Articles | Volume 21, issue 23
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17649-2021
© Author(s) 2021. 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-21-17649-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
03 Dec 2021
Research article |
| 03 Dec 2021
| 03 Dec 2021
Microphysical process of precipitating hydrometeors from warm-front mid-level stratiform clouds revealed by ground-based lidar observations
School of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072,
China
Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment and Geodesy, Ministry of
Education, Wuhan 430072, China
State Observatory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing, Wuhan 430072, China
School of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072,
China
Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment and Geodesy, Ministry of
Education, Wuhan 430072, China
State Observatory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing, Wuhan 430072, China
Fuchao Liu
School of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072,
China
Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment and Geodesy, Ministry of
Education, Wuhan 430072, China
State Observatory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing, Wuhan 430072, China
Yunpeng Zhang
School of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072,
China
Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment and Geodesy, Ministry of
Education, Wuhan 430072, China
State Observatory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing, Wuhan 430072, China
Changming Yu
School of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072,
China
Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment and Geodesy, Ministry of
Education, Wuhan 430072, China
State Observatory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing, Wuhan 430072, China
School of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072,
China
Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment and Geodesy, Ministry of
Education, Wuhan 430072, China
State Observatory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing, Wuhan 430072, China
Related authors
Longlong Wang, Zhenping Yin, Zhichao Bu, Anzhou Wang, Song Mao, Yang Yi, Detlef Müller, Yubao Chen, and Xuan Wang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4307–4318, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4307-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4307-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We report the lidar inter-comparison results with a reference lidar at 1064 nm, in order to homogenize the signals provided by different lidar systems for establishing a lidar network in China. The profiles of relative deviation of lidar signals are less than 5 % within 500–2000 m and 10 % within 2000–5000 m, increasing confidence in the reliability of the signals provided by each lidar system in the channels at 1064 nm for a future lidar network in China.
Yun He, Yunfei Zhang, Fuchao Liu, Zhenping Yin, Yang Yi, Yifan Zhan, and Fan Yi
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 5939–5954, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-5939-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-5939-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The POLIPHON method can retrieve the height profiles of dust-related particle mass and ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentrations. Applying a dust case data set screening scheme based on the lidar-derived depolarization ratio (rather than Ångström exponent for 440–870 nm and AOD at 532 nm), the mixed-dust-related conversion factors are retrieved from sun photometer observations over Wuhan, China. This method may potentially be extended to regions influenced by mixed dust.
Fuchao Liu, Fan Yi, Zhenping Yin, Yunpeng Zhang, Yun He, and Yang Yi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 2981–2998, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2981-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2981-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Using high-resolution lidar measurements, this process-based study reveals that the clear-day convective boundary layer evolves in four distinct stages differing in depth growth rate and depth fluctuation magnitudes. The accompanying entrainment zone thickness (EZT) shows a discrepancy in statistical mean and standard deviation for different seasons and developing stages. Common EZT characteristics also exist. These findings help us understand the atmospheric boundary layer evolution.
Longlong Wang, Zhenping Yin, Zhichao Bu, Anzhou Wang, Song Mao, Yang Yi, Detlef Müller, Yubao Chen, and Xuan Wang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4307–4318, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4307-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4307-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We report the lidar inter-comparison results with a reference lidar at 1064 nm, in order to homogenize the signals provided by different lidar systems for establishing a lidar network in China. The profiles of relative deviation of lidar signals are less than 5 % within 500–2000 m and 10 % within 2000–5000 m, increasing confidence in the reliability of the signals provided by each lidar system in the channels at 1064 nm for a future lidar network in China.
Huijia Shen, Zhenping Yin, Yun He, Longlong Wang, Yifan Zhan, and Dongzhe Jing
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1844, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1844, 2023
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
With space-borne lidar and radar observations, we study two dust-cirrus interaction cases near Midway Island in the central Pacific. Partial cloud parcels show evident feature of the dominance of heterogeneous nucleation. At the upper troposphere, natural INPs such as dust and smoke may result in cooling effect by increasing the cloud cover to reflect more solar radiation and modulate the cirrus microphysical properties via different ice-nucleating regimes.
Yun He, Zhenping Yin, Albert Ansmann, Fuchao Liu, Longlong Wang, Dongzhe Jing, and Huijia Shen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 1951–1970, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1951-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1951-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
With the AERONET database, this study derives dust-related conversion factors at oceanic sites used in the POLIPHON method, which can convert lidar-retrieved dust extinction to ice-nucleating particle (INP)- and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN)-relevant parameters. The particle linear depolarization ratio in the AERONET aerosol inversion product is used to identify dust data points. The derived conversion factors can be applied to inverse 3-D global distributions of dust-related INPCs and CCNCs.
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.
Minkang Du, Kaiming Huang, Shaodong Zhang, Chunming Huang, Yun Gong, and Fan Yi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13553–13569, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13553-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13553-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
El Niño has an important influence on climate systems. There are obviously negative water vapor anomalies from radiosonde observations in the tropical western Pacific during El Niño. The tropical Hadley, Walker, and monsoon circulation variations are revealed to play different roles in the observed water vapor anomaly in different types of El Niños. The Walker (monsoon) circulation anomaly made a major contribution in the 2015/16 (2009/10) strong eastern Pacific (central Pacific) El Niño event.
Yun He, Yunfei Zhang, Fuchao Liu, Zhenping Yin, Yang Yi, Yifan Zhan, and Fan Yi
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 5939–5954, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-5939-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-5939-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The POLIPHON method can retrieve the height profiles of dust-related particle mass and ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentrations. Applying a dust case data set screening scheme based on the lidar-derived depolarization ratio (rather than Ångström exponent for 440–870 nm and AOD at 532 nm), the mixed-dust-related conversion factors are retrieved from sun photometer observations over Wuhan, China. This method may potentially be extended to regions influenced by mixed dust.
Fuchao Liu, Fan Yi, Zhenping Yin, Yunpeng Zhang, Yun He, and Yang Yi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 2981–2998, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2981-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2981-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Using high-resolution lidar measurements, this process-based study reveals that the clear-day convective boundary layer evolves in four distinct stages differing in depth growth rate and depth fluctuation magnitudes. The accompanying entrainment zone thickness (EZT) shows a discrepancy in statistical mean and standard deviation for different seasons and developing stages. Common EZT characteristics also exist. These findings help us understand the atmospheric boundary layer evolution.
Yue Jia, Shao Dong Zhang, Fan Yi, Chun Ming Huang, Kai Ming Huang, Yun Gong, and Quan Gan
Ann. Geophys., 34, 331–345, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-331-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-331-2016, 2016
K. M. Huang, A. Z. Liu, S. D. Zhang, F. Yi, C. M. Huang, Q. Gan, Y. Gong, Y. H. Zhang, and R. Wang
Ann. Geophys., 33, 1321–1330, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1321-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1321-2015, 2015
S. D. Zhang, C. M. Huang, K. M. Huang, F. Yi, Y. H. Zhang, Y. Gong, and Q. Gan
Ann. Geophys., 32, 1129–1143, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-1129-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-1129-2014, 2014
K. M. Huang, S. D. Zhang, F. Yi, C. M. Huang, Q. Gan, Y. Gong, and Y. H. Zhang
Ann. Geophys., 32, 263–275, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-263-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-263-2014, 2014
K. M. Huang, A. Z. Liu, S. D. Zhang, F. Yi, C. M. Huang, Q. Gan, Y. Gong, and Y. H. Zhang
Ann. Geophys., 31, 2039–2048, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-2039-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-2039-2013, 2013
C. M. Huang, S. D. Zhang, F. Yi, K. M. Huang, Y. H. Zhang, Q. Gan, and Y. Gong
Ann. Geophys., 31, 1731–1743, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1731-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1731-2013, 2013
Y. Y. Huang, S. D. Zhang, F. Yi, C. M. Huang, K. M. Huang, Q. Gan, and Y. Gong
Ann. Geophys., 31, 1061–1075, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1061-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1061-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Clouds and Precipitation | Research Activity: Remote Sensing | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Physics (physical properties and processes)
Technical note: Bimodal parameterizations of in situ ice cloud particle size distributions
Inter-relations of precipitation, aerosols, and clouds over Andalusia, southern Spain, revealed by the Andalusian Global ObseRvatory of the Atmosphere (AGORA)
On the relationship between mesoscale cellular convection and meteorological forcing: comparing the Southern Ocean against the North Pacific
Aerosol-related effects on the occurrence of heterogeneous ice formation over Lauder, New Zealand ∕ Aotearoa
Low-level Arctic clouds: a blind zone in our knowledge of the radiation budget
Climatologically invariant scale invariance seen in distributions of cloud horizontal sizes
Variability and properties of liquid-dominated clouds over the ice-free and sea-ice-covered Arctic Ocean
Asymmetries in cloud microphysical properties ascribed to sea ice leads via water vapour transport in the central Arctic
Quantifying the dependence of drop spectrum width on cloud drop number concentration for cloud remote sensing
The evolution of deep convective systems and their associated cirrus outflows
Wildfire smoke triggers cirrus formation: lidar observations over the eastern Mediterranean
Rapid saturation of cloud water adjustments to shipping emissions
Sensitivities of cloud radiative effects to large-scale meteorology and aerosols from global observations
Distinct secondary ice production processes observed in radar Doppler spectra: insights from a case study
Investigating the development of clouds within marine cold-air outbreaks
Diurnal variation of aerosol indirect effect for warm marine boundary layer clouds in the eastern north Atlantic
Detection of large-scale cloud microphysical changes within a major shipping corridor after implementation of the International Maritime Organization 2020 fuel sulfur regulations
Examining cloud vertical structure and radiative effects from satellite retrievals and evaluation of CMIP6 scenarios
Influence of cloud microphysics schemes on weather model predictions of heavy precipitation
Convective organization and 3D structure of tropical cloud systems deduced from synergistic A-Train observations and machine learning
Seasonal controls on isolated convective storm drafts, precipitation intensity, and life cycle as observed during GoAmazon2014/5
Uncertainty in aerosol–cloud radiative forcing is driven by clean conditions
Surface-based observations of cold-air outbreak clouds during the COMBLE field campaign
Boundary layer moisture variability at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Eastern North Atlantic observatory during marine conditions
Profile-based estimated inversion strength
Characteristics of supersaturation in midlatitude cirrus clouds and their adjacent cloud-free air
Establishment of an analytical model for remote sensing of typical stratocumulus cloud profiles under various precipitation and entrainment conditions
Satellite remote sensing of regional and seasonal Arctic cooling showing a multi-decadal trend towards brighter and more liquid clouds
Microphysical processes of super typhoon Lekima (2019) and their impacts on polarimetric radar remote sensing of precipitation
The impacts of dust aerosol and convective available potential energy on precipitation vertical structure in southeastern China as seen from multisource observations
Heavy snowfall event over the Swiss Alps: did wind shear impact secondary ice production?
On the global relationship between polarimetric radio occultation differential phase shift and ice water content
Observations of microphysical properties and radiative effects of a contrail cirrus outbreak over the North Atlantic
Natural marine cloud brightening in the Southern Ocean
Distinct regional meteorological influences on low-cloud albedo susceptibility over global marine stratocumulus regions
Diurnal cycles of cloud cover and its vertical distribution over the Tibetan Plateau revealed by satellite observations, reanalysis datasets, and CMIP6 outputs
Satellite observations of seasonality and long-term trends in cirrus cloud properties over Europe: investigation of possible aviation impacts
Ice crystal characterization in cirrus clouds III: retrieval of ice crystal shape and roughness from observations of halo displays
Technical note: Identification of two ice-nucleating regimes for dust-related cirrus clouds based on the relationship between number concentrations of ice-nucleating particles and ice crystals
Highly supercooled riming and unusual triple-frequency radar signatures over McMurdo Station, Antarctica
Ice microphysical processes in the dendritic growth layer: a statistical analysis combining multi-frequency and polarimetric Doppler cloud radar observations
Observing short-timescale cloud development to constrain aerosol–cloud interactions
Exploring relations between cloud morphology, cloud phase, and cloud radiative properties in Southern Ocean's stratocumulus clouds
Observations of cold-cloud properties in the Norwegian Arctic using ground-based and spaceborne lidar
An evaluation of the liquid cloud droplet effective radius derived from MODIS, airborne remote sensing, and in situ measurements from CAMP2Ex
A Lagrangian analysis of pockets of open cells over the southeastern Pacific
The formation and composition of the Mount Everest plume in winter
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
Irene Bartolomé García, Odran Sourdeval, Reinhold Spang, and Martina Krämer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1699–1716, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1699-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1699-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
How many ice crystals of each size are in a cloud is a key parameter for the retrieval of cloud properties. The distribution of ice crystals is obtained from in situ measurements and used to create parameterizations that can be used when analyzing the remote-sensing data. Current parameterizations are based on data sets that do not include reliable measurements of small crystals, but in our study we use a data set that includes very small ice crystals to improve these parameterizations.
Wenyue Wang, Klemens Hocke, Leonardo Nania, Alberto Cazorla, Gloria Titos, Renaud Matthey, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Agustín Millares, and Francisco Navas-Guzmán
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1571–1585, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1571-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1571-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The south-central interior of Andalusia experiences complex precipitation patterns as a result of the semi-arid Mediterranean climate and the influence of Saharan dust. This study monitored the inter-relations between aerosols, clouds, meteorological variables, and precipitation systems using ground-based remote sensing and in situ instruments.
Francisco Lang, Steven T. Siems, Yi Huang, Tahereh Alinejadtabrizi, and Luis Ackermann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1451–1466, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1451-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1451-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Marine low-level clouds play a crucial role in the Earth's energy balance, trapping heat from the surface and reflecting sunlight back into space. These clouds are distinguishable by their large-scale spatial structures, primarily characterized as hexagonal patterns with either filled (closed) or empty (open) cells. Utilizing satellite observations, these two cloud type patterns have been categorized over the Southern Ocean and North Pacific Ocean through a pattern recognition program.
Julian Hofer, Patric Seifert, J. Ben Liley, Martin Radenz, Osamu Uchino, Isamu Morino, Tetsu Sakai, Tomohiro Nagai, and Albert Ansmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1265–1280, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1265-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1265-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
An 11-year dataset of polarization lidar observations from Lauder, New Zealand / Aotearoa, was used to distinguish the thermodynamic phase of natural clouds. The cloud dataset was separated to assess the impact of air mass origin on the frequency of heterogeneous ice formation. Ice formation efficiency in clouds above Lauder was found to be lower than in the polluted Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes but higher than in very clean and pristine environments, such as Punta Arenas in southern Chile.
Hannes Jascha Griesche, Carola Barrientos-Velasco, Hartwig Deneke, Anja Hünerbein, Patric Seifert, and Andreas Macke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 597–612, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-597-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-597-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Arctic is strongly affected by climate change and the role of clouds therein is not yet completely understood. Measurements from the Arctic expedition PS106 were used to simulate radiative fluxes with and without clouds at very low altitudes (below 165 m), and their radiative effect was calculated to be 54 Wm-2. The low heights of these clouds make them hard to observe. This study shows the importance of accurate measurements and simulations of clouds and gives suggestions for improvements.
Thomas D. DeWitt, Timothy J. Garrett, Karlie N. Rees, Corey Bois, Steven K. Krueger, and Nicolas Ferlay
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 109–122, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-109-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-109-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Viewed from space, a defining feature of Earth's atmosphere is the wide spectrum of cloud sizes. A recent study predicted the distribution of cloud sizes, and this paper compares the prediction to observations. Although there is nuance in viewing perspective, we find robust agreement with theory across different climatological conditions, including land–ocean contrasts, time of year, or latitude, suggesting a minor role for Coriolis forces, aerosol loading, or surface temperature.
Marcus Klingebiel, André Ehrlich, Elena Ruiz-Donoso, Nils Risse, Imke Schirmacher, Evelyn Jäkel, Michael Schäfer, Kevin Wolf, Mario Mech, Manuel Moser, Christiane Voigt, and Manfred Wendisch
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15289–15304, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15289-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15289-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we explain how we use aircraft measurements from two Arctic research campaigns to identify cloud properties (like droplet size) over sea-ice and ice-free ocean. To make sure that our measurements make sense, we compare them with other observations. Our results show, e.g., larger cloud droplets in early summer than in spring. Moreover, the cloud droplets are also larger over ice-free ocean than compared to sea ice. In the future, our data can be used to improve climate models.
Pablo Saavedra Garfias, Heike Kalesse-Los, Luisa von Albedyll, Hannes Griesche, and Gunnar Spreen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14521–14546, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14521-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14521-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
An important Arctic climate process is the release of heat fluxes from sea ice openings to the atmosphere that influence the clouds. The characterization of this process is the objective of this study. Using synergistic observations from the MOSAiC expedition, we found that single-layer cloud properties show significant differences when clouds are coupled or decoupled to the water vapour transport which is used as physical link between the upwind sea ice openings and the cloud under observation.
Matthew D. Lebsock and Mikael Witte
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14293–14305, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14293-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14293-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper evaluates measurements of cloud drop size distributions made from airplanes. We find that as the number of cloud drops increases the distribution of the cloud drop sizes narrows. The data are used to develop a simple equation that relates the drop number to the width of the drop sizes. We then use this equation to demonstrate that existing approaches to observe the drop number from satellites contain errors that can be corrected by including the new relationship.
