EarthCARE reveals details on the role of rain in closed-to-open cell transitions

Mayer, Johanna; Gasbarra, Daniele; Hogan, Robin J.; Malina, Edward; Mason, Shannon L.; Piskala Gvozdikova, Blanka

doi:10.5194/acp-26-14085-2026

Articles | Volume 26, issue 19

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-14085-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Special issue:

Early results from EarthCARE (AMT/ACP/GMD inter-journal SI)

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-14085-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 26, issue 19

Research article

|

08 Oct 2026

Research article |

| 08 Oct 2026

EarthCARE reveals details on the role of rain in closed-to-open cell transitions

Johanna Mayer, Daniele Gasbarra, Robin J. Hogan, Edward Malina, Shannon L. Mason, and Blanka Piskala Gvozdikova

Data sets

EarthCARE Marine Stratocumulus Organization and Transition Dataset Johanna Mayer https://doi.org/10.57780/esa-f7cdf8b

Model code and software

EarthCARE Marine Stratocumulus Organization and Transition Code and Workflow Johanna Mayer https://doi.org/10.83395/6na1-0q65

Video supplement

Tracking stratocumulus cloud mesoscale structure along wind trajectories Johanna Mayer https://doi.org/10.5446/73703

Short summary

We investigate transitions from closed to open stratocumulus cells using synergistic observations from the EarthCARE and GOES satellites. Microphysical changes and increasing rain up to 25 hours before transitions support a precipitation-driven pathway. These findings provide new observational constraints on the processes driving stratocumulus breakup and its radiative impact.