Articles | Volume 25, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1587-2025
© 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-25-1587-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
04 Feb 2025
Research article |
| 04 Feb 2025
| 04 Feb 2025
Distinct effects of fine and coarse aerosols on microphysical processes of shallow-precipitation systems in summer over southern China
Fengjiao Chen
Key Laboratory of Transportation Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing, China
China Meteorological Administration Radar Meteorology Key Laboratory, Beijing, China
Yuanjian Yang
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Key Laboratory of Aerosol and Cloud Precipitation of China Meteorological Administration, School of Atmospheric Physics, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
Lu Yu
Key Laboratory of Transportation Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing, China
Yang Li
Key Laboratory of Transportation Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing, China
Weiguang Liu
Key Laboratory of Transportation Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing, China
Yan Liu
Key Laboratory of Transportation Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing, China
State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, China
Simone Lolli
Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis (IMAA), National Research Council (CNR), Contrada S. Loja, 85050 Tito Scalo (PZ), Italy
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We developed a methodology to retrieve the atmospheric boundary layer height from elastic and multi-wavelength lidar observations that uses a new approach based on morphological image processing techniques. The intercomparison with other state-of-the-art algorithms shows on average 30 % improved performance. The algorithm also shows excellent performance with respect to the running time, i.e., just few seconds to execute the whole signal processing chain over 72 h of continuous measurements.
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In this work, the authors describe a process to determine the thermodynamic cloud phase using the Micro Pulse Lidar Network volume depolarization ratio measurements and temperature profiles from the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office GEOS-5 model. A multi-year analysis and comparisons to supercooled liquid water fractions derived from CALIPSO satellite measurements are used to demonstrate the efficacy of the method.
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Short summary
The microphysical mechanisms of precipitation responsible for the varied impacts of aerosol particles on shallow precipitation remain unclear. This study reveals that coarse aerosol particles invigorate shallow rainfall through enhanced coalescence processes, whereas fine aerosol particles suppress shallow rainfall through intensified microphysical breaks. These impacts are independent of thermodynamic environments but are more significant in low-humidity conditions.
The microphysical mechanisms of precipitation responsible for the varied impacts of aerosol...
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