ACAPEX field campaign
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Assessing the potential for simplification in global climate model cloud microphysics
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Huan Liu, Ilan Koren, Orit Altaratz, and Mickaël D. Chekroun
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Axel Seifert, Vanessa Bachmann, Florian Filipitsch, Jochen Förstner, Christian M. Grams, Gholam Ali Hoshyaripour, Julian Quinting, Anika Rohde, Heike Vogel, Annette Wagner, and Bernhard Vogel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6409–6430, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6409-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6409-2023, 2023
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We investigate how mineral dust can lead to the formation of cirrus clouds. Dusty cirrus clouds lead to a reduction in solar radiation at the surface and, hence, a reduced photovoltaic power generation. Current weather prediction systems are not able to predict this interaction between mineral dust and cirrus clouds. We have developed a new physical description of the formation of dusty cirrus clouds. Overall we can show a considerable improvement in the forecast quality of clouds and radiation.
Gabrielle R. Leung, Stephen M. Saleeby, G. Alexander Sokolowsky, Sean W. Freeman, and Susan C. van den Heever
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This study uses a suite of high-resolution simulations to explore how the concentration and type of aerosol particles impact shallow tropical clouds and the overall aerosol budget. Under more-polluted conditions, there are more aerosol particles present, but we also find that clouds are less able to remove those aerosol particles via rainout. Instead, those aerosol particles are more likely to be detrained aloft and remain in the atmosphere for further aerosol–cloud interactions.
Sisi Chen, Lulin Xue, Sarah Tessendorf, Kyoko Ikeda, Courtney Weeks, Roy Rasmussen, Melvin Kunkel, Derek Blestrud, Shaun Parkinson, Melinda Meadows, and Nick Dawson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5217–5231, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5217-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5217-2023, 2023
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The possible mechanism of effective ice growth in the cloud-top generating cells in winter orographic clouds is explored using a newly developed ultra-high-resolution cloud microphysics model. Simulations demonstrate that a high availability of moisture and liquid water is critical for producing large ice particles. Fluctuations in temperature and moisture down to millimeter scales due to cloud turbulence can substantially affect the growth history of the individual cloud particles.
Jan Chylik, Dmitry Chechin, Regis Dupuy, Birte S. Kulla, Christof Lüpkes, Stephan Mertes, Mario Mech, and Roel A. J. Neggers
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In this study, we show that recent versions of two atmospheric models – the Unified Model and Integrated Forecasting System – overestimate Arctic cloud fraction within the lower troposphere by comparison with recent remote-sensing measurements made during the Arctic Ocean 2018 expedition. The overabundance of cloud is interlinked with the modelled thermodynamic structure, with strong negative temperature biases coincident with these overestimated cloud layers.
Matthew W. Christensen, Po-Lun Ma, Peng Wu, Adam C. Varble, Johannes Mülmenstädt, and Jerome D. Fast
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2789–2812, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2789-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2789-2023, 2023
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An increase in aerosol concentration (tiny airborne particles) is shown to suppress rainfall and increase the abundance of droplets in clouds passing over Graciosa Island in the Azores. Cloud drops remain affected by aerosol for several days across thousands of kilometers in satellite data. Simulations from an Earth system model show good agreement, but differences in the amount of cloud water and its extent remain despite modifications to model parameters that control the warm-rain process.
Melanie Lauer, Annette Rinke, Irina Gorodetskaya, Michael Sprenger, Mario Mech, and Susanne Crewell
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-261, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-261, 2023
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We present a new method to analyse the influence of Atmospheric Rivers (ARs), cyclones, and fronts on the precipitation in the Arctic, based on two campaigns ACLOUD (early summer 2017) and AFLUX (early spring 2019). There are first indications for seasonal differences: In early summer, the precipitation is mostly related to ARs and fronts, especially when they are co-located, whereas in early spring, cyclones are isolated from ARs and fronts. contributed most to the precipitation.
Peter Spichtinger, Patrik Marschalik, and Manuel Baumgartner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2035–2060, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2035-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2035-2023, 2023
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We investigate the impact of the homogeneous nucleation rate on nucleation events in cirrus. As long as the slope of the rate is represented sufficiently well, the resulting ice crystal number concentrations are not crucially affected. Even a change in the prefactor over orders of magnitude does not change the results. However, the maximum supersaturation during nucleation events shows strong changes. This quantity should be used for diagnostics instead of the popular nucleation threshold.
Julia Thomas, Andrew Barrett, and Corinna Hoose
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1987–2002, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1987-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1987-2023, 2023
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We study the sensitivity of rain formation processes during a heavy-rainfall event over mountains to changes in temperature and pollution. Total rainfall increases by 2 % K−1, and a 6 % K−1 increase is found at the highest altitudes, caused by a mixed-phase seeder–feeder mechanism (frozen cloud particles melt and grow further as they fall through a liquid cloud layer). In a cleaner atmosphere this process is enhanced. Thus the risk of severe rainfall in mountains may increase in the future.
Pramod Adhikari and John F. Mejia
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1019–1042, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1019-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1019-2023, 2023
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We used an atmospheric model to assess the impact of aerosols through radiation and cloud interaction on elevation-dependent precipitation and surface temperature over the central Himalayan region. Results showed contrasting altitudinal precipitation responses to the increased aerosol concentration, which can significantly impact the hydroclimate of the central Himalayas, increasing the risk for extreme events and influencing the regional supply of water resources.
Peter Kuma, Frida A.-M. Bender, Alex Schuddeboom, Adrian J. McDonald, and Øyvind Seland
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 523–549, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-523-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-523-2023, 2023
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We present a machine learning method for determining cloud types in climate model output and satellite observations based on ground observations of cloud genera. We analyse cloud type biases and changes with temperature in climate models and show that the bias is anticorrelated with climate sensitivity. Models simulating decreasing stratiform and increasing cumuliform clouds with increased CO2 concentration tend to have higher climate sensitivity than models simulating the opposite tendencies.
Chung-Chieh Wang, Ting-Yu Yeh, Chih-Sheng Chang, Ming-Siang Li, Kazuhisa Tsuboki, and Ching-Hwang Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 501–521, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-501-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-501-2023, 2023
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The extreme rainfall event (645 mm in 24 h) at the northern coast of Taiwan on 2 June 2017 is studied using a cloud model. Two 1 km experiments with peak amounts of 541 and 400 mm are compared to isolate the reasons for such a difference. It is found that the frontal rainband remains fixed in location for a longer period in the former run due to a low disturbance that acts to focus the near-surface convergence. Therefore, the rainfall is more concentrated and there is a higher total amount.
Kevin Wolf, Nicolas Bellouin, and Olivier Boucher
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 287–309, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-287-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-287-2023, 2023
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Recent studies estimate the radiative impact of contrails to be similar to or larger than that of emitted CO2; thus, contrail mitigation might be an opportunity to reduce the climate effects of aviation. A radiosonde data set is analyzed in terms of the vertical distribution of potential contrails, contrail mitigation by flight altitude changes, and linkages with the tropopause and jet stream. The effect of prospective jet engine developments and alternative fuels are estimated.
Ines Bulatovic, Julien Savre, Michael Tjernström, Caroline Leck, and Annica M. L. Ekman
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-809, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-809, 2022
Revised manuscript accepted for ACP
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We use numerical modelling with detailed cloud microphysics to investigate a low-altitude cloud system consisting of two cloud layers – a type of cloud situation which was commonly observed during the summer of 2018 in the central Arctic (north of 80 degrees N). The model generally reproduces the observed cloud layers and the thermodynamic structure of the lower atmosphere well. The cloud system is maintained unless there are low aerosol number concentrations or high large-scale wind speeds.
Guy Dagan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15767–15775, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15767-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15767-2022, 2022
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Using idealized simulations we demonstrate that the equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS), i.e. the increase in surface temperature under equilibrium conditions due to doubling of the CO2 concentration, increases with the aerosol concentration. The ECS increase is explained by a faster increase in precipitation efficiency with warming under high aerosol concentrations, which more efficiently depletes the water from the cloud and thus is manifested as an increase in the cloud feedback parameter.
Colin Tully, David Neubauer, Diego Villanueva, and Ulrike Lohmann
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1238, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1238, 2022
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This study details the first attempt with a GCM to simulate a fully prognostic aerosol species specifically for cirrus climate intervention. The new approach is in line with the real-world delivery mechanism via aircraft. However, to achieve an appreciable signal from seeding, smaller particles were needed, and their mass emissions needed to be scaled by at least a factor of 100. These biases contributed to either overseeding, or small and insignificant effects in response to seeding cirrus.
Sonya L. Fiddes, Alain Protat, Marc D. Mallet, Simon P. Alexander, and Matthew T. Woodhouse
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 14603–14630, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14603-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14603-2022, 2022
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Climate models have difficulty simulating Southern Ocean clouds, impacting how much sunlight reaches the surface. We use machine learning to group different cloud types observed from satellites and simulated in a climate model. We find the model does a poor job of simulating the same cloud type as what the satellite shows and, even when it does, the cloud properties and amount of reflected sunlight are incorrect. We have a lot of work to do to model clouds correctly over the Southern Ocean.
Prabhakar Shrestha, Jana Mendrok, and Dominik Brunner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 14095–14117, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14095-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14095-2022, 2022
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The study extends the Terrestrial Systems Modeling Platform with gas-phase chemistry aerosol dynamics and a radar forward operator to enable detailed studies of aerosol–cloud–precipitation interactions. This is demonstrated using a case study of a deep convective storm, which showed that the strong updraft in the convective core of the storm produced aerosol-tower-like features, which affected the size of the hydrometeors and the simulated polarimetric features (e.g., ZDR and KDP columns).
Jia He, Helene Brogniez, and Laurence Picon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12591–12606, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12591-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12591-2022, 2022
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A 2003–2017 satellite-based atmospheric water vapour climate data record is used to assess climate models and reanalyses. The focus is on the tropical belt, whose regional variations in the hydrological cycle are related to the tropospheric overturning circulation. While there are similarities in the interannual variability, the major discrepancies can be explained by the presence of clouds, the representation of moisture fluxes at the surface and cloud processes in the models.
Silvia M. Calderón, Juha Tonttila, Angela Buchholz, Jorma Joutsensaari, Mika Komppula, Ari Leskinen, Liqing Hao, Dmitri Moisseev, Iida Pullinen, Petri Tiitta, Jian Xu, Annele Virtanen, Harri Kokkola, and Sami Romakkaniemi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12417–12441, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12417-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12417-2022, 2022
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The spatial and temporal restrictions of observations and oversimplified aerosol representation in large eddy simulations (LES) limit our understanding of aerosol–stratocumulus interactions. In this closure study of in situ and remote sensing observations and outputs from UCLALES–SALSA, we have assessed the role of convective overturning and aerosol effects in two cloud events observed at the Puijo SMEAR IV station, Finland, a diurnal-high aerosol case and a nocturnal-low aerosol case.
Zhipeng Qu, Alexei Korolev, Jason A. Milbrandt, Ivan Heckman, Yongjie Huang, Greg M. McFarquhar, Hugh Morrison, Mengistu Wolde, and Cuong Nguyen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12287–12310, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12287-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12287-2022, 2022
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Secondary ice production (SIP) is an important physical phenomenon that results in an increase in the cloud ice particle concentration and can have a significant impact on the evolution of clouds. Here, idealized simulations of a tropical convective system were conducted. Agreement between the simulations and observations highlights the impacts of SIP on the maintenance of tropical convection in nature and the importance of including the modelling of SIP in numerical weather prediction models.
Michael S. Diamond, Pablo E. Saide, Paquita Zuidema, Andrew S. Ackerman, Sarah J. Doherty, Ann M. Fridlind, Hamish Gordon, Calvin Howes, Jan Kazil, Takanobu Yamaguchi, Jianhao Zhang, Graham Feingold, and Robert Wood
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12113–12151, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12113-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12113-2022, 2022
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Smoke from southern Africa blankets the southeast Atlantic from June-October, overlying a major transition region between overcast and scattered clouds. The smoke affects Earth's radiation budget by absorbing sunlight and changing cloud properties. We investigate these effects in regional climate and large eddy simulation models based on international field campaigns. We find that large-scale circulation changes more strongly affect cloud transitions than smoke microphysical effects in our case.
Sachin Patade, Deepak Waman, Akash Deshmukh, Ashok Kumar Gupta, Arti Jadav, Vaughan T. J. Phillips, Aaron Bansemer, Jacob Carlin, and Alexander Ryzhkov
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12055–12075, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12055-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12055-2022, 2022
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This modeling study focuses on the role of multiple groups of primary biological aerosol particles as ice nuclei on cloud properties and precipitation. This was done by implementing a more realistic scheme for biological ice nucleating particles in the aerosol–cloud model. Results show that biological ice nucleating particles have a limited role in altering the ice phase and precipitation in deep convective clouds.
Micael Amore Cecchini, Marco de Bruine, Jordi Vilà-Guerau de Arellano, and Paulo Artaxo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11867–11888, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11867-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11867-2022, 2022
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Shallow clouds (vertical extent up to 3 km height) are ubiquitous throughout the Amazon and are responsible for redistributing the solar heat and moisture vertically and horizontally. They are a key component of the water cycle because they can grow past the shallow phase to contribute significantly to the precipitation formation. However, they need favourable environmental conditions to grow. In this study, we analyse how changing wind patterns affect the development of such shallow clouds.
Colin Tully, David Neubauer, Nadja Omanovic, and Ulrike Lohmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11455–11484, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11455-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11455-2022, 2022
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The proposed geoengineering method, cirrus cloud thinning, was evaluated using a more physically based microphysics scheme coupled to a more realistic approach for calculating ice cloud fractions in the ECHAM-HAM GCM. Sensitivity tests reveal that using the new ice cloud fraction approach and increasing the critical ice saturation ratio for ice nucleation on seeding particles reduces warming from overseeding. However, this geoengineering method is unlikely to be feasible on a global scale.
Christian Barthlott, Amirmahdi Zarboo, Takumi Matsunobu, and Christian Keil
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10841–10860, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10841-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10841-2022, 2022
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The relevance of microphysical and land-surface uncertainties for convective-scale predictability is evaluated with a combined-perturbation strategy in realistic convection-resolving simulations. We find a large ensemble spread which demonstrates that the uncertainties investigated here and, in particular, their collective effect are highly relevant for quantitative precipitation forecasting of summertime convection in central Europe.
J. Minnie Park and Susan C. van den Heever
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10527–10549, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10527-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10527-2022, 2022
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This study explores how increased aerosol particles impact tropical sea breeze cloud systems under different environments and how a range of environments modulate these cloud responses. Overall, sea breeze flows and clouds that develop therein become weaker due to interactions between aerosols, sunlight, and land surface. In addition, surface rainfall also decreases with more aerosol particles. Weakening of cloud and rain with more aerosols is found irrespective of 130 different environments.
Michael John Weston, Stuart John Piketh, Frédéric Burnet, Stephen Broccardo, Cyrielle Denjean, Thierry Bourrianne, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10221–10245, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10221-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10221-2022, 2022
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An aerosol-aware microphysics scheme is evaluated for fog cases in Namibia. AEROCLO-sA campaign observations are used to access and parameterise the model. The model cloud condensation nuclei activation is lower than the observations. The scheme is designed for clouds with updrafts, while fog typically forms in stable conditions. A pseudo updraft speed assigned to the lowest model levels helps achieve more realistic cloud droplet number concentration and size distribution in the model.
Lucas J. Sterzinger, Joseph Sedlar, Heather Guy, Ryan R. Neely III, and Adele L. Igel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8973–8988, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8973-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8973-2022, 2022
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Aerosol particles are required for cloud droplets to form, and the Arctic atmosphere often has much fewer aerosols than at lower latitudes. In this study, we investigate whether aerosol concentrations can drop so low as to no longer support a cloud. We use observations to initialize idealized model simulations to investigate a worst-case scenario where all aerosol is removed from the environment instantaneously. We find that this mechanism is possible in two cases and is unlikely in the third.
Pooja Verma and Ulrike Burkhardt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8819–8842, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8819-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8819-2022, 2022
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This paper investigates contrail ice formation within cirrus and the impact of natural cirrus on the contrail ice formation in the high-resolution ICON-LEM simulations over Germany. Contrail formation often leads to increases in cirrus ice crystal number concentration by a few orders of magnitude. Contrail formation is affected by pre-existing cirrus, leading to changes in contrail formation conditions and ice nucleation rates that can be significant in optically thick cirrus.
Mahnoosh Haghighatnasab, Jan Kretzschmar, Karoline Block, and Johannes Quaas
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8457–8472, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8457-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8457-2022, 2022
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The impact of aerosols emitted by the Holuhraun volcanic eruption on liquid clouds was assessed from a pair of cloud-system-resolving simulations along with satellite retrievals. Inside and outside the plume were compared in terms of their statistical distributions. Analyses indicated enhancement for cloud droplet number concentration inside the volcano plume in model simulations and satellite retrievals, while there was on average a small effect on both liquid water path and cloud fraction.
Cheng You, Michael Tjernström, and Abhay Devasthale
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8037–8057, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8037-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8037-2022, 2022
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In winter when solar radiation is absent in the Arctic, the poleward transport of heat and moisture into the high Arctic becomes the main contribution of Arctic warming. Over completely frozen ocean sectors, total surface energy budget is dominated by net long-wave heat, while over the Barents Sea, with an open ocean to the south, total net surface energy budget is dominated by the surface turbulent heat.
Shizuo Fu, Richard Rotunno, and Huiwen Xue
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7727–7738, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7727-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7727-2022, 2022
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The convective updrafts near the sea-breeze fronts (SBFs) play important roles in initiating deep convection, but their characteristics are not well understood. By performing large-eddy simulations, we explain why the updrafts near the SBF are larger than but have similar strength to the updrafts ahead of the SBF. The results should also apply to other boundary-layer convergence zones similar to the SBF.
Prabhakar Shrestha, Silke Trömel, Raquel Evaristo, and Clemens Simmer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7593–7618, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7593-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7593-2022, 2022
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The study makes use of ensemble numerical simulations with forward operator to evaluate the simulated cloud and precipitation processes with radar observations. While comparing model data with radar has its own challenges due to errors in the forward operator and processed radar measurements, the model was generally found to underestimate the high reflectivity, width/magnitude (value) of ZDR columns and high precipitation.
Annakaisa von Lerber, Mario Mech, Annette Rinke, Damao Zhang, Melanie Lauer, Ana Radovan, Irina Gorodetskaya, and Susanne Crewell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7287–7317, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7287-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7287-2022, 2022
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Snowfall is an important climate indicator. However, microphysical snowfall processes are challenging for atmospheric models. In this study, the performance of a regional climate model is evaluated in modeling the spatial and temporal distribution of Arctic snowfall when compared to CloudSat satellite observations. Excellent agreement in averaged annual snowfall rates is found, and the shown methodology offers a promising diagnostic tool to investigate the shown differences further.
Yun Lin, Jiwen Fan, Pengfei Li, Lai-yung Ruby Leung, Paul J. DeMott, Lexie Goldberger, Jennifer Comstock, Ying Liu, Jong-Hoon Jeong, and Jason Tomlinson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 6749–6771, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6749-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6749-2022, 2022
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How sea spray aerosols may affect cloud and precipitation over the region by acting as ice-nucleating particles (INPs) is unknown. We explored the effects of INPs from marine aerosols on orographic cloud and precipitation for an atmospheric river event observed during the 2015 ACAPEX field campaign. The marine INPs enhance the formation of ice and snow, leading to less shallow warm clouds but more mixed-phase and deep clouds. This work suggests models need to consider the impacts of marine INPs.
Xiaoqi Xu, Chunsong Lu, Yangang Liu, Shi Luo, Xin Zhou, Satoshi Endo, Lei Zhu, and Yuan Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5459–5475, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5459-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5459-2022, 2022
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A new entrainment–mixing parameterization which can be directly implemented in microphysics schemes without requiring the relative humidity of the entrained air is proposed based on the explicit mixing parcel model. The parameterization is implemented in the two-moment microphysics scheme and exhibits different effects on different types of clouds and even on different stages of stratocumulus clouds, which are affected by turbulent dissipation rate and aerosol concentration.
Ming Li, Husi Letu, Yiran Peng, Hiroshi Ishimoto, Yanluan Lin, Takashi Y. Nakajima, Anthony J. Baran, Zengyuan Guo, Yonghui Lei, and Jiancheng Shi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 4809–4825, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4809-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4809-2022, 2022
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To build on the previous investigations of the Voronoi model in the remote sensing retrievals of ice cloud products, this paper developed an ice cloud parameterization scheme based on the single-scattering properties of the Voronoi model and evaluate it through simulations with the Community Integrated Earth System Model (CIESM). Compared with four representative ice cloud schemes, results show that the Voronoi model has good capabilities of ice cloud modeling in the climate model.
Ulrike Proske, Sylvaine Ferrachat, David Neubauer, Martin Staab, and Ulrike Lohmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 4737–4762, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4737-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4737-2022, 2022
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Cloud microphysical processes shape cloud properties and are therefore important to represent in climate models. Their parameterization has grown more complex, making the model results more difficult to interpret. Using sensitivity analysis we test how the global aerosol–climate model ECHAM-HAM reacts to changes to these parameterizations. The model is sensitive to the parameterization of ice crystal autoconversion but not to, e.g., self-collection, suggesting that it may be simplified.
Jaakko Ahola, Tomi Raatikainen, Muzaffer Ege Alper, Jukka-Pekka Keskinen, Harri Kokkola, Antti Kukkurainen, Antti Lipponen, Jia Liu, Kalle Nordling, Antti-Ilari Partanen, Sami Romakkaniemi, Petri Räisänen, Juha Tonttila, and Hannele Korhonen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 4523–4537, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4523-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4523-2022, 2022
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Clouds are important for the climate, and cloud droplets have a significant role in cloud properties. Cloud droplets form when air rises and cools and water vapour condenses on small particles that can be natural or of anthropogenic origin. Currently, the updraft velocity, meaning how fast the air rises, is poorly represented in global climate models. In our study, we show three methods that will improve the depiction of updraft velocity and which properties are vital to updrafts.
Azusa Takeishi and Chien Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 4129–4147, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4129-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4129-2022, 2022
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Nanometer- to micrometer-sized particles in the atmosphere, namely aerosols, play a crucial role in cloud formation as cloud droplets form on aerosols. This study uses a weather forecasting model to examine the impacts of a large emission of aerosol particles from biomass burning activities over Southeast Asia. We find that additional cloud droplets brought by fire-emitted particles can lead to taller and more reflective convective clouds with increased rainfall.
Ewe-Wei Saw and Xiaohui Meng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3779–3788, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3779-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3779-2022, 2022
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Collision–coagulation of small droplets in turbulent clouds leads to the production of rain. Turbulence causes droplet clustering and higher relative droplet velocities, and these should enhance the collision–coagulation rate. We find, surprisingly, that collision–coagulation starkly diminishes clustering and strongly alters relative velocities. We provide a theory that explains this result. Our results call for a new perspective on how we understand particle/droplet collision in clouds.
Tomi Raatikainen, Marje Prank, Jaakko Ahola, Harri Kokkola, Juha Tonttila, and Sami Romakkaniemi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3763–3778, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3763-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3763-2022, 2022
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Mineral dust or similar ice-nucleating particles (INPs) are needed to initiate cloud droplet freezing at temperatures common in shallow clouds. In this work we examine how INPs that are released from the sea surface impact marine clouds. Our high-resolution simulations show that turbulent updraughts carry these particles effectively up to the clouds, where they initiate cloud droplet freezing. Sea surface INP emissions become more important with decreasing background dust INP concentrations.
Kalli Furtado and Paul Field
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3391–3407, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3391-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3391-2022, 2022
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The complex processes involved mean that no simple answer to this
question has so far been discovered: do aerosols increase or decrease precipitation? Using high-resolution weather simulations, we find a self-similar property of rainfall that is not affected by aerosols. Using this invariant, we can collapse all our simulations to a single curve. So, although aerosol effects on rain are many, there may be a universal constraint on the number of degrees of freedom needed to represent them.
Graham Feingold, Tom Goren, and Takanobu Yamaguchi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3303–3319, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3303-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3303-2022, 2022
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The evaluation of radiative forcing associated with aerosol–cloud interactions remains a significant source of uncertainty in future climate projections. Using high-resolution numerical model output, we mimic typical satellite retrieval methodologies to show that data aggregation can introduce significant error (hundreds of percent) in the cloud albedo susceptibility metric. Spatial aggregation errors tend to be countered by temporal aggregation errors.
Xi Zhao and Xiaohong Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2585–2600, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2585-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2585-2022, 2022
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The goal of this study is to investigate the relative importance and interactions of primary and secondary ice production in the Arctic mixed-phase clouds. Our results show that the SIP is not only a result of ice crystals produced from ice nucleation, but also competes with the ice production; conversely, strong ice nucleation also suppresses SIP.
Yongjie Huang, Wei Wu, Greg M. McFarquhar, Ming Xue, Hugh Morrison, Jason Milbrandt, Alexei V. Korolev, Yachao Hu, Zhipeng Qu, Mengistu Wolde, Cuong Nguyen, Alfons Schwarzenboeck, and Ivan Heckman
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2365–2384, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2365-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2365-2022, 2022
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Numerous small ice crystals in tropical convective storms are difficult to detect and could be potentially hazardous for commercial aircraft. Previous numerical simulations failed to reproduce this phenomenon and hypothesized that key microphysical processes are still lacking in current models to realistically simulate the phenomenon. This study uses numerical experiments to confirm the dominant role of secondary ice production in the formation of these large numbers of small ice crystals.
Christian Barthlott, Amirmahdi Zarboo, Takumi Matsunobu, and Christian Keil
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2153–2172, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2153-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2153-2022, 2022
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The relative impact of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations and the shape parameter of the cloud droplet size distribution is evaluated in realistic convection-resolving simulations. We find that an increase in the shape parameter can produce almost as large a variation in precipitation as a CCN increase from maritime to polluted conditions. The choice of the shape parameter may be more important than previously thought for determining cloud radiative characteristics.
Paraskevi Georgakaki, Georgia Sotiropoulou, Étienne Vignon, Anne-Claire Billault-Roux, Alexis Berne, and Athanasios Nenes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 1965–1988, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1965-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1965-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The modelling study focuses on the importance of ice multiplication processes in orographic mixed-phase clouds, which is one of the least understood cloud types in the climate system. We show that the consideration of ice seeding and secondary ice production through ice–ice collisional breakup is essential for correct predictions of precipitation in mountainous terrain, with important implications for radiation processes.
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Short summary
It is useful to divide a cloud into two regions: core and margin. Three parameters used to define a core are compared: buoyancy (B), relative humidity (RH), and vertical velocity (W). Using theoretical arguments and simulations, we show that during most of a cloud's lifetime, the cores are subsets of one another: Bcore ⊆ RHcore ⊆ Wcore. Moreover, the core–shell cloud model applies to all core definitions. Our findings can serve as a benchmark in the partition the core and margin.
It is useful to divide a cloud into two regions: core and margin. Three parameters used to...
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