George Horner and Edward Gryspeerdt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14239–14253, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14239-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14239-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Tropical deep convective clouds, and the thin cirrus (ice) clouds that flow out from them, are important for modulating the energy budget of the tropical atmosphere. This work uses a new method to track the evolution of the properties of these clouds across their entire lifetimes. We find these clouds cool the atmosphere in the first 6 h before switching to a warming regime after the deep convective core has dissipated, which is sustained beyond 120 h from the initial convective event.
Rodanthi-Elisavet Mamouri, Albert Ansmann, Kevin Ohneiser, Daniel A. Knopf, Argyro Nisantzi, Johannes Bühl, Ronny Engelmann, Annett Skupin, Patric Seifert, Holger Baars, Dragos Ene, Ulla Wandinger, and Diofantos Hadjimitsis
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14097–14114, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14097-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14097-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
For the first time, rather clear evidence is found that wildfire smoke particles can trigger strong cirrus formation. This finding is of importance because intensive and large wildfires may occur increasingly often in the future as climate change proceeds. Based on lidar observations in Cyprus in autumn 2020, we provide detailed insight into the cirrus formation at the tropopause in the presence of aged wildfire smoke (here, 8–9 day old Californian wildfire smoke).
Peter Manshausen, Duncan Watson-Parris, Matthew W. Christensen, Jukka-Pekka Jalkanen, and Philip Stier
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12545–12555, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12545-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12545-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol from burning fuel changes cloud properties, e.g., the number of droplets and the content of water. Here, we study how clouds respond to different amounts of shipping aerosol. Droplet numbers increase linearly with increasing aerosol over a broad range until they stop increasing, while the amount of liquid water always increases, independently of emission amount. These changes in cloud properties can make them reflect more or less sunlight, which is important for the earth's climate.
Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Alyson Douglas, Timothy A. Myers, Peer Nowack, Philip Stier, Casey J. Wall, and Sarah Wilson Kemsley
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10775–10794, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10775-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10775-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study uses an observation-based cloud-controlling factor framework to study near-global sensitivities of cloud radiative effects to a large number of meteorological and aerosol controls. We present near-global sensitivity patterns to selected thermodynamic, dynamic, and aerosol factors and discuss the physical mechanisms underlying the derived sensitivities. Our study hopes to guide future analyses aimed at constraining cloud feedbacks and aerosol–cloud interactions.
Anne-Claire Billault-Roux, Paraskevi Georgakaki, Josué Gehring, Louis Jaffeux, Alfons Schwarzenboeck, Pierre Coutris, Athanasios Nenes, and Alexis Berne
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10207–10234, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10207-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10207-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Secondary ice production plays a key role in clouds and precipitation. In this study, we analyze radar measurements from a snowfall event in the Jura Mountains. Complex signatures are observed, which reveal that ice crystals were formed through various processes. An analysis of multi-sensor data suggests that distinct ice multiplication processes were taking place. Both the methods used and the insights gained through this case study contribute to a better understanding of snowfall microphysics.
Rebecca J. Murray-Watson, Edward Gryspeerdt, and Tom Goren
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 9365–9383, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9365-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9365-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds formed in Arctic marine cold air outbreaks undergo a distinct evolution, but the factors controlling their transition from high-coverage to broken cloud fields are poorly understood. We use satellite and reanalysis data to study how these clouds develop in time and the different influences on their evolution. The aerosol concentration is correlated with cloud break-up; more aerosol is linked to prolonged coverage and a stronger cooling effect, with implications for a more polluted Arctic.
Shaoyue Qiu, Xue Zheng, David Painemal, Christopher Terai, and Xiaoli Zhou
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1676, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1676, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol indirect effect (AIE) depends on cloud states, which exhibits significant diurnal variations in the northeastern Atlantic. Yet, diurnal cycle of AIE remains poorly understood. Using satellite retrievals, we find a pronounced “U-shaped” diurnal variation in AIE, which is contributed by the transition of cloud states combined with the lagged cloud responses. Our results suggest that that polar-orbiting satellites with overpass time at noon underestimate daytime mean value of AIE.
Michael S. Diamond
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8259–8269, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8259-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8259-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Fuel sulfur regulations were implemented for ships in 2020 to improve air quality but may also accelerate global warming. We use spatial statistics and satellite retrievals to detect changes in the size of cloud droplets and find evidence for a resulting decrease in cloud brightness within a major shipping corridor after the sulfur limits went into effect. Our results confirm both that the regulations are being followed and that they are having a warming influence via their effect on clouds.
Hao Luo, Johannes Quaas, and Yong Han
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8169–8186, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8169-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8169-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds exhibit a wide range of vertical structures with varying microphysical and radiative properties. We show a global survey of spatial distribution, vertical extent and radiative effect of various classified cloud vertical structures using joint satellite observations from the new CCCM datasets during 2007–2010. Moreover, the long-term trends in CVSs are investigated based on different CMIP6 future scenarios to capture the cloud variations with different, increasing anthropogenic forcings.
Gregor Köcher, Tobias Zinner, and Christoph Knote
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6255–6269, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6255-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6255-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Polarimetric radar observations of 30 d of convective precipitation events are used to statistically analyze 5 state-of-the-art microphysics schemes of varying complexity. The frequency and area of simulated heavy-precipitation events are in some cases significantly different from those observed, depending on the microphysics scheme. Analysis of simulated particle size distributions and reflectivities shows that some schemes have problems reproducing the correct particle size distributions.
Claudia J. Stubenrauch, Giulio Mandorli, and Elisabeth Lemaitre
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5867–5884, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5867-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5867-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Organized convection leads to large convective cloud systems and intense rain and may change with a warming climate. Their complete 3D description, attained by machine learning techniques in combination with various satellite observations, together with a cloud system concept, link convection to anvil properties, while convective organization can be identified by the horizontal structure of intense rain.
Scott E. Giangrande, Thiago S. Biscaro, and John M. Peters
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5297–5316, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5297-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5297-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our study tracks thunderstorms observed during the wet and dry seasons of the Amazon Basin using weather radar. We couple this precipitation tracking with opportunistic overpasses of a wind profiler and other ground observations to add unique insights into the upwards and downwards air motions within these clouds at various stages in the storm life cycle. The results of a simple updraft model are provided to give physical explanations for observed seasonal differences.
Edward Gryspeerdt, Adam C. Povey, Roy G. Grainger, Otto Hasekamp, N. Christina Hsu, Jane P. Mulcahy, Andrew M. Sayer, and Armin Sorooshian
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4115–4122, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4115-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4115-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The impact of aerosols on clouds is one of the largest uncertainties in the human forcing of the climate. Aerosol can increase the concentrations of droplets in clouds, but observational and model studies produce widely varying estimates of this effect. We show that these estimates can be reconciled if only polluted clouds are studied, but this is insufficient to constrain the climate impact of aerosol. The uncertainty in aerosol impact on clouds is currently driven by cases with little aerosol.
Zackary Mages, Pavlos Kollias, Zeen Zhu, and Edward P. Luke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3561–3574, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3561-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3561-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Cold-air outbreaks (when cold air is advected over warm water and creates low-level convection) are a dominant cloud regime in the Arctic, and we capitalized on ground-based observations, which did not previously exist, from the COMBLE field campaign to study them. We characterized the extent and strength of the convection and turbulence and found evidence of secondary ice production. This information is useful for model intercomparison studies that will represent cold-air outbreak processes.
Maria P. Cadeddu, Virendra P. Ghate, David D. Turner, and Thomas E. Surleta
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3453–3470, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3453-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3453-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We analyze the variability in marine boundary layer moisture at the Eastern North Atlantic site on a monthly and daily temporal scale and examine its fundamental role in the control of boundary layer cloudiness and precipitation. The study also highlights the complex interaction between large-scale and local processes controlling the boundary layer moisture and the importance of the mesoscale spatial distribution of vapor to support convection and precipitation.
Zhenquan Wang, Jian Yuan, Robert Wood, Yifan Chen, and Tiancheng Tong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3247–3266, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3247-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3247-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study develops a novel profile-based algorithm based on the ERA5 to estimate the inversion strength in the planetary boundary layer better than the previous inversion index, which is a key low-cloud-controlling factor. This improved measure is more effective at representing the meteorological influence on low-cloud variations. It can better constrain the meteorological influence on low clouds to better isolate cloud responses to aerosols or to estimate low cloud feedbacks in climate models.
Georgios Dekoutsidis, Silke Groß, Martin Wirth, Martina Krämer, and Christian Rolf
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3103–3117, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3103-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3103-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Cirrus clouds affect Earth's atmosphere, deeming our study important. Here we use water vapor measurements by lidar and study the relative humidity (RHi) within and around midlatitude cirrus clouds. We find high supersaturations in the cloud-free air and within the clouds, especially near the cloud top. We study two cloud types with different formation processes. Finally, we conclude that the shape of the distribution of RHi can be used as an indicator of different cloud evolutionary stages.
Huazhe Shang, Souichiro Hioki, Guillaume Penide, Céline Cornet, Husi Letu, and Jérôme Riedi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2729–2746, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2729-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2729-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We find that cloud profiles can be divided into four prominent patterns, and the frequency of these four patterns is related to intensities of cloud-top entrainment and precipitation. Based on these analyses, we further propose a cloud profile parameterization scheme allowing us to represent these patterns. Our results shed light on how to facilitate the representation of cloud profiles and how to link them to cloud entrainment or precipitating status in future remote-sensing applications.
Luca Lelli, Marco Vountas, Narges Khosravi, and John Philipp Burrows
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2579–2611, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2579-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2579-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Arctic amplification describes the recent period in which temperatures have been rising twice as fast as or more than the global average and sea ice and the Greenland ice shelf are approaching a tipping point. Hence, the Arctic ability to reflect solar energy decreases and absorption by the surface increases. Using 2 decades of complementary satellite data, we discover that clouds unexpectedly increase the pan-Arctic reflectance by increasing their liquid water content, thus cooling the Arctic.
Yabin Gou, Haonan Chen, Hong Zhu, and Lulin Xue
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2439–2463, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2439-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2439-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This article investigates the complex precipitation microphysics associated with super typhoon Lekima using a host of in situ and remote sensing observations, including rain gauge and disdrometer data, as well as polarimetric radar observations. The impacts of precipitation microphysics on multi-source data consistency and radar precipitation estimation are quantified. It is concluded that the dynamical precipitation microphysical processes must be considered in radar precipitation estimation.
Hongxia Zhu, Rui Li, Shuping Yang, Chun Zhao, Zhe Jiang, and Chen Huang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2421–2437, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2421-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2421-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The impacts of atmospheric dust aerosols and cloud dynamic conditions on precipitation vertical development in southeastern China were studied using multiple satellite observations. It was found that the precipitating drops under dusty conditions grow faster in the middle layer but slower in the upper and lower layers compared with their pristine counterparts. Quantitative estimation of the sensitivity of the precipitation top temperature to the dust aerosol optical depth is also provided.
Zane Dedekind, Jacopo Grazioli, Philip H. Austin, and Ulrike Lohmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2345–2364, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2345-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2345-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Simulations allowing ice particles to collide with one another producing more ice particles represented surface observations of ice particles accurately. An increase in ice particles formed through collisions was related to sharp changes in the wind direction and speed with height. Changes in wind speed and direction can therefore cause more enhanced collisions between ice particles and alter how fast and how much precipitation forms. Simulations were conducted with the atmospheric model COSMO.
Ramon Padullés, Estel Cardellach, and F. Joseph Turk
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2199–2214, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2199-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2199-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The results of comparing the polarimetric radio occultation observables and the ice water content retrieved from the CloudSat radar in a global and statistical way show a strong correlation between the geographical patterns of both quantities for a wide range of heights. This implies that horizontally oriented hydrometeors are systematically present through the whole globe and through all vertical levels, which could provide insights on the physical processes leading to precipitation.
Ziming Wang, Luca Bugliaro, Tina Jurkat-Witschas, Romy Heller, Ulrike Burkhardt, Helmut Ziereis, Georgios Dekoutsidis, Martin Wirth, Silke Groß, Simon Kirschler, Stefan Kaufmann, and Christiane Voigt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1941–1961, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1941-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1941-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Differences in the microphysical properties of contrail cirrus and natural cirrus in a contrail outbreak situation during the ML-CIRRUS campaign over the North Atlantic flight corridor can be observed from in situ measurements. The cirrus radiative effect in the area of the outbreak, derived from satellite observation-based radiative transfer modeling, is warming in the early morning and cooling during the day.
Gerald G. Mace, Sally Benson, Ruhi Humphries, Peter M. Gombert, and Elizabeth Sterner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1677–1685, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1677-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1677-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The number of cloud droplets per unit volume is a significantly important property of clouds that controls their reflective properties. Computer models of the Earth's atmosphere and climate have low skill at predicting the reflective properties of Southern Ocean clouds. Here we investigate the properties of those clouds using satellite data and find that the cloud droplet number and cloud albedo in the Southern Ocean are related to the oceanic phytoplankton abundance near Antarctica.
Jianhao Zhang and Graham Feingold
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1073–1090, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1073-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1073-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Using observations from space, we show maps of potential brightness changes in marine warm clouds in response to increases in cloud droplet concentrations. The environmental and aerosol conditions in which these clouds reside covary differently in each ocean basin, leading to distinct evolutions of cloud brightness changes. This work stresses the central importance of the covariability between meteorology and aerosol for scaling up the radiative response of cloud brightness changes.
Yuxin Zhao, Jiming Li, Lijie Zhang, Cong Deng, Yarong Li, Bida Jian, and Jianping Huang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 743–769, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-743-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-743-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Diurnal variations of clouds play an important role in the radiative budget and precipitation. Based on satellite observations, reanalysis, and CMIP6 outputs, the diurnal variations in total cloud cover and cloud vertical distribution over the Tibetan Plateau are explored. The diurnal cycle of cirrus is a key focus and found to have different characteristics from those found in the tropics. The relationship between the diurnal cycle of cirrus and meteorological factors is also discussed.
Qiang Li and Silke Groß
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15963–15980, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15963-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15963-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The IPCC report identified that cirrus clouds have a significant impact on the radiation balance comparable to the CO2 effects, which, however, is still hard to parameterize. The current study investigates the possible impact of aviation on cirrus properties based on the analysis of 10-year lidar measurements of CALIPSO. The results reveal that there is a significant positive trend in cirrus depolarization ratio in the last 10 years before COVID-19, which is strongly correlated with aviation.
Linda Forster and Bernhard Mayer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15179–15205, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15179-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15179-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We present a novel retrieval using ground-based imaging observations of halo displays together with radiative transfer simulations to help improve our understanding of ice crystal properties representative of cirrus clouds. Analysis of 4400 calibrated HaloCam images featuring a 22° halo revealed aggregates of hexagonal columns of 20 µm effective radius with a mixture of about 37 % smooth and 63% severely roughened surfaces as the best match in general.
Yun He, Zhenping Yin, Fuchao Liu, and Fan Yi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13067–13085, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13067-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13067-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A method is proposed to identify the sole presence of heterogeneous nucleation and competition between heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation for dust-related cirrus clouds by characterizing the relationship between dust ice-nucleating particle concentration calculated from CALIOP using the POLIPHON method and in-cloud ice crystal number concentration from the DARDAR-Nice dataset. Two typical cirrus cases are shown as a demonstration, and the proposed method can be extended to a global scale.
Frederic Tridon, Israel Silber, Alessandro Battaglia, Stefan Kneifel, Ann Fridlind, Petros Kalogeras, and Ranvir Dhillon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12467–12491, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12467-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12467-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The role of ice precipitation in the Earth water budget is not well known because ice particles are complex, and their formation involves intricate processes. Riming of ice crystals by supercooled water droplets is an efficient process, but little is known about its importance at high latitudes. In this work, by exploiting the deployment of an unprecedented number of remote sensing systems in Antarctica, we find that riming occurs at much lower temperatures compared with the mid-latitudes.
Leonie von Terzi, José Dias Neto, Davide Ori, Alexander Myagkov, and Stefan Kneifel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11795–11821, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11795-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11795-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We present a statistical analysis of ice microphysical processes (IMP) in mid-latitude clouds. Combining various radar approaches, we find that the IMP active at −20 to −10 °C seems to be the main driver of ice particle size, shape and concentration. The strength of aggregation at −20 to −10 °C correlates with the increase in concentration and aspect ratio of locally formed ice particles. Despite ongoing aggregation, the concentration of ice particles stays enhanced until −4 °C.
Edward Gryspeerdt, Franziska Glassmeier, Graham Feingold, Fabian Hoffmann, and Rebecca J. Murray-Watson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11727–11738, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11727-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11727-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The response of clouds to changes in aerosol remains a large uncertainty in our understanding of the climate. Studies typically look at aerosol and cloud processes in snapshot images, measuring all properties at the same time. Here we use multiple images to characterise how cloud temporal development responds to aerosol. We find a reduction in liquid water path with increasing aerosol, party due to feedbacks. This suggests the aerosol impact on cloud water may be weaker than in previous studies.
Jessica Danker, Odran Sourdeval, Isabel L. McCoy, Robert Wood, and Anna Possner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10247–10265, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10247-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10247-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Using spaceborne lidar-radar retrievals, we show that seasonal changes in cloud phase outweigh changes in cloud-phase statistics across cloud morphologies at given cloud-top temperatures. These results show that cloud morphology does not seem to pose a primary constraint on cloud-phase statistics in the Southern Ocean. Meanwhile, larger changes in in-cloud albedo across cloud morphologies are observed in supercooled liquid rather than mixed-phase stratocumuli.
Britta Schäfer, Tim Carlsen, Ingrid Hanssen, Michael Gausa, and Trude Storelvmo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9537–9551, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9537-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9537-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Cloud properties are important for the surface radiation budget. This study presents cold-cloud observations based on lidar measurements from the Norwegian Arctic between 2011 and 2017. Using statistical assessments and case studies, we give an overview of the macro- and microphysical properties of these clouds and demonstrate the capabilities of long-term cloud observations in the Norwegian Arctic from the ground-based lidar at Andenes.
Dongwei Fu, Larry Di Girolamo, Robert M. Rauber, Greg M. McFarquhar, Stephen W. Nesbitt, Jesse Loveridge, Yulan Hong, Bastiaan van Diedenhoven, Brian Cairns, Mikhail D. Alexandrov, Paul Lawson, Sarah Woods, Simone Tanelli, Sebastian Schmidt, Chris Hostetler, and Amy Jo Scarino
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8259–8285, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8259-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8259-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Satellite-retrieved cloud microphysics are widely used in climate research because of their central role in water and energy cycles. Here, we provide the first detailed investigation of retrieved cloud drop sizes from in situ and various satellite and airborne remote sensing techniques applied to real cumulus cloud fields. We conclude that the most widely used passive remote sensing method employed in climate research produces high biases of 6–8 µm (60 %–80 %) caused by 3-D radiative effects.
Kevin M. Smalley, Matthew D. Lebsock, Ryan Eastman, Mark Smalley, and Mikael K. Witte
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8197–8219, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8197-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8197-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We use geostationary satellite observations to track pockets of open-cell (POC) stratocumulus and analyze how precipitation, cloud microphysics, and the environment change. Precipitation becomes more intense, corresponding to increasing effective radius and decreasing number concentrations, while the environment remains relatively unchanged. This implies that changes in cloud microphysics are more important than the environment to POC development.
Edward E. Hindman and Scott Lindstrom
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7995–8008, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7995-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7995-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Winds buffeting the Mt. Everest massif often produce plumes. This systematic study identified plumes from daily observations of real-time, on-line images from a geosynchronous meteorological satellite. The corresponding meteorological data were used with a cloud-forming model to show the plumes were composed, depending on the temperature, of droplets, crystals or both. They were not composed of resuspended snow, which is a common belief. We estimated the plumes may produce significant snowfall.
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.
Cited articles
Aggarwal, P. K., Romatschke, U., Araguas-Araguas, L., Belachew, D., Longsta,
F. J., Berg, P., Courtney Schumacher, C., and Funk, A.: Proportions of
convective and stratiform precipitation revealed in water isotope ratios,
Nat. Geosci., 9, 624–629, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2739, 2016.
Ansmann, A., Tesche, M., Althausen, D., Müller, D., Seifert, P.,
Freudenthaler, V., Heese, B., Wiegner, M., Pisani, G., Knippertz, P., and
Dubovik, O.: Influence of Saharan dust on cloud glaciation in southern
Morocco during the Saharan Mineral Dust Experiment, J. Geophys. Res.,
113, D04210, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD008785, 2008.
Ansmann, A., Tesche, M., Seifert, P., Althausen, D., Engelmann, R., Fruntke,
J., Wandinger, U., Mattis, I., and Müller, D.: Evolution of the ice phase
in tropical altocumulus: SAMUM lidar observations over Cape Verde, J.
Geophys. Res., 114, D17208, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JD011659, 2009.
Barrett, A. I., Westbrook, C. D., Nicol, J. C., and Stein, T. H. M.: Rapid ice aggregation process revealed through triple-wavelength Doppler spectrum radar analysis, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 5753–5769, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5753-2019, 2019.
Behrendt, A. and Nakamura, T.: Calculation of the calibration constant of
polarization lidar and its dependency in atmospheric temperature, Opt.
Express, 10, 805–817, https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.10.000805, 2002.
Bühl, J., Seifert, P., Myagkov, A., and Ansmann, A.: Measuring ice- and liquid-water properties in mixed-phase cloud layers at the Leipzig Cloudnet station, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 10609–10620, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-10609-2016, 2016.
Bühl, J., Seifert, P., Radenz, M., Baars, H., and Ansmann, A.: Ice crystal number concentration from lidar, cloud radar and radar wind profiler measurements, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 6601–6617, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-6601-2019, 2019.
Cairo, F., Donfrancesco, G. D., Adriani, A., Pulvirenti, L., and Fierli, F.:
Comparison of various linear depolarization parameters measured by lidar,
Appl. Optics, 38, 4425–4432, https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.38.004425, 1999.
Cheng, C. and Yi, F.: Falling mixed-phase ice virga and their liquid parent
cloud layers as observed by ground-based lidars, Remote Sens., 12, 2094,
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12132094, 2020.
de Boer, G., Morrison, H., Shupe, M. D., and Hildner, R.: Evidence of liquid
dependent ice nucleation in high-latitude stratiform clouds from surface
remote sensors, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L01803,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL046016, 2011.
Demoz, B., Starr, D., Whiteman, D., Evans, K., Hlavka, D., and Peravali, R.:
Raman lidar detection of cloud base, Geophys. Res. Lett., 27, 1899–1902,
https://doi.org/10.1029/1999GL010941,2000.
Di Girolamo, P., Summa, D., Cacciani, M., Norton, E. G., Peters, G., and Dufournet, Y.: Lidar and radar measurements of the melting layer: observations of dark and bright band phenomena, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 4143–4157, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-4143-2012, 2012.
Field, P. and Heymsfield, A.: Importance of snow to global precipitation,
Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 9512–9520, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL065497,
2015.
Freudenthaler, V., Esselborn, M., Wiegner, M., Heese, B., Tesche, M.,
Ansmann, A., Müller, D., Althausen, D., Wirth, M., Fix, A., Ëhret,
G., Knippertz, P., Toledano, C., Gasteiger, J., Garhammer, M., and
Seefeldner, M.: Depolarization ratio profiling at several wavelengths in 5
pure Saharan dust during SAMUM 2006, Tellus B, 61, 165–179,
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0889.2008.00396.x, 2009.
Hu, Y., Liu, Z., Winker, D., Vaughan, M., Noel, V., Bissonnette, L., Roy,
G., and McGill, M.: Simple relation between lidar multiple scattering and
depolarization for water clouds, Opt. Lett., 31, 1809–1811,
https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.31.001809, 2006.
Intrieri, J. M., Shupe, M. D., Uttal, T., and McCarty, B. J.: An annual
cycle of Arctic cloud characteristics observed by radar and lidar at SHEBA,
J. Geophys. Res., 107, SHE 5-1–SHE 5-15, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JC000423, 2002.
Kong, W. and Yi, F.: Convective boundary layer evolution from lidar
backscatter and its relationship with surface aerosol concentration at a
location of a central China megacity, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 120,
7928–7940, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JD023248, 2015.
Lampert, A., Ritter, C., Hoffmann, A., Gayet, J.-F., Mioche, G., Ehrlich, A., Dörnbrack, A., Wendisch, M., and Shiobara, M.: Lidar characterization of the Arctic atmosphere during ASTAR 2007: four cases studies of boundary layer, mixed-phase and multi-layer clouds, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 2847–2866, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-2847-2010, 2010.
Mega, T., Yamamoto, M. K., Abo, M., Shibata, Y., Hashiguchi, H., Nishi, N.,
Shimomai, T., Shibagaki, Y., Yamamoto, M., Yamanaka, M. D., Fukao, S., and
Manik, T.: First simultaneous measurement of vertical air velocity, particle
fall velocity, and hydrometeor sphericity in stratiform precipitation:
Results from 47-MHz wind profiling radar and 532-nm polarization lidar
observations, Radio Sci., 47, RS3002, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011RS004823,
2012.
Mülmenstädt, J., Sourdeval, O., Delanoe, J., and Quaas, J.:
Frequency of occurrence of rain from liquid-, mixed-, and ice-phase clouds
derived from A-Train satellite retrievals, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42,
6502–6509, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL064604, 2015.
Nash, J., Oakley, T., Vömel, H., and Li, W.: WMO Intercomparison of High
Quality Radiosonde Systems, Yangjiang, China, Vol. 107, p. 238, World
Meteorological Organization, Instruments and Observing methods, Geneva,
Switzerland, 2011.
Newsom, R. K., Turner, D. D., Mielke, B., Clayton, M., Ferrare, R., and
Sivaraman, C.: Simultaneous analog and photon counting detection for Raman
lidar, Appl. Optics, 48, 3903–3914, https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.48.003903,
2009.
Pfitzenmaier, L., Unal, C. M. H., Dufournet, Y., and Russchenberg, H. W. J.: Observing ice particle growth along fall streaks in mixed-phase clouds using spectral polarimetric radar data, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 7843–7862, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-7843-2018, 2018.
Pruppacher, H. R. and Klett, J. D.: Microphysics of Clouds and
Precipitation, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 30–31, 1997.
Roy, G. and Bissonnette, L. R.: Strong dependence of rain-induced lidar
depolarization on the illumination angle: Experimental evidence and
geometrical-optics interpretation, Appl. Optics, 40, 4770–4780,
https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.40.004770, 2001.
Sassen, K. and Chen, T.: The lidar dark band: An oddity of the radar bright
band, Geophys. Res. Lett., 22, 3505–3508,
https://doi.org/10.1029/95GL03367, 1995.
Sassen, K., Campbell, J. R., Zhu, J., Kollias, P., Shupe, M., and Williams,
C.: Lidar and triple-wavelength Doppler radar measurements of the melting
layer: A revised model for dark and bright band phenomena, J. Appl. Meteorol.,
44, 301–312, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAM-2197.1, 2005.
Shupe, M. D.: A ground-based multisensor cloud phase classifier, Geophys.
Res. Lett., 34, L22809, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007GL031008, 2007.
Wang, J. H. and Rossow, W. B.: Determination of cloud vertical structure from
upper-air observations, J. Appl. Meteorol., 34, 2243–2258,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1995)034<2243:DOCVSF>2.0.CO;2, 1995.
Wang, Z. and Sassen, K.: Cloud type and macrophysical property retrieval
using multiple remote sensors, J. Appl. Meteorol., 40, 1665–1682,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(2001)040<1665:CTAMPR>2.0.CO;2, 2001.
Whiteman, D. N., Melfi, S. H., and Ferrare, R. A.: Raman lidar system for
the measurement of water vapor and aerosols in the Earth's atmosphere, Appl.
Optics, 31, 3068–3082, https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.31.003068, 1992.
Wu, C. and Yi, F.: Local ice formation via liquid water growth in slowly
ascending humid aerosol/liquid water layers observed with ground-based
lidars and radiosondes, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 122, 4479–4493,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JD025765, 2017.
Yi, Y., Yi, F., Liu, F., He, Y., Zhang, Y., and Yu, C.: A prolonged and
widespread thin mid-level liquid cloud layer as observed by ground-based
lidars, radiosonde and space-borne instruments, Atmos. Res., 263, 105815,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2021.105815, 2021.
Zhang, Y., Yi, F., Kong, W., and Yi, Y.: Slope characterization in combining
analog and photon count data from atmospheric lidar measurements, Appl.
Optics, 53, 7312–7320, https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.53.007312, 2014.
Zhang, Y., Zhang, L., Guo, J., Feng, J., Cao, L., Wang, Y., Zhou, Q., Li,
L., Li, B., and Xu, H.: Climatology of cloud-base height from long-term
radiosonde measurements in China, Adv. Atmos. Sci., 35, 158–168,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-017-7096-0, 2018.
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.
Our lidar observations reveal the complete microphysical process of hydrometeors falling from...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint