Articles | Volume 25, issue 22
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-15765-2025
© Author(s) 2025. 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-25-15765-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
18 Nov 2025
Research article |
| 18 Nov 2025
| 18 Nov 2025
Role of aerosol–cloud–radiation interactions in modulating summertime quasi-biweekly rainfall intensity over South China
Hongli Chen
State Key Laboratory of Climate System Prediction and Risk Management/Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster, Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
State Key Laboratory of Climate System Prediction and Risk Management/Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster, Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
Anbao Zhu
State Key Laboratory of Climate System Prediction and Risk Management/Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster, Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
Joint International Research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
Xiaoyan Ma
Key Laboratory for Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation of China Meteorological Administration, School of Atmospheric Physics, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
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Anbao Zhu, Xin Huang, Haiming Xu, Jiechun Deng, Lian Xue, Zilin Wang, Ke Ding, Tianshuai Li, and Aijun Ding
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3180, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3180, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Every spring, East Asian dust travels across the North Pacific. We investigated its effect on the North Pacific storm track using decades of data and a numerical model. We found that dust absorbs sunlight and warms the middle atmosphere, altering temperature patterns. This shifts the zone favorable for storm development poleward. These results highlight that natural dust meaningfully influences large-scale atmospheric circulation and should be considered in regional climate assessments.
Peili Zou, Xiaoyan Ma, Rong Tian, Jianqi Zhao, Tong Yang, and Yingying Ku
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 7485–7501, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-7485-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-7485-2026, 2026
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This study examines a severe dust event that occurred in western Inner Mongolia (WIM) on 11 April 2025, which reached Hainan by 13 April. Unlike the dust events in 2021 and 2023 that did not affect Hainan, this case was characterized by a south‑moving Mongolian cyclone. Sustained strong northerly winds pushed both the dust plume and the rainband southward; however, the dust remained positioned behind the rainband, thereby avoiding wet scavenging and facilitating its transport to Hainan.
Jianqi Zhao, Xiaoyan Ma, Johannes Quaas, and Tong Yang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 17701–17723, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17701-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17701-2025, 2025
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We use the chemistry version of the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with spectral bin microphysics to investigate how meteorological conditions impact aerosol–cloud interactions (ACI) under different pollution regimes. Our findings highlight the changes in aerosol effects on clouds and precipitation under varying thermodynamic conditions, as well as the sensitivity of ACI to meteorological conditions under different pollution regimes, which help to clarify the mechanisms behind the nonlinear variation of ACI with environmental conditions.
Jianqi Zhao, Xiaoyan Ma, and Johannes Quaas
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3662, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3662, 2024
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We conduct a comparative analysis of aerosol-cloud responses in liquid-phase clouds under different aerosol and meteorological conditions based on simulations using the WRF-Chem-SBM model. Our findings highlight the different effects of aerosols on clouds and precipitation, as well as variations in the roles of aerosol and meteorological factors influencing aerosol-cloud interactions, in different environment.
Jianqi Zhao, Xiaoyan Ma, Johannes Quaas, and Hailing Jia
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9101–9118, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9101-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9101-2024, 2024
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We explore aerosol–cloud interactions in liquid-phase clouds over eastern China and its adjacent ocean in winter based on the WRF-Chem–SBM model, which couples a spectral-bin microphysics scheme and an online aerosol module. Our study highlights the differences in aerosol–cloud interactions between land and ocean and between precipitation clouds and non-precipitation clouds, and it differentiates and quantifies their underlying mechanisms.
Tong Sha, Siyu Yang, Qingcai Chen, Liangqing Li, Xiaoyan Ma, Yan-Lin Zhang, Zhaozhong Feng, K. Folkert Boersma, and Jun Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8441–8455, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8441-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8441-2024, 2024
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Using an updated soil reactive nitrogen emission scheme in the Unified Inputs for Weather Research and Forecasting coupled with Chemistry (UI-WRF-Chem) model, we investigate the role of soil NO and HONO (Nr) emissions in air quality and temperature in North China. Contributions of soil Nr emissions to O3 and secondary pollutants are revealed, exceeding effects of soil NOx or HONO emission. Soil Nr emissions play an important role in mitigating O3 pollution and addressing climate change.
Kun Wang, Xiaoyan Ma, Rong Tian, and Fangqun Yu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4091–4104, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4091-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4091-2023, 2023
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From 12 March to 6 April 2016 in Beijing, there were 11 typical new particle formation days, 13 non-event days, and 2 undefined days. We first analyzed the favorable background of new particle formation in Beijing and then conducted the simulations using four nucleation schemes based on a global chemistry transport model (GEOS-Chem) to understand the nucleation mechanism.
Jianqi Zhao, Xiaoyan Ma, Johannes Quaas, and Hailing Jia
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-331, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-331, 2023
Preprint archived
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We improve the ability of WRF-Chem model to simulate aerosol-cloud physical and chemical processes by coupling a spectral-bin cloud microphysics scheme and online aerosol module, and consequently explore the aerosol-cloud interactions over eastern China and its adjacent ocean in boreal winter. Our study highlights the differences in aerosol-cloud interactions between land and ocean, precipitation clouds and non-precipitation clouds, and differentiates and quantifies their underlying mechanisms.
Anbao Zhu, Haiming Xu, Jiechun Deng, Jing Ma, and Shaofeng Hua
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15425–15447, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15425-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15425-2022, 2022
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This study demonstrates the instant and delayed effects of biomass burning (BB) aerosols on precipitation over the Indochina Peninsula (ICP). The convection suppression due to the BB aerosol-induced stabilized atmosphere dominates over the favorable water-vapor condition induced by large-scale circulation responses, leading to an overall reduced precipitation in March, while the delayed effect promotes precipitation from early April to mid April due to the anomalous atmospheric circulations.
Yiwen Hu, Zengliang Zang, Xiaoyan Ma, Yi Li, Yanfei Liang, Wei You, Xiaobin Pan, and Zhijin Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13183–13200, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13183-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13183-2022, 2022
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This study developed a four-dimensional variational assimilation (4DVAR) system based on WRF–Chem to optimise SO2 emissions. The 4DVAR system was applied to obtain the SO2 emissions during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic over China. The results showed that the 4DVAR system effectively optimised emissions to describe the actual changes in SO2 emissions related to the COVID lockdown, and it can thus be used to improve the accuracy of forecasts.
Johannes Quaas, Hailing Jia, Chris Smith, Anna Lea Albright, Wenche Aas, Nicolas Bellouin, Olivier Boucher, Marie Doutriaux-Boucher, Piers M. Forster, Daniel Grosvenor, Stuart Jenkins, Zbigniew Klimont, Norman G. Loeb, Xiaoyan Ma, Vaishali Naik, Fabien Paulot, Philip Stier, Martin Wild, Gunnar Myhre, and Michael Schulz
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12221–12239, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12221-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12221-2022, 2022
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Pollution particles cool climate and offset part of the global warming. However, they are washed out by rain and thus their effect responds quickly to changes in emissions. We show multiple datasets to demonstrate that aerosol emissions and their concentrations declined in many regions influenced by human emissions, as did the effects on clouds. Consequently, the cooling impact on the Earth energy budget became smaller. This change in trend implies a relative warming.
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Short summary
Previous studies mainly examined aerosol effects on short-term rainfall variations. Here we show, using observations and model experiments, that aerosols also intensify rainfall variability on two- to four-week timescales over South China primarily through cloud-microphysical processes, while radiative effects play a secondary role, thereby amplifying prolonged heavy rainfall events.
Previous studies mainly examined aerosol effects on short-term rainfall variations. Here we...
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