Articles | Volume 20, issue 23
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14491–14507, 2020
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14491-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Special issue: Winter weather research in complex terrain during ICE-POP...
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14491–14507, 2020
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14491-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
30 Nov 2020
Research article
| 30 Nov 2020
Microphysical properties of three types of snow clouds: implication for satellite snowfall retrievals
Hwayoung Jeoung et al.
Related authors
No articles found.
Chia-Lun Tsai, Kwonil Kim, Yu-Chieng Liou, and Gyuwon Lee
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2022-218, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2022-218, 2022
Preprint under review for AMT
Short summary
Short summary
Since the winds in clear-air conditions usually play an important role in the initiations of various weather systems and phenomena. A modified WISSDOM synthesis scheme was developed to derive high-quality and high-spatial resolution of 3D winds under clear-air conditions. The performance and accuracy of derived 3D winds from this newly developed scheme were be well evaluated associated with an extreme strong wind event over complex terrain in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Xuanli Li, Jason B. Roberts, Jayanthi Srikishen, Jonathan L. Case, Walter A. Petersen, Gyuwon Lee, and Christopher R. Hain
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 5287–5308, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-5287-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-5287-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This research assimilated the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite-retrieved ocean surface meteorology data into the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) system. This was for two snowstorms during the International Collaborative Experiments for PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games' (ICE-POP 2018) field experiments. The results indicated a positive impact of the data for short-term forecasts for heavy snowfall.
Jeong-Su Ko, Kyo-Sun Sunny Lim, Kwonil Kim, Gyuwon Lee, Gregory Thompson, and Alexis Berne
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 4529–4553, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-4529-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-4529-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study evaluates the performance of the four microphysics parameterizations, the WDM6, WDM7, Thompson, and Morrison schemes, in simulating snowfall events during the ICE-POP 2018 field campaign. Eight snowfall events are selected and classified into three categories (cold-low, warm-low, and air–sea interaction cases). The evaluation focuses on the simulated hydrometeors, microphysics budgets, wind fields, and precipitation using the measurement data.
Ki-Hong Min, Kao-Shen Chung, Ji-Won Lee, Cheng-Rong You, and Gyuwon Lee
Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2022-18, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2022-18, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
LETKF underestimated the water vapor mixing ratio and temperature compared to 3DVAR due to a lack of a water vapor mixing ratio and temperature observation operator. Snowfall in GWD was less simulated in LETKF. The results signify that water vapor assimilation is important in radar DA and significantly impacts precipitation forecasts, regardless of the DA method used. Therefore, it is necessary to apply observation operators for water vapor mixing ratio and temperature in radar DA.
Paul Joe, Gyuwon Lee, and Kwonil Kim
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-620, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-620, 2021
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
Strong gusty wind events were responsible for poor performance of competitors and schedule changes during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Three events were investigated and documented to articulate the challenges confronting forecasters which is beyond what they normally do. Quantitative evidence of the challenge and recommendations for future Olympics are provided.
Kwonil Kim, Wonbae Bang, Eun-Chul Chang, Francisco J. Tapiador, Chia-Lun Tsai, Eunsil Jung, and Gyuwon Lee
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11955–11978, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11955-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11955-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This study analyzes the microphysical characteristics of snow in complex terrain and the nearby ocean according to topography and wind pattern during the ICE-POP 2018 campaign. The observations from collocated vertically pointing radars and disdrometers indicate that the riming in the mountainous region is likely caused by a strong shear and turbulence. The different behaviors of aggregation and riming were found by three different synoptic patterns (air–sea interaction, cold low, and warm low).
Chia-Lun Tsai, Kwonil Kim, Yu-Chieng Liou, Jung-Hoon Kim, YongHee Lee, and GyuWon Lee
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-100, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-100, 2021
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
This study examines a strong downslope wind event during ICE-POP 2018 using Doppler lidars, and observations. 3D winds can be well retrieved by
WISSDOM. This is first time to document the mechanisms of strong wind in observational aspect under fine weather. The PGF causing by adiabatic warming and channeling effect are key factors to dominate the strong wind. The values of this study are improving our understanding of the strong wind and increase the predictability of the weather forecast.
Josué Gehring, Alfonso Ferrone, Anne-Claire Billault-Roux, Nikola Besic, Kwang Deuk Ahn, GyuWon Lee, and Alexis Berne
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 417–433, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-417-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-417-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This article describes a dataset of precipitation and cloud measurements collected from November 2017 to March 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The dataset includes weather radar data and images of snowflakes. It allows for studying the snowfall intensity; wind conditions; and shape, size and fall speed of snowflakes. Classifications of the types of snowflakes show that aggregates of ice crystals were dominant. This dataset represents a unique opportunity to study snowfall in this region.
Gwo-Jong Huang, Viswanathan N. Bringi, Andrew J. Newman, Gyuwon Lee, Dmitri Moisseev, and Branislav M. Notaroš
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 1409–1427, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1409-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1409-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This paper proposes a method for snow rate (SR) estimation using observations collected by NASA dual-frequency dual-polarized (D3R) radar during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx). The new method utilizes dual-wavelength radar reflectivity ratio (DWR) and 2-D-video disdrometer (2DVD) measurements to improve SR estimation accuracy. It is validated by comparing the D3R radar-retrieved SR with accumulated SR directly measured by a Pluvio gauge for an entire GCPEx synoptic event.
John Kochendorfer, Rodica Nitu, Mareile Wolff, Eva Mekis, Roy Rasmussen, Bruce Baker, Michael E. Earle, Audrey Reverdin, Kai Wong, Craig D. Smith, Daqing Yang, Yves-Alain Roulet, Samuel Buisan, Timo Laine, Gyuwon Lee, Jose Luis C. Aceituno, Javier Alastrué, Ketil Isaksen, Tilden Meyers, Ragnar Brækkan, Scott Landolt, Al Jachcik, and Antti Poikonen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 3525–3542, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3525-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3525-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Precipitation measurements were combined from eight separate precipitation testbeds to create multi-site transfer functions for the correction of unshielded and single-Alter-shielded precipitation gauge measurements. Site-specific errors and more universally applicable corrections were created from these WMO-SPICE measurements. The importance and magnitude of such wind speed corrections were demonstrated.
Hae-Lim Kim, Mi-Kyung Suk, Hye-Sook Park, Gyu-Won Lee, and Jeong-Seok Ko
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 3863–3878, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-3863-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-3863-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The main contribution of our paper is that we present a method to find optimal polarimetric rainfall algorithms on the Korean Peninsula using the 2-dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD) and Bislsan S-band dual-polarization radar. We believe that this contribution is theoretically and practically relevant because it will help improve rainfall estimation. Our research is of particular interest and use to those who use radar to provide climatic information and forecasting.
X. Y. Zheng, Y. F. Fu, Y. J. Yang, and G. S. Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 12115–12138, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-12115-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-12115-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We systematically examined that how various large-scale atmospheric conditions (ACs) affects the distributions of aerosol optical depth (AOD) over eastern China. We extract and depict nine main types for AOD (six polluted types and three clean types) in autumn over eastern China. The results provide convincing evidence that the general characteristics of atmospheric circulations contribute significantly to the different types of regional pollution.
Related subject area
Subject: Clouds and Precipitation | Research Activity: Remote Sensing | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Physics (physical properties and processes)
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
New insights on the prevalence of drizzle in marine stratocumulus clouds based on a machine learning algorithm applied to radar Doppler spectra
Addressing the difficulties in quantifying droplet number response to aerosol from satellite observations
Optically thin clouds in the trades
Stability-dependent increases in liquid water with droplet number in the Arctic
Lightning activity in northern Europe during a stormy winter: disruptions of weather patterns originating in global climate phenomena
Ice Crystal Characterization in Cirrus Clouds III: Retrieval of Ice Crystal Shape and Roughness from Observations of Halo Displays
A climatology of open and closed mesoscale cellular convection over the Southern Ocean derived from Himawari-8 observations
Methodology to determine the coupling of continental clouds with surface and boundary layer height under cloudy conditions from lidar and meteorological data
Albedo susceptibility of northeastern Pacific stratocumulus: the role of covarying meteorological conditions
Opportunistic experiments to constrain aerosol effective radiative forcing
Environmental effects on aerosol–cloud interaction in non-precipitating marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds over the eastern North Atlantic
Hemispheric contrasts in ice formation in stratiform mixed-phase clouds: disentangling the role of aerosol and dynamics with ground-based remote sensing
Microphysical process of precipitating hydrometeors from warm-front mid-level stratiform clouds revealed by ground-based lidar observations
Overview: Fusion of radar polarimetry and numerical atmospheric modelling towards an improved understanding of cloud and precipitation processes
A climatology of trade-wind cumulus cold pools and their link to mesoscale cloud organization
Global evidence of aerosol-induced invigoration in marine cumulus clouds
Impacts of the Saharan air layer on the physical properties of the Atlantic tropical cyclone cloud systems: 2003–2019
Two-year statistics of columnar-ice production in stratiform clouds over Hyytiälä, Finland: environmental conditions and the relevance to secondary ice production
Changes in cirrus cloud properties and occurrence over Europe during the COVID-19-caused air traffic reduction
A new conceptual model for adiabatic fog
Deciphering organization of GOES-16 green cumulus through the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) lens
Satellite retrieval of cloud base height and geometric thickness of low-level cloud based on CALIPSO
Lightning occurrences and intensity over the Indian region: long-term trends and future projections
Contrasting ice formation in Arctic clouds: surface-coupled vs. surface-decoupled clouds
Evaluation of the CMIP6 marine subtropical stratocumulus cloud albedo and its controlling factors
Identifying meteorological influences on marine low-cloud mesoscale morphology using satellite classifications
Lidar observations of cirrus clouds in Palau (7°33′ N, 134°48′ E)
Observing the timescales of aerosol–cloud interactions in snapshot satellite images
Potential impact of aerosols on convective clouds revealed by Himawari-8 observations over different terrain types in eastern China
How frequent is natural cloud seeding from ice cloud layers ( < −35 °C) over Switzerland?
Processes contributing to cloud dissipation and formation events on the North Slope of Alaska
Characterisation and surface radiative impact of Arctic low clouds from the IAOOS field experiment
A-Train estimates of the sensitivity of the cloud-to-rainwater ratio to cloud size, relative humidity, and aerosols
Ice injected into the tropopause by deep convection – Part 2: Over the Maritime Continent
3D radiative heating of tropical upper tropospheric cloud systems derived from synergistic A-Train observations and machine learning
The potential of increasing man-made air pollution to reduce rainfall over southern West Africa
The dual-field-of-view polarization lidar technique: a new concept in monitoring aerosol effects in liquid-water clouds – theoretical framework
The dual-field-of-view polarization lidar technique: a new concept in monitoring aerosol effects in liquid-water clouds – case studies
Constraining the Twomey effect from satellite observations: issues and perspectives
Properties of ice cloud over Beijing from surface Ka-band radar observations during 2014–2017
Linkage among ice crystal microphysics, mesoscale dynamics, and cloud and precipitation structures revealed by collocated microwave radiometer and multifrequency radar observations
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.
Zeen Zhu, Pavlos Kollias, Edward Luke, and Fan Yang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7405–7416, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7405-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7405-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Drizzle (small rain droplets) is an important component of warm clouds; however, its existence is poorly understood. In this study, we capitalized on a machine-learning algorithm to develop a drizzle detection method. We applied this algorithm to investigate drizzle occurrence and found out that drizzle is far more ubiquitous than previously thought. This study demonstrates the ubiquitous nature of drizzle in clouds and will improve understanding of the associated microphysical process.
Hailing Jia, Johannes Quaas, Edward Gryspeerdt, Christoph Böhm, and Odran Sourdeval
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7353–7372, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7353-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7353-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol–cloud interaction is the most uncertain component of the anthropogenic forcing of the climate. By combining satellite and reanalysis data, we show that the strength of the Twomey effect (S) increases remarkably with vertical velocity. Both the confounding effect of aerosol–precipitation interaction and the lack of vertical co-location between aerosol and cloud are found to overestimate S, whereas the retrieval biases in aerosol and cloud appear to underestimate S.
Theresa Mieslinger, Bjorn Stevens, Tobias Kölling, Manfred Brath, Martin Wirth, and Stefan A. Buehler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 6879–6898, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6879-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6879-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The trades are home to a plethora of small cumulus clouds that are often barely visible to the human eye and difficult to detect with active and passive remote sensing methods. With the help of a new method and by means of high-resolution data we can detect small and particularly thin clouds. We find that optically thin clouds are a common phenomenon in the trades, covering a large area and influencing the radiative effect of clouds if they are undetected and contaminate the cloud-free signal.
Rebecca J. Murray-Watson and Edward Gryspeerdt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5743–5756, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5743-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5743-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds are important to the Arctic surface energy budget, but the impact of aerosols on their properties is largely uncertain. This work shows that the response of liquid water path to cloud droplet number increases is strongly dependent on lower tropospheric stability (LTS), with weaker cooling effects in polluted clouds and at high LTS. LTS is projected to decrease in a warmer Arctic, reducing the cooling effect of aerosols and producing a positive, aerosol-dependent cloud feedback.
Ivana Kolmašová, Ondřej Santolík, and Kateřina Rosická
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3379–3389, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3379-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3379-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The 2014–2015 winter brought an enormous number of lightning strokes to northern Europe, about 4 times more than their long-term median over the last decade. This unusual production of lightning, concentrated above the ocean and along the western coastal areas, was probably due to a combination of large-scale climatic events like El Niño and the North Atlantic Oscillation, causing increased sea surface temperatures and updraft strengths, which acted as additional thundercloud-charging drivers.
Linda Forster and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-128, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-128, 2022
Revised manuscript accepted for ACP
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 for 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 surface as best match in general.
Francisco Lang, Luis Ackermann, Yi Huang, Son C. H. Truong, Steven T. Siems, and Michael J. Manton
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2135–2152, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2135-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2135-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Marine low-level clouds cover vast areas of the Southern Ocean, and they are essential to the Earth system energy balance. We use 3 years of satellite observations to group low-level clouds by their spatial structure using a pattern-recognizing program. We studied two primary cloud type patterns, i.e. open and closed clouds. Open clouds are uniformly distributed over the storm track, while closed clouds are most predominant in the southeastern Indian Ocean. Closed clouds exhibit a daily cycle.
Tianning Su, Youtong Zheng, and Zhanqing Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 1453–1466, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1453-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1453-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
To enrich our understanding of coupling of continental clouds, we developed a novel methodology to determine cloud coupling state from a lidar and a suite of surface meteorological instruments. This method is built upon advancement in our understanding of fundamental boundary layer processes and clouds. As the first remote sensing method for determining the coupling state of low clouds over land, this methodology paves a solid ground for further investigating the coupled land–atmosphere system.
Jianhao Zhang, Xiaoli Zhou, Tom Goren, and Graham Feingold
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 861–880, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-861-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-861-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Oceanic liquid-form clouds are effective sunlight reflectors. Their brightness is highly sensitive to changes in the amount of aerosol particles in the atmosphere and the state of the atmosphere they reside in. This study quantifies this sensitivity using long-term satellite observations and finds an overall cloud brightening (a cooling effect) potential and an essential role of the covarying meteorological conditions in governing this sensitivity for northeastern Pacific stratocumulus.
Matthew W. Christensen, Andrew Gettelman, Jan Cermak, Guy Dagan, Michael Diamond, Alyson Douglas, Graham Feingold, Franziska Glassmeier, Tom Goren, Daniel P. Grosvenor, Edward Gryspeerdt, Ralph Kahn, Zhanqing Li, Po-Lun Ma, Florent Malavelle, Isabel L. McCoy, Daniel T. McCoy, Greg McFarquhar, Johannes Mülmenstädt, Sandip Pal, Anna Possner, Adam Povey, Johannes Quaas, Daniel Rosenfeld, Anja Schmidt, Roland Schrödner, Armin Sorooshian, Philip Stier, Velle Toll, Duncan Watson-Parris, Robert Wood, Mingxi Yang, and Tianle Yuan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 641–674, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-641-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-641-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Trace gases and aerosols (tiny airborne particles) are released from a variety of point sources around the globe. Examples include volcanoes, industrial chimneys, forest fires, and ship stacks. These sources provide opportunistic experiments with which to quantify the role of aerosols in modifying cloud properties. We review the current state of understanding on the influence of aerosol on climate built from the wide range of natural and anthropogenic laboratories investigated in recent decades.
Xiaojian Zheng, Baike Xi, Xiquan Dong, Peng Wu, Timothy Logan, and Yuan Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 335–354, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-335-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-335-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study uses ground-based observations to investigate the physical processes in the aerosol–cloud interactions in non-precipitating marine boundary layer clouds, over the eastern North Atlantic Ocean. Results show that the cloud responses to the aerosols are diminished with limited water vapor supply, while they are enhanced with increasing water vapor availability. The clouds are found to be most sensitive to the aerosols under sufficient water vapor and strong boundary layer turbulence.
Martin Radenz, Johannes Bühl, Patric Seifert, Holger Baars, Ronny Engelmann, Boris Barja González, Rodanthi-Elisabeth Mamouri, Félix Zamorano, and Albert Ansmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17969–17994, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17969-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17969-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This study brings together long-term ground-based remote-sensing observations of mixed-phase clouds at three key locations of aerosol–cloud interactions in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere midlatitudes. The findings contribute several new aspects on the nature of the excess of supercooled liquid clouds in the Southern Hemisphere, such as a long-term lidar-based estimate of ice-nucleating particle profiles as well as the effects of boundary layer coupling and gravity waves on ice formation.
Yang Yi, Fan Yi, Fuchao Liu, Yunpeng Zhang, Changming Yu, and Yun He
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17649–17664, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17649-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17649-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Our lidar observations reveal the complete microphysical process of hydrometeors falling from mid-level stratiform clouds. We find that the surface rainfall begins as supercooled mixed-phase hydrometeors fall out of a liquid parent cloud base. We find also that the collision–coalescence growth of precipitating raindrops and subsequent spontaneous breakup always occur around 0.6 km altitude during surface rainfalls. Our findings provide new insights into stratiform precipitation formation.
Silke Trömel, Clemens Simmer, Ulrich Blahak, Armin Blanke, Sabine Doktorowski, Florian Ewald, Michael Frech, Mathias Gergely, Martin Hagen, Tijana Janjic, Heike Kalesse-Los, Stefan Kneifel, Christoph Knote, Jana Mendrok, Manuel Moser, Gregor Köcher, Kai Mühlbauer, Alexander Myagkov, Velibor Pejcic, Patric Seifert, Prabhakar Shrestha, Audrey Teisseire, Leonie von Terzi, Eleni Tetoni, Teresa Vogl, Christiane Voigt, Yuefei Zeng, Tobias Zinner, and Johannes Quaas
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17291–17314, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17291-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17291-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The article introduces the ACP readership to ongoing research in Germany on cloud- and precipitation-related process information inherent in polarimetric radar measurements, outlines pathways to inform atmospheric models with radar-based information, and points to remaining challenges towards an improved fusion of radar polarimetry and atmospheric modelling.
Raphaela Vogel, Heike Konow, Hauke Schulz, and Paquita Zuidema
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 16609–16630, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16609-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16609-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The shallow cumulus clouds that populate the trade-wind regions can produce substantial amounts of rain. Before reaching the surface, part of the rain can evaporate and form pools of cold air that spread at the surface as density currents. We use 10 years of data from Barbados to show that such cold pools occur on 3 out of 4 d, that cold-pool periods are 90 % cloudier relative to the average winter conditions, and that they are connected to specific patterns of mesoscale cloud organization.
Alyson Douglas and Tristan L'Ecuyer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15103–15114, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15103-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15103-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
When aerosols enter the atmosphere, they interact with the clouds above in what we term aerosol–cloud interactions and lead to a series of reactions which delay the onset of rain. This delay may lead to increased rain rates, or invigoration, when the cloud eventually rains. We show that aerosol leads to invigoration in certain environments. The strength of the invigoration depends on how large the cloud is, which suggests that it is highly tied to the organization of the cloud system.
Hao Luo and Yong Han
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15171–15184, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15171-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15171-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The various feedbacks of Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs) to the Saharan air layer (SAL) are determined by the combined effects of dry air masses, the dust aerosols as ice nuclei, and dynamic, thermodynamic, and moisture conditions. The specific influence mechanisms of SAL on the three intensities of TCs (tropical depression, tropical storm, and hurricane) are different. The conclusions are beneficial to our recognition of the physical process and evolution of TCs in the Atlantic region.
Haoran Li, Ottmar Möhler, Tuukka Petäjä, and Dmitri Moisseev
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14671–14686, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14671-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14671-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In natural clouds, ice-nucleating particles are expected to be rare above –10 °C. In the current paper, we found that the formation of ice columns is frequent in stratiform clouds and is associated with increased precipitation intensity and liquid water path. In single-layer shallow clouds, the production of ice columns was attributed to secondary ice production, despite the rime-splintering process not being expected to take place in such clouds.
Qiang Li and Silke Groß
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14573–14590, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14573-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14573-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Aircraft emit exhaust gases and particles directly into the atmosphere, which may contribute to climate change. We present a significant reduction in the occurrence rate and particle linear depolarization ratio of cirrus clouds based on the analysis of measurements with the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite during COVID-19 when air traffic was significantly reduced. The findings imply that these clouds formed with less influence from aviation.
Felipe Toledo, Martial Haeffelin, Eivind Wærsted, and Jean-Charles Dupont
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13099–13117, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13099-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13099-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The article presents a new conceptual model to describe the temporal evolution of continental fog layers, developed based on 7 years of fog measurements performed at the SIRTA observatory, France. This new paradigm relates the visibility reduction caused by fog to its vertical thickness and liquid water path and provides diagnostic variables that could substantially improve the reliability of fog dissipation nowcasting at a local scale, based on real-time profiling observation.
Tom Dror, Mickaël D. Chekroun, Orit Altaratz, and Ilan Koren
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 12261–12272, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12261-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12261-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
A part of continental shallow convective cumulus (Cu) was shown to share properties such as organization and formation over vegetated areas, thus named green Cu. Mechanisms behind the formed patterns are not understood. We use different metrics and an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) to decompose the dataset and quantify organization factors (cloud streets and gravity waves). We show that clouds form a highly organized grid structure over hundreds of kilometers at the field lifetime.
Xin Lu, Feiyue Mao, Daniel Rosenfeld, Yannian Zhu, Zengxin Pan, and Wei Gong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11979–12003, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11979-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11979-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, a novel method for retrieving cloud base height and geometric thickness is developed and applied to produce a global climatology of boundary layer clouds with a high accuracy. The retrieval is based on the 333 m resolution low-level cloud distribution as obtained from the CALIPSO lidar data. The main part of the study describes the variability of cloud vertical geometrical properties in space, season, and time of the day. Resultant new insights are presented.
Rohit Chakraborty, Arindam Chakraborty, Ghouse Basha, and Madineni Venkat Ratnam
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11161–11177, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11161-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11161-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, urbanization-induced surface warming has been found to trigger prominent changes in upper-troposphere–lower-stratosphere regions leading to stronger and more frequent lightning extremes over India. Consequently, the implementation of this hypothesis in global climate models reveals that lightning frequency and intensity values across India will rise by ~10–25 % and 15–50 %, respectively, by 2100 at the current urbanization rate, which should be alarming for present policymakers.
Hannes J. Griesche, Kevin Ohneiser, Patric Seifert, Martin Radenz, Ronny Engelmann, and Albert Ansmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 10357–10374, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10357-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10357-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Heterogeneous ice formation in Arctic mixed-phase clouds under consideration of their surface-coupling state is investigated. Cloud phase and macrophysical properties were determined by means of lidar and cloud radar measurements, the coupling state, and cloud minimum temperature by radiosonde profiles. Above −15 °C cloud minimum temperature, surface-coupled clouds are more likely to contain ice by a factor of 2–6. By means of a literature survey, causes of the observed effects are discussed.
Bida Jian, Jiming Li, Guoyin Wang, Yuxin Zhao, Yarong Li, Jing Wang, Min Zhang, and Jianping Huang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 9809–9828, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9809-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9809-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluate the performance of the AMIP6 model in simulating cloud albedo over marine subtropical regions and the impacts of different aerosol types and meteorological factors on the cloud albedo based on multiple satellite datasets and reanalysis data. The results show that AMIP6 demonstrates moderate improvement over AMIP5 in simulating the monthly variation in cloud albedo, and changes in different aerosol types and meteorological factors can explain ~65 % of the changes in the cloud albedo.
Johannes Mohrmann, Robert Wood, Tianle Yuan, Hua Song, Ryan Eastman, and Lazaros Oreopoulos
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 9629–9642, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9629-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9629-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Observations of marine-boundary-layer conditions are composited by cloud type, based on a new classification dataset. It is found that two cloud types, representing regions of clustered and suppressed low-level clouds, occur in very similar large-scale conditions but are distinguished from each other by considering low-level circulation and surface wind fields, validating prior results from modeling.
Francesco Cairo, Mauro De Muro, Marcel Snels, Luca Di Liberto, Silvia Bucci, Bernard Legras, Ajil Kottayil, Andrea Scoccione, and Stefano Ghisu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 7947–7961, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7947-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7947-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
A lidar was used in Palau from February–March 2016. Clouds were observed peaking at 3 km below the high cold-point tropopause (CPT). Their occurrence was linked with cold anomalies, while in warm cases, cirrus clouds were restricted to 5 km below the CPT. Thin subvisible cirrus (SVC) near the CPT had distinctive characteristics. They were linked to wave-induced cold anomalies. Back trajectories are mostly compatible with convective outflow, while some distinctive SVC may originate in situ.
Edward Gryspeerdt, Tom Goren, and Tristan W. P. Smith
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 6093–6109, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6093-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6093-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Cloud responses to aerosol are time-sensitive, but this development is rarely observed. This study uses isolated aerosol perturbations from ships to measure this development and shows that macrophysical (width, cloud fraction, detectability) and microphysical (droplet number) properties of ship tracks vary strongly with time since emission, background cloud and meteorological state. This temporal development should be considered when constraining aerosol–cloud interactions with observations.
Tianmeng Chen, Zhanqing Li, Ralph A. Kahn, Chuanfeng Zhao, Daniel Rosenfeld, Jianping Guo, Wenchao Han, and Dandan Chen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 6199–6220, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6199-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6199-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
A convective cloud identification process is developed using geostationary satellite data from Himawari-8.
Convective cloud fraction is generally larger before noon and smaller in the afternoon under polluted conditions, but megacities and complex topography can influence the pattern.
A robust relationship between convective cloud and aerosol loading is found. This pattern varies with terrain height and is modulated by varying thermodynamic, dynamical, and humidity conditions during the day.
Ulrike Proske, Verena Bessenbacher, Zane Dedekind, Ulrike Lohmann, and David Neubauer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 5195–5216, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-5195-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-5195-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Ice crystals falling out of one cloud can initiate freezing in a second cloud below. We estimate the occurrence frequency of this natural cloud seeding over Switzerland from satellite data and sublimation calculations. We find that such situations with an ice cloud above another cloud are frequent and that the falling crystals survive the fall between two clouds in a significant number of cases, suggesting that natural cloud seeding is an important phenomenon over Switzerland.
Joseph Sedlar, Adele Igel, and Hagen Telg
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 4149–4167, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-4149-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-4149-2021, 2021
Julia Maillard, François Ravetta, Jean-Christophe Raut, Vincent Mariage, and Jacques Pelon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 4079–4101, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-4079-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-4079-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds remain a major source of uncertainty in understanding the Arctic climate, due in part to the lack of measurements over the sea ice. In this paper, we exploit a series of lidar profiles acquired from autonomous drifting buoys deployed in the Arctic Ocean and derive a statistic of low cloud frequency and macrophysical properties. We also show that clouds contribute to warm the surface in the shoulder seasons but not significantly from May to September.
Kevin M. Smalley and Anita D. Rapp
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 2765–2779, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2765-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2765-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We use satellite observations of shallow cumulus clouds to investigate the influence of cloud size on the ratio of cloud water path to rainwater (WRR) in different environments. For a fixed temperature and relative humidity, WRR increases with cloud size, but it varies little with aerosols. These results imply that increasing WRR with rising temperature relates not only to deeper clouds but also to more frequent larger clouds.
Iris-Amata Dion, Cyrille Dallet, Philippe Ricaud, Fabien Carminati, Thibaut Dauhut, and Peter Haynes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 2191–2210, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2191-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2191-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Ice in the tropopause has a strong radiative effect on climate. The amount of ice injected (∆IWC) up to the tropical tropopause layer has been shown to be the highest over the Maritime Continent (MC), a region that includes Indonesia. ∆IWC is studied over islands and sea of the MC. Space-borne observations of ice, precipitation and lightning are used to estimate ∆IWC and are compared to ∆IWC estimated from the ERA5 reanalyses. It is shown that Java is the area of the greatest ∆IWC over the MC.
Claudia J. Stubenrauch, Giacomo Caria, Sofia E. Protopapadaki, and Friederike Hemmer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 1015–1034, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1015-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1015-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Tropical anvils formed by convective outflow play a crucial role in modulating the Earth’s energy budget and heat transport. To explore the relation between these anvils and convection, we built 3D radiative heating fields, based on machine learning employed on cloud and atmospheric properties from IR sounder and meteorological reanalyses, trained on lidar–radar retrievals. The 15-year time series reveals colder convective systems during warm periods, affecting the atmospheric heating structure.
Gregor Pante, Peter Knippertz, Andreas H. Fink, and Anke Kniffka
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 35–55, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-35-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-35-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Seasonal rainfall amounts along the densely populated West African Guinea coast have been decreasing during the past 35 years, with recently accelerating trends. We find strong indications that this is in part related to increasing human air pollution in the region. Given the fast increase in emissions, the political implications of this work are significant. Reducing air pollution locally and regionally would mitigate an imminent health crisis and socio-economic damage from reduced rainfall.
Cristofer Jimenez, Albert Ansmann, Ronny Engelmann, David Donovan, Aleksey Malinka, Jörg Schmidt, Patric Seifert, and Ulla Wandinger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 15247–15263, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15247-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15247-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
A novel lidar method to study cloud microphysical properties (of liquid water clouds) and to study aerosol–cloud interaction (ACI) is developed and presented in this paper. In Part 1, the theoretical framework including an error analysis is given together with an overview of the aerosol information that the same lidar system can obtain. The ACI concept based on aerosol and cloud information is also explained. Applications of the proposed approach to lidar measurements are presented in Part 2.
Cristofer Jimenez, Albert Ansmann, Ronny Engelmann, David Donovan, Aleksey Malinka, Patric Seifert, Robert Wiesen, Martin Radenz, Zhenping Yin, Johannes Bühl, Jörg Schmidt, Boris Barja, and Ulla Wandinger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 15265–15284, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15265-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15265-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Part 2 presents the application of the dual-FOV polarization lidar technique introduced in Part 1. A lidar system was upgraded with a second polarization telescope, and it was deployed at the southernmost tip of South America. A comparison with alternative remote sensing techniques and the evaluation of the aerosol–cloud–wind relation in a convective boundary layer in pristine marine conditions are presented in two case studies, demonstrating the potential of the approach for ACI studies.
Johannes Quaas, Antti Arola, Brian Cairns, Matthew Christensen, Hartwig Deneke, Annica M. L. Ekman, Graham Feingold, Ann Fridlind, Edward Gryspeerdt, Otto Hasekamp, Zhanqing Li, Antti Lipponen, Po-Lun Ma, Johannes Mülmenstädt, Athanasios Nenes, Joyce E. Penner, Daniel Rosenfeld, Roland Schrödner, Kenneth Sinclair, Odran Sourdeval, Philip Stier, Matthias Tesche, Bastiaan van Diedenhoven, and Manfred Wendisch
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 15079–15099, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15079-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15079-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Anthropogenic pollution particles – aerosols – serve as cloud condensation nuclei and thus increase cloud droplet concentration and the clouds' reflection of sunlight (a cooling effect on climate). This Twomey effect is poorly constrained by models and requires satellite data for better quantification. The review summarizes the challenges in properly doing so and outlines avenues for progress towards a better use of aerosol retrievals and better retrievals of droplet concentrations.
Juan Huo, Yufang Tian, Xue Wu, Congzheng Han, Bo Liu, Yongheng Bi, Shu Duan, and Daren Lyu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14377–14392, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14377-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14377-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
A detailed analysis of ice cloud physical properties is presented based on 4 years of surface Ka-band radar measurements in Beijing, where the summer oceanic monsoon from the ocean and winter continental monsoon prevail alternately. More than 6000 ice cloud clusters were studied to investigate their physical properties, such as height, horizontal extent, temperature dependence and origination type, which can serve as a reference for parameterization and characterization in global climate models.
Jie Gong, Xiping Zeng, Dong L. Wu, S. Joseph Munchak, Xiaowen Li, Stefan Kneifel, Davide Ori, Liang Liao, and Donifan Barahona
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 12633–12653, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-12633-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-12633-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This work provides a novel way of using polarized passive microwave measurements to study the interlinked cloud–convection–precipitation processes. The magnitude of differences between polarized radiances is found linked to ice microphysics (shape, size, orientation and density), mesoscale dynamic and thermodynamic structures, and surface precipitation. We conclude that passive sensors with multiple polarized channel pairs may serve as cheaper and useful substitutes for spaceborne radar sensors.
Cited articles
Battaglia, A., Rustemeier, E., Tokay, A., Blahak, U., and Simmer, C.:
PARSIVEL snow observations: A critical assessment, J. Atmos. Ocean.
Technol., 27, 333–344, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JTECHA1332.1, 2010.
Bennartz, R. and Bauer, P.: Sensitivity of microwave radiances at 85-183 GHz
to precipitating ice particles, Radio Sci., 38, 8075,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2002rs002626, 2003.
Casella, D., Panegrossi, G., Sanò, P., Marra, A. C., Dietrich, S.,
Johnson, B. T., and Kulie, M. S.: Evaluation of the GPM-DPR snowfall
detection capability: Comparison with CloudSat-CPR, Atmos. Res., 197,
64–75, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2017.06.018, 2017.
Chen, H., Chandrasekar, V., and Bechini, R.: An improved dual-polarization
radar rainfall algorithm (DROPS2.0): Application in NASA IFloodS field
campaign, J. Hydrometeorol., 18, 917–937, https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-16-0124.1, 2017.
Chen, S., Hong, Y., Kulie, M., Behrangi, A., Stepanian, P. M., Cao, Q., You,
Y., Zhang, J., Hu, J., and Zhang, X.: Comparison of snowfall estimates from
the NASA CloudSat Cloud Profiling Radar and NOAA/NSSL Multi-Radar
Multi-Sensor System, J. Hydrol., 541, 862–872,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.07.047, 2016.
Chung, S.-H., Byun, K.-Y., and Lee, T.-Y.: Classification of snowfalls over the
Korean peninsula based on developing mechanism, Atmosphere, 16, 33–48,
2006.
Draine, B. T. and Flatau, P. J.: Discrete-Dipole Approximation For
Scattering Calculations, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, 11, 1491,
https://doi.org/10.1364/josaa.11.001491, 1994.
Garrett, T. J., Fallgatter, C., Shkurko, K., and Howlett, D.: Fall speed measurement and high-resolution multi-angle photography of hydrometeors in free fall, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 5, 2625–2633, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-5-2625-2012, 2012.
Geer, A. J. and Baordo, F.: Improved scattering radiative transfer for frozen hydrometeors at microwave frequencies, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 1839–1860, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-1839-2014, 2014.
Gehring, J., Oertel, A., Vignon, É., Jullien, N., Besic, N., and Berne, A.: Microphysics and dynamics of snowfall associated with a warm conveyor belt over Korea, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 7373–7392, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-7373-2020, 2020.
Gelaro, R., McCarty, W., Suárez, M. J., Todling, R., Molod, A., Takacs,
L., Randles, C. A., Darmenov, A., Bosilovich, M. G., Reichle, R., Wargan,
K., Coy, L., Cullather, R., Draper, C., Akella, S., Buchard, V., Conaty, A.,
da Silva, A. M., Gu, W., Kim, G. K., Koster, R., Lucchesi, R., Merkova, D.,
Nielsen, J. E., Partyka, G., Pawson, S., Putman, W., Rienecker, M.,
Schubert, S. D., Sienkiewicz, M., and Zhao, B.: The modern-era retrospective
analysis for research and applications, version 2 (MERRA-2), J. Climate,
30, 5419–5454, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0758.1, 2017.
Gong, J. and Wu, D. L.: Microphysical properties of frozen particles inferred from Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI) polarimetric measurements, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 2741–2757, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-2741-2017, 2017.
Grazioli, J., Genthon, C., Boudevillain, B., Duran-Alarcon, C., Del Guasta, M., Madeleine, J.-B., and Berne, A.: Measurements of precipitation in Dumont d'Urville, Adélie Land, East Antarctica, The Cryosphere, 11, 1797–1811, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1797-2017, 2017.
Honeyager, R., Liu, G., and Nowell, H.: Voronoi diagram-based spheroid model
for microwave scattering of complex snow aggregates, J. Quant. Spectrosc.
Radiat. Transf., 170, 28–44, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2015.10.025, 2016.
Hudak, D., Rodriguez, P., and Donaldson, N.: Validation of the CloudSat
precipitation occurrence algorithm using the Canadian C band radar network,
J. Geophys. Res., 113, D00A07, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JD009992, 2008.
Katsumata, M., Uyeda, H., Iwanami, K., and Liu, G.: The response of 36- and
89-GHz microwave channels to convective snow clouds over ocean: Observation
and modeling, J. Appl. Meteorol., 39, 2322–2335,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(2000)039<2322:troagm>2.0.co;2,
2000.
Kim, M. J., Weinman, J. A., Olson, W. S., Chang, D. E., Skofronick-Jackson,
G., and Wang, J. R.: A physical model to estimate snowfall over land using
AMSU-B observations, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 42, 1047–1058, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD008589,
2008.
Kim, J., Yoon, D., Cha, D. H., Choi, Y., Kim, J., and Son, S. W.: Impacts of
the East Asian winter monsoon and local sea surface temperature on heavy
snowfall over the Yeongdong region, J. Climate, 32, 6783–6802,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0411.1. 2019.
Kim, T. and Jin, E. K.: Impact of an interactive ocean on numerical weather
prediction: A case of a local heavy snowfall event in eastern Korea, J.
Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 121, 8243–8253, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JD024763, 2016.
Ko, A.-R., Kim, B.-G., Eun, S.-H., Park, Y.-S., and Choi, B.-C.: Analysis of
the relationship of water vapor with precipitation for the winter ESSAY
(Experiment on Snow Storms At Yeongdong) period, Atmosphere, 26, 19–33,
https://doi.org/10.14191/atmos.2016.26.1.019, 2016.
Kongoli, C., Meng, H., Dong, J., and Ferraro, R.: A snowfall detection
algorithm over land utilizing high-frequency passive microwave
measurements – Application to ATMS, J. Geophys. Res., 120, 1918–1932,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022427, 2015.
Kneifel, S., Löhnert, U., Battaglia, A., Crewell, S., and Siebler, D.:
Snow scattering signals in ground-based passive microwave measurements. J.
Geophys. Res., 115, D16214, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JD013856, 2010.
Kneifel, S., Redl, S., Orlandi, E., Löhnert, U., Cadeddu, M. P., Turner,
D. D., and Chen, M.-T.: Absorption Properties of Supercooled Liquid Water
between 31 and 225 GHz: Evaluation of Absorption Models Using Ground-based
Observations, J. Appl. Meteor. Climatol., 53, 1028–1045,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-13-0214.1, 2014.
Kruger, A. and Krajewski, W. F.: Two-dimensional video disdrometer: A
description, J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol., 19, 602–617,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(2002)019<0602:TDVDAD>2.0.CO;2,
2002.
Küchler, N., Kneifel, S., Löhnert, U., Kollias, P., Czekala, H., and
Rose, T.: A W-band radar–radiometer system for accurate and continuous
monitoring of clouds and precipitation, J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol., 34,
2375–2392, https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-17-0019.1, 2017.
Kulie, M. S. and Bennartz, R.: Utilizing spaceborne radars to retrieve dry
Snowfall, J. Appl. Meteorol. Climatol., 48, 2564–2580,
https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JAMC2193.1, 2009.
Kulie, M. S., Milani, L., Wood, N. B., Tushaus, S. A., Bennartz, R.,
L'Ecuyer, T. S., and L'Ecuyer, T. S.: A shallow cumuliform snowfall census
using spaceborne radar, J. Hydrometeorol., 17, 1261–1279,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-15-0123.1, 2016.
Kummerow, C., Oison, W. S., and Giglio, L.: A simplified scheme for obtaining
precipitation and vertical hydrometeor profiles from passive microwave
sensors, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 34, 1213–1232, https://doi.org/10.1109/36.536538, 1996.
Kummerow, C. D., Randel, D. L., Kulie, M., Wang, N. Y., Ferraro, R., Joseph
Munchak, S., and Petkovic, V.: The evolution of the goddard profiling
algorithm to a fully parametric scheme, J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol., 32, 2265–2280,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-15-0039.1, 2015.
Liebe, H. J., Hufford, G. A., and Cotton, M. G.: Propagation modeling of
moist air and suspended water/ice particles at frequencies below 1000 GHz,
AGARD Conf. Proc., 542, 3-1–3-10, 1993.
Liu, G.: A fast and accurate model for microwave radiance calculations, J.
Meteorol. Soc. Japan, 76, 335–243, https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj1965.76.2_335, 1998.
Liu, G.: Approximation of Single Scattering Properties of Ice and Snow
Particles for High Microwave Frequencies, J. Atmos. Sci., 61,
2441–2456, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(2004)061<2441:AOSSPO>2.0.CO;2, 2004.
Liu, G.: Deriving snow cloud characteristics from CloudSat observations, J.
Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 114, 1–13, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD009766, 2008a.
Liu, G.: A database of microwave single-scattering properties for
nonspherical ice particles, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 89, 1563–1570,
https://doi.org/10.1175/2008BAMS2486.1, 2008b.
Liu, G. and Curry, J. A.: Precipitation characteristics in
Greenland-Iceland-Norwegian Seas determined by using satellite microwave
data and modeling studies that require Observations Salinity satellite
retrievals are the only platform from described by Schmitt cycle for
tropical, J. Geophys. Res. - Atmos., 102, 13987–13997, https://doi.org/10.1029/96JD03090, 1997.
Liu, G. and Seo, E.-K. K.: Detecting snowfall over land by satellite
high-frequency microwave observations: The lack of scattering signature and
a statistical approach, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 118, 1376–1387,
https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrd.50172, 2013.
Liu, G. and Takeda, T.: Observation of the degree of glaciation in middle-level stratiform clouds, J. Meteorol. Soc. Japan, 66, 645–660, https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj1965.66.5_645, 1988.
Locatelli, J. D. and Hobbs, P. V.: Fall speeds and masses of solid
precipitation particles, J. Geophys. Res., 79, 2185–2197, https://doi.org/10.1029/jc079i015p02185,
1974.
Löffler-Mang, M. and Joss, J.: An optical disdrometer for measuring size
and velocity of hydrometeors, J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol., 17, 130–139,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(2000)017<0130:AODFMS>2.0.CO;2,
2000.
Marchand, R., Mace, G. G., Ackerman, T., and Stephens, G.: Hydrometeor
detection using Cloudsat – An earth-orbiting 94-GHz cloud radar, J. Atmos.
Ocean. Technol., 25, 519–533, https://doi.org/10.1175/2007JTECHA1006.1, 2008.
Meng, H., Dong, J., Ferraro, R., Yan, B., Zhao, L., Kongoli, C., Wang, N. Y.,
and Zavodsky, B.: A 1DVAR-based snowfall rate retrieval algorithm for
passive microwave radiometers, J. Geophys. Res., 122, 6520–6540,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JD026325, 2017.
Nam, H. G., Kim, B. G., Han, S. O., Lee, C., and Lee, S. S.: Characteristics
of easterly-induced snowfall in Yeongdong and its relationship to air-sea
temperature difference, Asia-Pacific J. Atmos. Sci., 50, 541–552,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13143-014-0044-3, 2014.
Noh, Y. J., Liu, G., Seo, E. K., Wang, J. R., and Aonashi, K.: Development of
a snowfall retrieval algorithm at high microwave frequencies, J. Geophys.
Res.-Atmos., 111, D22216, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006826, 2006.
Olson, W. S., Kummerow, C. D., Heymsfield, G. M., and Giglio, L.: A method
for combined passive-active microwave retrievals of cloud and precipitation
profiles, J. Appl. Meteorol., 35, 1763–1789,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1996)035<1763:AMFCPM>2.0.CO;2,
1996.
Park, H., Lee, J., and Chang, E.: High-resolution simulation of snowfall over
the Korean eastern coastal pegion using WRF model: Sensitivity to domain
nesting-down strategy. Asia-Pacific J. Atmos. Sci., 55, 493–506,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13143-019-00108-x, 2019.
Pettersen, C., Kulie, M. S., Bliven, L. F., Merrelli, A. J., Petersen, W.
A., Wagner, T. J., Wolff, D. B., and Wood, N. B: A composite analysis of
snowfall modes from four winter seasons in Marquette, Michigan. J. Appl.
Meteor. Climatol., 59, 103–124, doi:/10.1175/JAMC-D-19-0099.1,
2020.
Pettersen, C., Bennartz, R., Merrelli, A. J., Shupe, M. D., Turner, D. D., and Walden, V. P.: Precipitation regimes over central Greenland inferred from 5 years of ICECAPS observations, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 4715–4735, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4715-2018, 2018.
Rosenkranz, P. W.: Water vapor microwave continuum absorption: A comparison
of measurements and models, Radio Sci., 33, 919–928, 1998.
RPG-FMCW: RPG-FMCW-94-SP/DP 94 GHz W-band Cloud Doppler Radar Instrument
Installation, Operation and Software Guide (Version 2.10-1),
available at: https://www.radiometer-physics.de/downloadftp/pub/PDF/Cloud Radar/RPG-FMCW-Instrument_Manual.pdf (last access: 20 October 2020), 2015.
Praz, C., Roulet, Y.-A., and Berne, A.: Solid hydrometeor classification and riming degree estimation from pictures collected with a Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 1335–1357, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-1335-2017, 2017.
Schwartz, M. J.: Observation and Modeling of Atmospheric Oxygen
Millimeter-Wave Transmittance, Ph.D. Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Department of Physics, 1998.
Sekhon, R. S. and Srivastava, R. C.: Doppler radar observations of drop-
size distributions in a thunderstorm, J. Atmos. Sci., 28, 983–994, 1971.
Seo, E. K. and Liu, G.: Retrievals of cloud ice water path by combining
ground cloud radar and satellite high-frequency microwave measurements near
the ARM SGP site, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 110, 1–15,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD005727, 2005.
Sims, E. M. and Liu, G.: A parameterization of the probability of snow-rain
transition, J. Hydrometeorol., 16, 1466–1477,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-14-0211.1, 2015.
Skofronick-Jackson, G. M. and Johnson, B. T.: Surface and atmospheric
contributions to passive microwave brightness temperatures for falling snow
events, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 116, 1–16, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JD014438,
2011.
Skofronick-Jackson, G. M., Petersen, W. A., Berg, W., Kidd, C., Stocker, E. F.,
Kirschbaum, D. B., Kakar, R., Braun, S. A., Huffman, G. J., Iguchi, T.,
Kirstetter, P. E., Kummerow, C., Meneghini, R., Oki, R., Olson, W. S.,
Takayabu, Y. N., Furukawa, K., and Wilheit, T.: The Global Precipitation
Measurement (GPM) Mission for Science and Society, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc.,
98, 1679–1695, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-15-00306.1, 2017.
Skofronick-Jackson, G. M., Weinman, J. A., Kim, M. J., and Chang, D. E.: A
physical model to determine snowfall over land by microwave radiometry, IEEE
Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 42, 1047–1058,
https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2004.825585, 2004.
Stephens, G. L., Austin, R. T., Benedetti, A., Mitrescu, C., Vane, D. G.,
Boain, R. J., Durden, S. L., Mace, G. G. J., Sassen, K., Wang, Z.,
Illingworth, A. J., O'Connor, E. J., Rossow, W. B. and Miller, S. D.: The
cloudsat mission and the A-Train: A new dimension of space-based
observations of clouds and precipitation, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 83,
1771–1790, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-83-12-1771, 2002.
Tanelli, S., Durden, S. L., Im, E., Pak, K. S., Reinke, D. G., Partain, P.,
Haynes, J. M., and Marchand, R. T.: CloudSat's cloud profiling radar after
two years in orbit: Performance, calibration, and processing, IEEE Trans.
Geosci. Remote Sens., 46, 3560–3573, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2008.2002030,
2008.
Tang, G., Wen, Y., Gao, J., Long, D., Ma, Y., Wan, W., and Hong, Y.:
Similarities and differences between three coexisting spaceborne radars in
global rainfall and snowfall estimation, Water Resour. Res., 53,
3835–3853, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019961, 2017.
Tokay, A., Wolff, D. B., and Petersen, W. A.: Evaluation of the new version
of the laser-optical disdrometer, OTT parsivel, J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol., 31, 1276–1288,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-13-00174.1, 2014.
Wang, Y., Chen, Y., Fu, F., and Liu, G.: Identifiction of precipitation
onset based on CloudSat observations. J. Quant. Spect. Ra. Transf., 188,
142–177, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2016.06.028, 2017.
Wang, Y., Liu, G., Seo, E. K., and Fu, Y.: Liquid water in snowing clouds:
Implications for satellite remote sensing of snowfall, Atmos. Res., 131,
60–72, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2012.06.008, 2013.
Wood, N. B., L'Ecuyer, T. S., Vane, D. G., Stephens, G. L., and Partain, P.:
Level 2C snow profile process description and interface control document,
version 0, CloudSat Proj., (D), 21, available at:
http://www.cloudsat.cira.colostate.edu/sites/default/files/products/files/2C-SNOW-PROFILE_PDICD.P_R04.20130210.pdf, (last access: 20 October 2020), 2013.
Ye, B.-Y., Jung, E., Shin, S., and Lee, G.: Statistical Characteristics of
Cloud Occurrence and Vertical Structure Observed by a Ground-Based Ka-Band
Cloud Radar in South Korea, Remote Sens., 12, 2242, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12142242,
2020.
Yin, M. and Liu, G.: Developing an a priori database for passive microwave
snow water retrievals over ocean, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 122,
12960–12981, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD027636, 2017.
Yin, M. and Liu, G.: Assessment of GPM high-frequency microwave measurements
with radiative transfer simulation under snowfall conditions, Q. J. Roy.
Meteorol. Soc., 145, 1603–1616, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3515, 2019.
Yuter, S. E. and Houze, R. A.: Three-Dimensional Kinematic and Microphysical
Evolution of Florida Cumulonimbus. Part II: Frequency Distributions of
Vertical Velocity, Reflectivity, and Differential Reflectivity, Mon. Weather
Rev., 123, 1941–1963, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1995)123<1941:tdkame>2.0.co;2, 1995.
Zhang, J., Howard, K., Langston, C., Kaney, B., Qi, Y., Tang, L., Grams, H.,
Wang, Y., Cocks, S., Martinaitis, S., Arthur, A., Cooper, K., Brogden, J.,
and Kitzmiller, D.: Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) Quantitative
Precipitation Estimation: Initial Operating Capabilities, B. Am.
Meteorol. Soc., 97, 621–638, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00174.1, 2016.
Short summary
Radar and radiometer observations were used to study cloud liquid and snowfall in three types of snow clouds. While near-surface and shallow clouds have an area fraction of 90 %, deep clouds contribute half of the total snowfall volume. Deeper clouds have heavier snowfall, although cloud liquid is equally abundant in all three cloud types. The skills of a GMI Bayesian algorithm are examined. Snowfall in deep clouds may be reasonably retrieved, but it is challenging for near-surface clouds.
Radar and radiometer observations were used to study cloud liquid and snowfall in three types of...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint