Articles | Volume 22, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2135-2022
© Author(s) 2022. 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-22-2135-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
15 Feb 2022
Research article |
| 15 Feb 2022
| 15 Feb 2022
A climatology of open and closed mesoscale cellular convection over the Southern Ocean derived from Himawari-8 observations
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Luis Ackermann
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes (CLEX), Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes (CLEX), Melbourne, VIC, Australia
School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Son C. H. Truong
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes (CLEX), Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Steven T. Siems
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes (CLEX), Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Michael J. Manton
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Related authors
Tahereh Alinejadtabrizi, Yi Huang, Francisco Lang, Steven Siems, Michael Manton, Luis Ackermann, Melita Keywood, Ruhi Humphries, Paul Krummel, Alastair Williams, and Greg Ayers
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2631–2648, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2631-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2631-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds over the Southern Ocean are crucial to Earth's energy balance, but understanding the factors that control them is complex. Our research examines how weather patterns affect tiny particles called cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), which influence cloud properties. Using data from Kennaook / Cape Grim, we found that winter air from Antarctica brings cleaner conditions with lower CCN, while summer patterns from Australia transport more particles. Precipitation also helps reduce CCN in winter.
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.
Zhaoyang Kong, Andrew Prata, Peter May, Ariaan Purich, Yi Huang, and Steven Siems
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3496, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3496, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Weather and Climate Dynamics (WCD).
Short summary
Short summary
To investigate why ERA5 does not accurately capture the observed increase in annual precipitation at Macquarie Island during 1979 to 2023, we classify daily synoptic systems using k-means clustering. Find that the increase in mean intensity across all systems is the main contributor to the observed annual precipitation trend and the resulting discrepancy, rather than changes in the frequency. And this increase may also have a substantial impact on the freshwater fluxes over the Southern Ocean.
Tahereh Alinejadtabrizi, Yi Huang, Francisco Lang, Steven Siems, Michael Manton, Luis Ackermann, Melita Keywood, Ruhi Humphries, Paul Krummel, Alastair Williams, and Greg Ayers
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2631–2648, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2631-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2631-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds over the Southern Ocean are crucial to Earth's energy balance, but understanding the factors that control them is complex. Our research examines how weather patterns affect tiny particles called cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), which influence cloud properties. Using data from Kennaook / Cape Grim, we found that winter air from Antarctica brings cleaner conditions with lower CCN, while summer patterns from Australia transport more particles. Precipitation also helps reduce CCN in winter.
Arathy A. Kurup, Caroline Poulsen, Steven T. Siems, and Daniel J. V. Robbins
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-209, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-209, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Southern Ocean (SO) clouds are crucial in defining the Earth’s radiation budget. They are primarily observed by satellites, due to a lack of surface observations. This study validated cloud top height and cloud mask and compared the microphysics products from 3 satellite cloud datasets over the SO. The study revealed significant differences in cloud property retrievals between the sensors. Multilayer clouds play a major role in the differences when validated with active satellite measurements.
Anna M. Ukkola, Steven Thomas, Elisabeth Vogel, Ulrike Bende-Michl, Steven Siems, Vjekoslav Matic, and Wendy Sharples
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.31223/X56110, https://doi.org/10.31223/X56110, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Future drought changes in Australia –the driest inhabited continent on Earth– have remained stubbornly uncertain. We assess future drought changes in Australia using projections from climate and hydrological models. We show an increasing probability of drought over highly-populated and agricultural regions of Australia in coming decades, suggesting potential impacts on agricultural activities, ecosystems and urban water supply.
Daniel J. V. Robbins, Caroline A. Poulsen, Steven T. Siems, Simon R. Proud, Andrew T. Prata, Roy G. Grainger, and Adam C. Povey
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3279–3302, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3279-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3279-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Extreme wildfire events are becoming more common with climate change. The smoke plumes associated with these wildfires are not captured by current operational satellite products due to their high optical thickness. We have developed a novel aerosol retrieval for the Advanced Himawari Imager to study these plumes. We find very high values of optical thickness not observed in other operational satellite products, suggesting these plumes have been missed in previous studies.
Wenhui Zhao, Yi Huang, Steven Siems, Michael Manton, and Daniel Harrison
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5713–5736, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5713-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5713-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We studied how shallow clouds and rain behave over the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) using a detailed weather model. We found that the shape of the land, especially mountains, and particles in the air play big roles in influencing these clouds. Surprisingly, the sea's temperature had a smaller effect. Our research helps us understand the GBR's climate and how various factors can influence it, where the importance of the local cloud in thermal coral bleaching has recently been identified.
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.
Daniel Robbins, Caroline Poulsen, Steven Siems, and Simon Proud
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3031–3051, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3031-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3031-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A neural network (NN)-based cloud mask for a geostationary satellite instrument, AHI, is developed using collocated data and is better at not classifying thick aerosols as clouds versus the Japanese Meteorological Association and the Bureau of Meteorology masks, identifying 1.13 and 1.29 times as many non-cloud pixels than each mask, respectively. The improvement during the day likely comes from including the shortest wavelength bands from AHI in the NN mask, which the other masks do not use.
Andrew T. Prata, Stuart A. Young, Steven T. Siems, and Michael J. Manton
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 8599–8618, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8599-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8599-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We have studied the optical properties of ash-rich and sulfate-rich volcanic aerosols by analysing satellite observations of three different volcanic eruptions. Our results indicate that ash particles have distinctive optical properties when compared to sulfates. We expect our results will improve space-borne lidar detection of volcanic aerosols and provide new insight into their interaction with the atmosphere and solar radiation.
T. Chubb, Y. Huang, J. Jensen, T. Campos, S. Siems, and M. Manton
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 971–987, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-971-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-971-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The remote Southern Ocean is known to be one of the most pristine environments on the planet, but we found that cloud droplet and aerosol concentrations during one research flight in June 2009 were higher than expected. We were unable to attribute this to continental aerosol sources, and we hypothesize that strong winds resulted in local aerosol production in the form of sea salt. This has several consequences for climate modelling and cloud physics research.
Related subject area
Subject: Clouds and Precipitation | Research Activity: Remote Sensing | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Physics (physical properties and processes)
Impact of weather systems on observed precipitation at Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard)
Analysis of ship emission effects on clouds over the southeastern Atlantic using geostationary satellite observations
Relationship between latent and radiative heating fields of tropical cloud systems using synergistic satellite observations
Shallow cloud variability in Houston, Texas, during the ESCAPE and TRACER field experiments
How does the lifetime of detrained cirrus impact the high-cloud radiative effect in the tropics?
Anvil–radiation diurnal interaction: shortwave radiative-heating destabilization driving the diurnal variation of convective anvil outflow and its modulation on the radiative cancellation
Opinion: Inferring Process from Snapshots of Cloud Systems
Impact of wildfire smoke on Arctic cirrus formation – Part 1: Analysis of MOSAiC 2019–2020 observations
A new aggregation and riming discrimination algorithm based on polarimetric weather radars
Study of optical scattering properties and direct radiative effects of high-altitude cirrus clouds in Barcelona, Spain, with 4 years of lidar measurements
Co-variability drives the inverted-V sensitivity between liquid water path and droplet concentrations
Life cycle studies and liquid-phase characterization of Arctic mixed-phase clouds: MOSAiC 2019–2020 results
Lightning declines over shipping lanes following regulation of fuel sulfur emissions
Post-return stroke VHF electromagnetic activity in north-western Mediterranean cloud-to-ground lightning flashes
A machine learning-based perspective on deep convective clouds and their organisation in 3D. Part I: Influence of deep convective cores on the cloud life-cycle
A machine learning-based perspective on deep convective clouds and their organisation in 3D. Part II: Spatial-temporal patterns of convective organisation
Technical note: Applicability of physics-based and machine-learning-based algorithms of a geostationary satellite in retrieving the diurnal cycle of cloud base height
Observing convective activities in complex convective organizations and their contributions to precipitation and anvil cloud amounts
Advances in CALIPSO (IIR) cirrus cloud property retrievals – Part 1: Methods and testing
Advances in CALIPSO (IIR) cirrus cloud property retrievals – Part 2: Global estimates of the fraction of cirrus clouds affected by homogeneous ice nucleation
Weak liquid water path response in ship tracks
Air mass history linked to the development of Arctic mixed-phase clouds
Distinct structure, radiative effects, and precipitation characteristics of deep convection systems in the Tibetan Plateau compared to the tropical Indian Ocean
The correlation between Arctic sea ice, cloud phase and radiation using A-Train satellites
Technical note: Retrieval of the supercooled liquid fraction in mixed-phase clouds from Himawari-8 observations
Characterisation of low-base and mid-base clouds and their thermodynamic phase over the Southern Ocean and Arctic marine regions
A survey of radiative and physical properties of North Atlantic mesoscale cloud morphologies from multiple identification methodologies
Extensive coverage of ultrathin tropical tropopause layer cirrus clouds revealed by balloon-borne lidar observations
The effects of warm-air intrusions in the high Arctic on cirrus clouds
The characteristics of cloud macro-parameters caused by the seeder–feeder process inside clouds measured by millimeter-wave cloud radar in Xi'an, China
Shallow- and deep-convection characteristics in the greater Houston, Texas, area using cell tracking methodology
Observations of the macrophysical properties of cumulus cloud fields over the tropical western Pacific and their connection to meteorological variables
A Lagrangian perspective on the lifecycle and cloud radiative effect of deep convective clouds over Africa
Daytime variation in the aerosol indirect effect for warm marine boundary layer clouds in the eastern North Atlantic
Technical note: Bimodal parameterizations of in situ ice cloud particle size distributions
Inter-relations of precipitation, aerosols, and clouds over Andalusia, southern Spain, revealed by the Andalusian Global ObseRvatory of the Atmosphere (AGORA)
On the relationship between mesoscale cellular convection and meteorological forcing: comparing the Southern Ocean against the North Pacific
Aerosol-related effects on the occurrence of heterogeneous ice formation over Lauder, New Zealand ∕ Aotearoa
Low-level Arctic clouds: a blind zone in our knowledge of the radiation budget
Climatologically invariant scale invariance seen in distributions of cloud horizontal sizes
Variability and properties of liquid-dominated clouds over the ice-free and sea-ice-covered Arctic Ocean
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
Detection of large-scale cloud microphysical changes within a major shipping corridor after implementation of the International Maritime Organization 2020 fuel sulfur regulations
Kerstin Ebell, Christian Buhren, Rosa Gierens, Giovanni Chellini, Melanie Lauer, Andreas Walbröl, Sandro Dahlke, Pavel Krobot, and Mario Mech
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 7315–7342, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7315-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7315-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Ground-based observations of precipitation are rare in the Arctic. Since 2017, additional temporally highly resolved precipitation measurements have been carried out by a precipitation gauge and an optical precipitation sensor at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. These new data facilitate the distinction between liquid and solid precipitation. Using reanalysis data, we also find that water vapor transport contributes strongly to precipitation and especially to extreme precipitation events.
Nikos Benas, Jan Fokke Meirink, Rob Roebeling, and Martin Stengel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 6957–6973, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6957-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6957-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study examines how ship emissions affect clouds over a shipping corridor in the southeastern Atlantic. Using satellite data from 2004 to 2023, we find that ship emissions increase the number of cloud droplets while reducing their size and slightly decrease cloud water content. Effects on seasonal and daily patterns vary based on regional factors. The impact of emissions weakened after stricter regulations were implemented in 2020.
Xiaoting Chen, Claudia J. Stubenrauch, and Giulio Mandorli
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 6857–6880, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6857-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6857-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Strongly precipitating mesoscale convective systems produce a large amount of diabatic heating of the atmosphere, influencing atmospheric circulation. Their complete 3D description, attained by machine learning techniques in combination with satellite observations, has enabled a detailed study of the relationship between latent and radiative heating in these cloud systems. Convective organization increases both the average and the vertical gradient of radiative effects of the mesoscale convective systems.
Zackary Mages, Pavlos Kollias, Bernat Puigdomènech Treserras, Paloma Borque, and Mariko Oue
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 6025–6045, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6025-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6025-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Convective clouds are a key component of the climate system. Using remote sensing observations during two field experiments in Houston, Texas, we identify four diurnal patterns of shallow convective clouds. We find areas more frequently experiencing shallow convective clouds, and we find areas where the vertical extent of shallow convective clouds is higher and where they are more likely to precipitate. This provides insight into the complicated environment that forms these clouds in Houston.
George Horner and Edward Gryspeerdt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5617–5631, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5617-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5617-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This work tracks the life cycle of thin cirrus clouds that flow out of tropical convective storms. These cirrus clouds are found to have a warming effect on the atmosphere over their whole lifetime. Thin cirrus that originate from land origin convection warm more than those of ocean origin. Moreover, if the lifetime of these cirrus clouds increase, the warming they exert over their whole lifetime also increases. These results help us understand how these clouds might change in a future climate.
Zhenquan Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5021–5039, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5021-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5021-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Convective anvil outflow directly driven by the shortwave radiative-heating destabilization is strong during the daytime, whereas the outflow contributed by the longwave radiative cooling through radiative destabilization and circulation is weak. This leads to the diurnal variation in the convection-producing anvil clouds, which in turn can influence the radiative energy budget.
Graham Feingold, Franziska Glassmeier, Jianhao Zhang, and Fabian Hoffmann
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1869, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1869, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Scientists usually use snapshots of atmospheric data to glean understanding of time-evolving atmospheric processes. We examine how much can be learned about processes from snapshots using examples from cloud and atmospheric physics. We couch the analysis in terms of Boltzmann's theory of ergodic systems, space-time-exchange, and the Deborah number -- concepts that are commonly applied in other branches of physics. We discuss the reasons for the varying degrees of success.
Albert Ansmann, Cristofer Jimenez, Johanna Roschke, Johannes Bühl, Kevin Ohneiser, Ronny Engelmann, Martin Radenz, Hannes Griesche, Julian Hofer, Dietrich Althausen, Daniel A. Knopf, Sandro Dahlke, Tom Gaudek, Patric Seifert, and Ulla Wandinger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4847–4866, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4847-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4847-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we focus on the potential impact of wildfire smoke on cirrus formation. For the first time, state-of-the-art aerosol and cirrus observations with lidar and radar, presented in this paper (Part 1 of a series of two articles), are closely linked to the comprehensive modeling of gravity-wave-induced ice nucleation in cirrus evolution processes, presented in a companion paper (Part 2). We found a clear impact of wildfire smoke on cirrus evolution.
Armin Blanke, Mathias Gergely, and Silke Trömel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4167–4184, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4167-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4167-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The area-wide radar-based distinction between riming and aggregation is crucial for model microphysics and data assimilation. This study introduces a discrimination algorithm based on polarimetric radar networks only. Exploiting the unique opportunity to link fall velocities from Doppler spectra to polarimetric variables in an operational setting enables us to set up and evaluate a well-performing machine learning algorithm.
Cristina Gil-Díaz, Michäel Sicard, Odran Sourdeval, Athulya Saiprakash, Constantino Muñoz-Porcar, Adolfo Comerón, Alejandro Rodríguez-Gómez, and Daniel Camilo Fortunato dos Santos Oliveira
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3445–3464, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3445-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3445-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a comprehensive analysis of optical scattering properties and direct radiative effects of cirrus clouds based on 4 years of continuous ground-based lidar measurements with the Barcelona MPLNET lidar. A novel approach of the self-consistent scattering model for cirrus clouds is presented to determine their optical scattering properties at different wavelengths, and their direct radiative effects are calculated with the discrete ordinates method embedded in the ARTDECO package.
Tom Goren, Goutam Choudhury, Jan Kretzschmar, and Isabel McCoy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3413–3423, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3413-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3413-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Many studies have identified an inverted-V relationship between the liquid water path (LWP) and droplet concentration (Nd), where LWP increases and then decreases with Nd. Using satellite observations and meteorological data, we demonstrate that the inverted V primarily reflects co-variability between LWP and Nd. We suggest taking a holistic approach that considers this co-variability when assessing the climatological sensitivity of LWP to anthropogenic aerosols.
Cristofer Jimenez, Albert Ansmann, Kevin Ohneiser, Hannes Griesche, Ronny Engelmann, Martin Radenz, Julian Hofer, Dietrich Althausen, Daniel Alexander Knopf, Sandro Dahlke, Johannes Bühl, Holger Baars, Patric Seifert, and Ulla Wandinger
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-967, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-967, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Using advanced remote sensing on the icebreaker Polarstern, we studied mixed-phase clouds (MPCs) in the central Arctic during the 2019–2020 MOSAiC (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate) campaign. For the first time, lidar and radar techniques tracked the year-round evolution of liquid and ice phases in MPCs. The study provides cloud statistics and explores key processes driving cloud longevity, offering new insights into Arctic cloud formation and persistence.
Chris J. Wright, Joel A. Thornton, Lyatt Jaeglé, Yang Cao, Yannian Zhu, Jihu Liu, Randall Jones II, Robert Holzworth, Daniel Rosenfeld, Robert Wood, Peter Blossey, and Daehyun Kim
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2937–2946, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2937-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2937-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles influence clouds, which exert a large forcing on solar radiation and freshwater. To better understand the mechanisms by which aerosol influences thunderstorms, we look at the two busiest shipping lanes in the world, where recent regulations have reduced sulfur emissions by nearly an order of magnitude. We find that the reduction in emissions has been accompanied by a dramatic decrease in both lightning and the number of droplets in clouds over the shipping lanes.
Andrea Kolínská, Ivana Kolmašová, Eric Defer, Ondřej Santolík, and Stéphane Pédeboy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1791–1803, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1791-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1791-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We contribute to understanding differences in lightning flashes of opposite polarity by explaining distinct in-cloud processes after return strokes. Using data from multiple sensors, including individual Lightning Mapping Array stations, we reveal that positive flashes sustain strong high-frequency radiation due to the recharging of their in-cloud leader; this is in contrast to negative flashes, for which this activity declines rapidly.
Sarah Brüning and Holger Tost
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-374, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-374, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study analyses the temporal variability and life-cycle of spatially organised convective clouds, frequently associated with severe weather. We derive the data from a machine learning-based 3D extrapolation of 2D satellite data. The results highlight the impact of convective organisation on horizontal and vertical cloud properties and a prolonged cloud life-cycle. Overall, our findings emphasise a more intense activity over land but enhanced seasonal changes over the ocean.
Sarah Brüning and Holger Tost
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-376, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-376, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The connection between convective cloud organisation and severe weather demands a robust characterisation of hazardous clouds. This study sets on to investigate spatio-temporal patterns and regional hotspots of convective organisation using machine learning-based 3D data and combining different organisation indices. While limitations arise due to overlapping effects of isolated and clustered convection, we emphasise the impact of a surface-specific seasonality that depends on the hemisphere.
Mengyuan Wang, Min Min, Jun Li, Han Lin, Yongen Liang, Binlong Chen, Zhigang Yao, Na Xu, and Miao Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 14239–14256, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-14239-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-14239-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Although machine learning technology is advanced in the field of satellite remote sensing, the physical inversion algorithm based on cloud base height can better capture the daily variation in the characteristics of the cloud base.
Zhenquan Wang and Jian Yuan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13811–13831, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13811-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13811-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Tropical convection organizations are normally connected complexes of many convective activities. In this work, a novel variable-brightness-temperature segment tracking algorithm is established to partition the complex convective organizations into structural components of single cold cores for tracking separately. The duration, precipitation and anvil amount of the tracked organization segments have strong loglinear relationships with brightness temperature structures.
David L. Mitchell, Anne Emilie Garnier, and Sarah Woods
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3790, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3790, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Motivated by the need to better understand the physics of cirrus clouds, a satellite retrieval for cirrus cloud ice water content, ice particle number concentration and effective size was developed by exploiting relationships between cirrus cloud measurements made during field campaigns and cloud radiative properties measured by satellite. These retrievals tested favorably when compared against corresponding aircraft measurements and were found to depend on the visual opacity of the cloud.
David L. Mitchell and Anne Garnier
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3814, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3814, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Arguably the greatest knowledge gap in cirrus cloud research is the relative roles of homogeneous and heterogeneous ice nucleation in cirrus cloud formation. Since this depends on temperature, latitude, season, and topography, a satellite remote sensing method was developed to measure cirrus cloud properties. It was found that cirrus clouds strongly affected by homogeneous ice nucleation may account for over half of the overall cirrus cloud radiative effect during winter outside the tropics.
Anna Tippett, Edward Gryspeerdt, Peter Manshausen, Philip Stier, and Tristan W. P. Smith
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13269–13283, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13269-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13269-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ship emissions can form artificially brightened clouds, known as ship tracks, and provide us with an opportunity to investigate how aerosols interact with clouds. Previous studies that used ship tracks suggest that clouds can experience large increases in the amount of water (LWP) from aerosols. Here, we show that there is a bias in previous research and that, when we account for this bias, the LWP response to aerosols is much weaker than previously reported.
Rebecca J. Murray-Watson and Edward Gryspeerdt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11115–11132, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11115-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11115-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The formation of mixed-phase clouds during marine cold-air outbreaks is not well understood. Our study, using satellite data and Lagrangian trajectories, reveals that the occurrence of these clouds depends on both time and temperature, influenced partly by the presence of biological ice-nucleating particles. This highlights the importance of comprehending local aerosol dynamics for precise modelling of cloud-phase transitions in the Arctic.
Yuxin Zhao, Jiming Li, Deyu Wen, Yarong Li, Yuan Wang, and Jianping Huang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9435–9457, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9435-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9435-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study identifies deep convection systems (DCSs), including deep convection cores and anvils, over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and tropical Indian Ocean (TO). The DCSs over the TP are less frequent, showing narrower and thinner cores and anvils compared to those over the TO. TP DCSs show a stronger longwave cloud radiative effect at the surface and in the low-level atmosphere. Distinct aerosol–cloud–precipitation interaction is found in TP DCSs, probably due to the cold cloud bases.
Grégory V. Cesana, Olivia Pierpaoli, Matteo Ottaviani, Linh Vu, Zhonghai Jin, and Israel Silber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7899–7909, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7899-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7899-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Better characterizing the relationship between sea ice and clouds is key to understanding Arctic climate because clouds and sea ice affect surface radiation and modulate Arctic surface warming. Our results indicate that Arctic liquid clouds robustly increase in response to sea ice decrease. This increase has a cooling effect on the surface because more solar radiation is reflected back to space, and it should contribute to dampening future Arctic surface warming.
Ziming Wang, Husi Letu, Huazhe Shang, and Luca Bugliaro
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7559–7574, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7559-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7559-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The supercooled liquid fraction (SLF) in mixed-phase clouds is retrieved for the first time using passive geostationary satellite observations based on differences in liquid droplet and ice particle radiative properties. The retrieved results are comparable to global distributions observed by active instruments, and the feasibility of the retrieval method to analyze the observed trends of the SLF has been validated.
Barbara Dietel, Odran Sourdeval, and Corinna Hoose
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7359–7383, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7359-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7359-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Uncertainty with respect to cloud phases over the Southern Ocean and Arctic marine regions leads to large uncertainties in the radiation budget of weather and climate models. This study investigates the phases of low-base and mid-base clouds using satellite-based remote sensing data. A comprehensive analysis of the correlation of cloud phase with various parameters, such as temperature, aerosols, sea ice, vertical and horizontal cloud extent, and cloud radiative effect, is presented.
Ryan Eastman, Isabel L. McCoy, Hauke Schulz, and Robert Wood
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 6613–6634, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6613-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6613-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Cloud types are determined using machine learning image classifiers applied to satellite imagery for 1 year in the North Atlantic. This survey of these cloud types shows that the climate impact of a cloud scene is, in part, a function of cloud type. Each type displays a different mix of thick and thin cloud cover, with the fraction of thin cloud cover having the strongest impact on the clouds' radiative effect. Future studies must account for differing properties and processes among cloud types.
Thomas Lesigne, François Ravetta, Aurélien Podglajen, Vincent Mariage, and Jacques Pelon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5935–5952, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5935-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5935-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Upper tropical clouds have a strong impact on Earth's climate but are challenging to observe. We report the first long-duration observations of tropical clouds from lidars flying on board stratospheric balloons. Comparisons with spaceborne observations reveal the enhanced sensitivity of balloon-borne lidar to optically thin cirrus. These clouds, which have a significant coverage and lie in the uppermost troposphere, are linked with the dehydration of air masses on their way to the stratosphere.
Georgios Dekoutsidis, Martin Wirth, and Silke Groß
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5971–5987, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5971-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5971-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
For decades the earth's temperature has been rising. The Arctic regions are warming faster. Cirrus clouds can contribute to this phenomenon. During warm-air intrusions, air masses are transported into the Arctic from the mid-latitudes. The HALO-(AC)3 campaign took place to measure cirrus during intrusion events and under normal conditions. We study the two cloud types based on these measurements and find differences in their geometry, relative humidity distribution and vertical structure.
Huige Di and Yun Yuan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5783–5801, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5783-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5783-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We observed the seeder–feeder process among double-layer clouds using a cloud radar and microwave radiometer. By defining the parameters of the seeding depth and seeding time of the upper cloud affecting the lower cloud, we find that the cloud particle terminal velocity is significantly enhanced during the seeder–feeder period, and the lower the height and thinner the thickness of the height difference between double-layer clouds, the lower the height and thicker the thickness of seeding depth.
Kristofer S. Tuftedal, Bernat Puigdomènech Treserras, Mariko Oue, and Pavlos Kollias
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5637–5657, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5637-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5637-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study analyzed coastal convective cells from June through September 2018–2021. The cells were classified and their lifecycles were analyzed to better understand their characteristics. Features such as convective-core growth, for example, are shown. The study found differences in the initiation location of shallow convection and in the aerosol loading in deep convective environments. This work provides a foundation for future analyses of convection or other tracked events elsewhere.
Michie Vianca De Vera, Larry Di Girolamo, Guangyu Zhao, Robert M. Rauber, Stephen W. Nesbitt, and Greg M. McFarquhar
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5603–5623, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5603-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5603-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Tropical oceanic low clouds remain a dominant source of uncertainty in cloud feedback in climate models due to their macrophysical properties (fraction, size, height, shape, distribution) being misrepresented. High-resolution satellite imagery over the Philippine oceans is used here to characterize cumulus macrophysical properties and their relationship to meteorological variables. Such information can act as a benchmark for cloud models and can improve low-cloud generation in climate models.
William K. Jones, Martin Stengel, and Philip Stier
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5165–5180, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5165-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5165-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Storm clouds cover large areas of the tropics. These clouds both reflect incoming sunlight and trap heat from the atmosphere below, regulating the temperature of the tropics. Over land, storm clouds occur in the late afternoon and evening and so exist both during the daytime and at night. Changes in this timing could upset the balance of the respective cooling and heating effects of these clouds. We find that isolated storms have a larger effect on this balance than their small size suggests.
Shaoyue Qiu, Xue Zheng, David Painemal, Christopher R. Terai, and Xiaoli Zhou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2913–2935, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2913-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2913-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The aerosol indirect effect (AIE) depends on cloud states, which exhibit significant diurnal variations in the northeastern Atlantic. Yet the AIE diurnal cycle remains poorly understood. Using satellite retrievals, we find a pronounced “U-shaped” diurnal variation in the AIE, which is contributed to by the transition of cloud states combined with the lagged cloud responses. This suggests that polar-orbiting satellites with overpass times at noon underestimate daytime mean values of the AIE.
Irene Bartolomé García, Odran Sourdeval, Reinhold Spang, and Martina Krämer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1699–1716, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1699-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1699-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
How many ice crystals of each size are in a cloud is a key parameter for the retrieval of cloud properties. The distribution of ice crystals is obtained from in situ measurements and used to create parameterizations that can be used when analyzing the remote-sensing data. Current parameterizations are based on data sets that do not include reliable measurements of small crystals, but in our study we use a data set that includes very small ice crystals to improve these parameterizations.
Wenyue Wang, Klemens Hocke, Leonardo Nania, Alberto Cazorla, Gloria Titos, Renaud Matthey, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Agustín Millares, and Francisco Navas-Guzmán
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1571–1585, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1571-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1571-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The south-central interior of Andalusia experiences complex precipitation patterns as a result of the semi-arid Mediterranean climate and the influence of Saharan dust. This study monitored the inter-relations between aerosols, clouds, meteorological variables, and precipitation systems using ground-based remote sensing and in situ instruments.
Francisco Lang, Steven T. Siems, Yi Huang, Tahereh Alinejadtabrizi, and Luis Ackermann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1451–1466, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1451-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1451-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Marine low-level clouds play a crucial role in the Earth's energy balance, trapping heat from the surface and reflecting sunlight back into space. These clouds are distinguishable by their large-scale spatial structures, primarily characterized as hexagonal patterns with either filled (closed) or empty (open) cells. Utilizing satellite observations, these two cloud type patterns have been categorized over the Southern Ocean and North Pacific Ocean through a pattern recognition program.
Julian Hofer, Patric Seifert, J. Ben Liley, Martin Radenz, Osamu Uchino, Isamu Morino, Tetsu Sakai, Tomohiro Nagai, and Albert Ansmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1265–1280, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1265-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1265-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
An 11-year dataset of polarization lidar observations from Lauder, New Zealand / Aotearoa, was used to distinguish the thermodynamic phase of natural clouds. The cloud dataset was separated to assess the impact of air mass origin on the frequency of heterogeneous ice formation. Ice formation efficiency in clouds above Lauder was found to be lower than in the polluted Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes but higher than in very clean and pristine environments, such as Punta Arenas in southern Chile.
Hannes Jascha Griesche, Carola Barrientos-Velasco, Hartwig Deneke, Anja Hünerbein, Patric Seifert, and Andreas Macke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 597–612, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-597-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-597-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Arctic is strongly affected by climate change and the role of clouds therein is not yet completely understood. Measurements from the Arctic expedition PS106 were used to simulate radiative fluxes with and without clouds at very low altitudes (below 165 m), and their radiative effect was calculated to be 54 Wm-2. The low heights of these clouds make them hard to observe. This study shows the importance of accurate measurements and simulations of clouds and gives suggestions for improvements.
Thomas D. DeWitt, Timothy J. Garrett, Karlie N. Rees, Corey Bois, Steven K. Krueger, and Nicolas Ferlay
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 109–122, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-109-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-109-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Viewed from space, a defining feature of Earth's atmosphere is the wide spectrum of cloud sizes. A recent study predicted the distribution of cloud sizes, and this paper compares the prediction to observations. Although there is nuance in viewing perspective, we find robust agreement with theory across different climatological conditions, including land–ocean contrasts, time of year, or latitude, suggesting a minor role for Coriolis forces, aerosol loading, or surface temperature.
Marcus Klingebiel, André Ehrlich, Elena Ruiz-Donoso, Nils Risse, Imke Schirmacher, Evelyn Jäkel, Michael Schäfer, Kevin Wolf, Mario Mech, Manuel Moser, Christiane Voigt, and Manfred Wendisch
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15289–15304, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15289-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15289-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we explain how we use aircraft measurements from two Arctic research campaigns to identify cloud properties (like droplet size) over sea-ice and ice-free ocean. To make sure that our measurements make sense, we compare them with other observations. Our results show, e.g., larger cloud droplets in early summer than in spring. Moreover, the cloud droplets are also larger over ice-free ocean than compared to sea ice. In the future, our data can be used to improve climate models.
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.
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.
Cited articles
Abel, S. J., Boutle, I. A., Waite, K., Fox, S., Brown, P. R., Cotton, R.,
Lloyd, G., Choularton, T. W., and Bower, K. N.: The role of precipitation in
controlling the transition from stratocumulus to cumulus clouds in a Northern
Hemisphere cold-air outbreak, J. Atmos. Sci., 74,
2293–2314, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-16-0362.1, 2017. a, b
Ahn, E., Huang, Y., Chubb, T. H., Baumgardner, D., Isaac, P., de Hoog, M.,
Siems, S. T., and Manton, M. J.: In situ observations of wintertime
low-altitude clouds over the Southern Ocean, Q. J. Roy.
Meteorol. Soc., 143, 1381–1394,
https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3011, 2017. a, b, c
Atkinson, B. W. and Zhang, J. W.: Mesoscale shallow convection in the
atmosphere, Rev. Geophys., 34, 403–431,
https://doi.org/10.1029/96RG02623, 1996. a, b, c
Bauer, M. and Del Genio, A. D.: Composite analysis of winter cyclones in a GCM:
Influence on climatological humidity, J. Clim., 19, 1652–1672,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI3690.1, 2006. a
Bates, T. S., Huebert, B. J., Gras, J. L., Griffiths, F. B., and Durkee, P. A.:
International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) project's first aerosol
characterization experiment (ACE 1): Overview, J. Geophys.
Res.-Atmos., 103, 16297–16318,
https://doi.org/10.1029/97JD03741, 1998. a
Behrangi, A., Lebsock, M., Wong, S., and Lambrigtsen, B.: On the
quantification of oceanic rainfall using spaceborne sensors, J.
Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 117, D20105, https://doi.org/10.1029/2012JD017979,
2012. a
Behrangi, A., Stephens, G., Adler, R. F., Huffman, G. J., Lambrigtsen, B., and
Lebsock, M.: An update on the oceanic precipitation rate and its zonal
distribution in light of advanced observations from space, J.
Clim., 27, 3957–3965, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00679.1, 2014. a
Berry, G., Reeder, M. J., and Jakob, C.: A global climatology of atmospheric
fronts, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L04809,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL046451, 2011. a, b, c
Bessho, K., Date, K., Hayashi, M., Ikeda, A., Imai, T., Inoue, H., Kumagai, Y.,
Miyakawa, T., Murata, H., Ohno, T., Okuyama, A., Oyama, R.,
Sasaki, Y., Shimazu, Y., Shimoji, K., Sumida, Y., Suzuki, M., Taniguchi, H.,
Tsuchiyama, H., Uesawa, D., Yokota, H., and Yoshida, R.: An introduction to
Himawari-8/9 – Japan's new-generation geostationary meteorological
satellites, J. Meteorol. Soc. Japn.. Ser. II, 94,
151–183, https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj.2016-009, 2016. a
Bodas-Salcedo, A., Williams, K., Field, P., and Lock, A.: The surface
downwelling solar radiation surplus over the Southern Ocean in the Met Office
model: The role of midlatitude cyclone clouds, J. Clim., 25,
7467–7486, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00702.1, 2012. a, b
Bodas-Salcedo, A., Williams, K. D., Ringer, M. A., Beau, I., Cole, J. N.,
Dufresne, J.-L., Koshiro, T., Stevens, B., Wang, Z., and Yokohata, T.:
Origins of the solar radiation biases over the Southern Ocean in CFMIP2
models, J. Clim., 27, 41–56,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00169.1, 2014. a
Bodas-Salcedo, A., Hill, P., Furtado, K., Williams, K., Field, P., Manners, J.,
Hyder, P., and Kato, S.: Large contribution of supercooled liquid clouds to
the solar radiation budget of the Southern Ocean, J. Clim., 29,
4213–4228, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0564.1, 2016. a, b
Brümmer, B.: Boundary-layer modification in wintertime cold-air outbreaks
from the Arctic sea ice, Bound.-Lay. Meteorol., 80, 109–125,
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119014, 1996. a
Dai, A.: Global precipitation and thunderstorm frequencies. Part II: Diurnal
variations, J. Clim., 14, 1112–1128, 2001. a
Dai, A., Lin, X., and Hsu, K.-L.: The frequency, intensity, and diurnal cycle
of precipitation in surface and satellite observations over low-and
mid-latitudes, Clim. Dynam., 29, 727–744,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-007-0260-y, 2007. a
Diner, D. J., Asner, G. P., Davies, R., Knyazikhin, Y., Muller, J.-P., Nolin,
A. W., Pinty, B., Schaaf, C. B., and Stroeve, J.: New directions in earth
observing: Scientific applications of multiangle remote sensing, Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 80, 2209–2228,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0477(1999)080<2209:NDIEOS>2.0.CO;2, 1999. a
Dong, S., Sprintall, J., and Gille, S. T.: Location of the Antarctic polar
front from AMSR-E satellite sea surface temperature measurements, J.
Phys. Oceanogr., 36, 2075–2089,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO2973.1, 2006. a, b, c, d
Field, P., Bodas-Salcedo, A., and Brooks, M.: Using model analysis and
satellite data to assess cloud and precipitation in midlatitude cyclones,
Q. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc., 137, 1501–1515,
https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.858, 2011. a
Field, P. R., Cotton, R. J., Mcbeath, K., Lock, A. P., Webster, S., and Allan,
R. P.: Improving a convection-permitting model simulation of a cold air
outbreak, Q. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc., 140,
124–138, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.2116, 2014. a
Fletcher, J., Mason, S., and Jakob, C.: The climatology, meteorology, and
boundary layer structure of marine cold air outbreaks in both hemispheres,
J. Clim., 29, 1999–2014,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0268.1, 2016a. a
Fletcher, J. K., Mason, S., and Jakob, C.: A climatology of clouds in marine
cold air outbreaks in both hemispheres, J. Clim., 29, 6677–6692,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0783.1, 2016b. a, b, c
Hartmann, D. L. and Short, D. A.: On the use of earth radiation budget
statistics for studies of clouds and climate, J. Atmos.
Sci., 37, 1233–1250,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1980)037<1233:OTUOER>2.0.CO;2, 1980. a
Haynes, J. M., Jakob, C., Rossow, W. B., Tselioudis, G., and Brown, J.: Major
characteristics of Southern Ocean cloud regimes and their effects on the
energy budget, J. Clim., 24, 5061–5080,
https://doi.org/10.1175/2011JCLI4052.1, 2011. a
Hersbach, H., Bell, B., Berrisford, P.,
et al.: The ERA5 global reanalysis, Q. J. Roy.
Meteorol. Soc., 146, 1999–2049,
https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3803, 2020. a
Hewson, T. D.: Objective fronts, Meteorol. Appl., 5, 37–65,
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1350482798000553, 1998. a
Hoskins, B. J. and Hodges, K. I.: A new perspective on Southern Hemisphere
storm tracks, J. Clim., 18, 4108–4129,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI3570.1, 2005. a
Huang, Y., Chubb, T., Baumgardner, D., deHoog, M., Siems, S. T., and Manton,
M. J.: Evidence for secondary ice production in Southern Ocean open cellular
convection, Q. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc., 143,
1685–1703, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3041, 2017. a, b
Inatsu, M. and Hoskins, B. J.: The zonal asymmetry of the Southern Hemisphere
winter storm track, J. Clim., 17, 4882–4892,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-3232.1, 2004. a
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA): Himawari L1 Gridded data, EORC [data set], https://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ptree/index.html, last access: 25 January 2021. a
Kay, J. E., Wall, C., Yettella, V., Medeiros, B., Hannay, C., Caldwell, P., and
Bitz, C.: Global climate impacts of fixing the Southern Ocean shortwave
radiation bias in the Community Earth System Model (CESM), J.
Clim., 29, 4617–4636, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0358.1,
2016. a, b
Kazil, J., Feingold, G., Wang, H., and Yamaguchi, T.: On the interaction
between marine boundary layer cellular cloudiness and surface heat fluxes,
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 61–79,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-61-2014, 2014. a
Klein, S. A. and Hartmann, D. L.: The seasonal cycle of low stratiform clouds,
J. Clim., 6, 1587–1606,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1993)006<1587:TSCOLS>2.0.CO;2, 1993. a, b, c
Lang, F., Huang, Y., Siems, S. T., and Manton, M. J.: Evidence of a Diurnal
Cycle in Precipitation over the Southern Ocean as Observed at Macquarie
Island, Atmosphere, 11, 181, https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11020181,
2020. a, b, c
Lang, F., Huang, Y., Protat, A., Truong, S., Siems, S., and Manton, M.: Shallow
Convection and Precipitation Over the Southern Ocean: A Case Study During the
CAPRICORN 2016 Field Campaign, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos.,
126, e2020JD034088, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD034088, 2021. a, b, c
Lim, E.-P. and Simmonds, I.: Southern Hemisphere winter extratropical cyclone
characteristics and vertical organization observed with the ERA-40 data in
1979–2001, J. Clim., 20, 2675–2690,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI4135.1, 2007. a
Mace, G. G. and Zhang, Q.: The CloudSat radar-lidar geometrical profile product
(RL-GeoProf): Updates, improvements, and selected results, J.
Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 119, 9441–9462,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JD021374, 2014. a
Mace, G. G., Zhang, Q., Vaughan, M., Marchand, R., Stephens, G., Trepte, C.,
and Winker, D.: A description of hydrometeor layer occurrence statistics
derived from the first year of merged Cloudsat and CALIPSO data, J.
Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 114, D00A26,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD009755, 2009. a, b, c
McCoy, I. L., Wood, R., and Fletcher, J. K.: Identifying Meteorological
Controls on Open and Closed Mesoscale Cellular Convection Associated with
Marine Cold Air Outbreaks, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos.,
122, 11678–11702, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD027031, 2017. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p
McFarquhar, G. M., Bretherton, C. S., Marchand, R.,
et al.: Observations of clouds, aerosols, precipitation, and surface
radiation over the southern ocean: An overview of CAPRICORN, MARCUS, MICRE,
and SOCRATES, Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 102,
E894–E928, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0132.1, 2021. a
Mohrmann, J., Wood, R., Yuan, T., Song, H., Eastman, R., and Oreopoulos, L.:
Identifying meteorological influences on marine low-cloud mesoscale
morphology using satellite classifications, Atmos. Chem.
Phys., 21, 9629–9642, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9629-2021,
2021. a
Moore, J. K., Abbott, M. R., and Richman, J. G.: Location and dynamics of the
Antarctic Polar Front from satellite sea surface temperature data, J.
Geophys. Res.-Ocean., 104, 3059–3073,
https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JC900032, 1999. a
Murray, R. J. and Simmonds, I.: A numerical scheme for tracking cyclone centres
from digital data, Part I: Development and operation of the scheme,
Austr. Meteorol. Mag., 39, 155–166, 1991. a
Naud, C. M., Booth, J. F., and Del Genio, A. D.: Evaluation of ERA-Interim and
MERRA cloudiness in the Southern Ocean, J. Clim., 27, 2109–2124,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00432.1, 2014. a, b, c, d
Papritz, L., Pfahl, S., Sodemann, H., and Wernli, H.: A climatology of cold air
outbreaks and their impact on air–sea heat fluxes in the high-latitude South
Pacific, J. Clim., 28, 342–364,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-14-00482.1, 2015. a, b
Pezza, A. B., Durrant, T., Simmonds, I., and Smith, I.: Southern Hemisphere
synoptic behavior in extreme phases of SAM, ENSO, sea ice extent, and
southern Australia rainfall, J. Clim., 21, 5566–5584,
https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JCLI2128.1, 2008. a
Platnick, S., King, M. D., Ackerman, S. A., Menzel, W. P., Baum, B. A.,
Riédi, J. C., and Frey, R. A.: The MODIS cloud products: Algorithms and
examples from Terra, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote Sens., 41,
459–473, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2002.808301, 2003. a
Rozendaal, M. A., Leovy, C. B., and Klein, S. A.: An observational study of
diurnal variations of marine stratiform cloud, J. Clim., 8,
1795–1809,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1995)008<1795:AOSODV>2.0.CO;2, 1995. a
Simmonds, I. and Keay, K.: Mean Southern Hemisphere extratropical cyclone
behavior in the 40-year NCEP–NCAR reanalysis, J. Clim., 13,
873–885,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(2000)013<0873:MSHECB>2.0.CO;2, 2000. a, b
Stevens, B., Vali, G., Comstock, K., Wood, R., Van Zanten, M. C., Austin,
P. H., Bretherton, C. S., and Lenschow, D. H.: Pockets of open cells and
drizzle in marine stratocumulus, Bull. Am. Meteorol.
Soc., 86, 51–58, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-86-1-51, 2005. a
Suhre, K., Mari, C., Bates, T. S., Johnson, J. E., Rosset, R., Wang, Q., Bandy,
A. R., Blake, D. R., Businger, S., Eisele, F. L., Huebert, B. J., Kok, G. L.,
Mauldin III, R. L., Prévôt, A. S. H., Schillawski, R. D., Tanner, D. J., and Thornton, D. C.: Physico-chemical
modeling of the First Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE 1) Lagrangian B: 1. A moving column approach, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos.,
103, 16433–16455, 1998. a
Trenberth, K. E. and Fasullo, J. T.: Simulation of present-day and
twenty-first-century energy budgets of the southern oceans, J.
Clim., 23, 440–454, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JCLI3152.1, 2010. a
Truong, S., Huang, Y., Lang, F., Messmer, M., Simmonds, I., Siems, S., and
Manton, M.: A climatology of the marine atmospheric boundary layer over the
Southern Ocean from four field campaigns during 2016–2018, J.
Geophys. Res.- Atmos., 125, e2020JD033214,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD033214, 2020. a, b, c, d
Vial, J., Vogel, R., Bony, S., Stevens, B., Winker, D. M., Cai, X., Hohenegger,
C., Naumann, A. K., and Brogniez, H.: A new look at the daily cycle of trade
wind cumuli, J. Adv. Model. Earth Syst., 11, 3148–3166,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2019MS001746, 2019. a
Vial, J., Vogel, R., and Schulz, H.: On the daily cycle of mesoscale cloud
organization in the winter trades, Q. J. Roy.
Meteorol. Soc., 47, 2850–2873, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.4103, 2021. a
Wang, H. and Feingold, G.: Modeling mesoscale cellular structures and drizzle
in marine stratocumulus, Part II: The microphysics and dynamics of the
boundary region between open and closed cells, J. Atmos.
Sci., 66, 3257–3275, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JAS3120.1, 2009a. a
Wang, H. and Feingold, G.: Modeling mesoscale cellular structures and drizzle
in marine stratocumulus, Part I: Impact of drizzle on the formation and
evolution of open cells, J. Atmos. Sci., 66,
3237–3256, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JAS3022.1, 2009b. a, b, c
Watson-Parris, D., Sutherland, S., Christensen, M., Eastman, R., and Stier, P.:
A Large-Scale Analysis of Pockets of Open Cells and Their Radiative Impact,
Geophys. Res. Lett., 48, e2020GL092213,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL092213, 2021. a, b, c, d
Williams, K. D., Bodas-Salcedo, A., Déqué, M., Fermepin, S.,
Medeiros, B., Watanabe, M., Jakob, C., Klein, S. A., Senior, C. A., and
Williamson, D. L.: The Transpose-AMIP II experiment and its application to
the understanding of Southern Ocean cloud biases in climate models, J. Clim., 26, 3258–3274, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00429.1,
2013.
a, b, c
Wood, R.: Stratocumulus clouds, Month. Weather Rev., 140, 2373–2423,
https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-11-00121.1, 2012. a, b
Wood, R., Bretherton, C. S., Leon, D., Clarke, A. D., Zuidema, P., Allen, G.,
and Coe, H.: An aircraft case study of the spatial transition from closed to
open mesoscale cellular convection over the Southeast Pacific, Atmos.
Chem. Phys., 11, 2341–2370,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-2341-2011, 2011. a
Yamaguchi, T. and Feingold, G.: On the relationship between open cellular
convective cloud patterns and the spatial distribution of precipitation,
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 1237–1251,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-1237-2015, 2015. a
Zelinka, M. D., Myers, T. A., McCoy, D. T., Po-Chedley, S., Caldwell, P. M.,
Ceppi, P., Klein, S. A., and Taylor, K. E.: Causes of higher climate
sensitivity in CMIP6 models, Geophys. Res. Lett., 47,
e2019GL085782, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL085782, 2020. a
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.
Marine low-level clouds cover vast areas of the Southern Ocean, and they are essential to the...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint