Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation Interactions in WRF Model: Sensitivity to Autoconversion Parameterization

Cloud-to-rain autoconversion process is an important player in aerosol loading, cloud morphology, and precipitation variations because it can modulate cloud microphysical characteristics depending on the participation of aerosols, and affects the spatio-temporal distribution and total amount of precipitation. By applying the Kessler, the Khairoutdinov-Kogan(KK), and the Dispersion autoconversion parameterization schemes in a set of sensitivity experiments, the indirect effects of aerosols on clouds and precipitation are investigated for a deep convective cloud system in Beijing under various aerosol concentration backgrounds from 50 to 10000 cm-3. Numerical experiments show that aerosol-induced precipitation change is strongly dependent on autoconversion parameterization schemes. For the Kessler scheme, the average cumulative precipitation is enhanced slightly with increasing aerosols, whereas surface precipitation is reduced significantly with increasing aerosols for the KK scheme. Moreover, precipitation varies non-monotonically for the Dispersion scheme, increasing with aerosols at lower concentrations and decreasing at higher concentrations.These different trends of aerosol-induced precipitation change are mainly ascribed to differences in rain water content under these three autoconversion parameterization schemes. Therefore, this study suggests that accurate parameterization of cloud microphysical processes, particularly the cloud-to-rain autoconversion process, is needed for improving the scientific understanding of aerosol-cloud-precipitation interactions.     

WRF模式云参数化方案对一次深对流系统模拟的验证和改进

使用中尺度数值模式WRF中的双参数云微物理方案WDM6针对2008年台风“凤凰”登陆过程中造成的强降水进行数值模拟,通过卫星模拟器利用MTSAT-1R和TRMM卫星观测的红外云顶黑体亮温TBB、PR雷达反射率资料使用统计方法验证模拟结果。通过修改云水向雨水自动转化过程、冰晶核化过程、雪和霰的下落末速度、雪和霰的截距进行敏感性试验,减小模拟结果和卫星观测结果的差异。研究结果表明:WDM6方案模拟的台风“凤凰”登陆后的降水,强对流云系及对流柱状雷达回波基本符合实况,但模拟结果局部偏强。WDM6方案模拟产生了较多的浅对流云,低估了对流云系的出现频率。不同云类型模拟的雷达回波均偏强,对流云系雷达回波垂直分布接近观测。敏感性试验结果说明修改WDM6方案中云水向雨水自动转化率有效地改善了模拟效果。同时发现云滴初始数浓度影响云水向雨水自动转化率并最终影响云系结构和雷达反射率的模拟结果,过高的云滴初始数浓度会使模拟结果变差。     

A numerical simulation of the effect of the number concentration of cloud droplets on Typhoon Chanchu

In recent years, an increase in the number of anthropogenic aerosol particles has raised the global mean content of aerosol particles in the atmosphere from that of preindustrial times. The indirect effects of aerosols on weather and climate cannot be ignored. In this paper, the fifth generation Pennsylvania State University (PSU)?CNational Center of Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model (MM5) is used to simulate Typhoon Chanchu (international designation: 0601), which affected the northwest Pacific. Simulations are conducted in three two-way nested domains with Mercator map projection. The horizontal grid resolutions of the three domains are 27, 9, and 3?km. A period of 60?h is simulated. Surface and rawinsonde conventional observation data and ocean wind data are additionally incorporated into the initialization data. A control (CTL) experiment is run to produce a reasonable forecast. We change the parameter of the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentration (CNP) in the Reisner-2 scheme of the CTL experiment (the default value is 100?cm^?3) to conduct two sensitivity experiments. They are the very clean marine (VCM) CNP experiment (CNP?=?25?cm^?3) and the severe contamination (SC) CNP experiment (CNP?=?1,000?cm^?3). We investigate the effects of the CNP on Typhoon Chanchu by comparing and analyzing the simulation results of the three experiments in terms of the track, intensity, precipitation, vertical structure, and microphysical processes. The main results show that Typhoon Chanchu slightly weakens as the CNP increases. Increasing the CCN to 1,000?cm^?3 results in less graupel, rainwater, and cloud ice but more cloud water. However, the mixing ratio of snow does not distinctly change as the CNP changes. Increasing the CCN leads a rapid decrease in the autoconversion of cloud water to rainwater. There is no autoconversion of cloud water to rainwater in a seriously polluted continental air mass. As the CNP increases, there is more condensation, evaporation, accretion of cloud water by rainwater, and precipitation fallout. Finally, a seriously polluted continental air mass can result in distinctly lower precipitation efficiency.     

祁连山夏季地形云结构和云微物理过程的模拟研究(I):模式云物理方案和地形云结构

对三维非静力中尺度模式ARPS的云降水微物理方案进行了改进,利用改进后的ARPS模式模拟了祁连山地区夏季的两个地形云个例,通过对各自模拟结果的对比分析并结合实况资料研究了夏季祁连山地区地形云的发展状况、动力场特征、降水特征以及云微物理结构特征。研究结果表明,地形云的发展受地形影响很大,地形的抬升促进了云和降水的发展,地形的作用也改变了地面降水特征,使云的宏、微观物理结构发生较大变化。     

Investigation of aerosol indirect effects on simulated flash-flood heavy rainfall over Korea

This study investigates aerosol indirect effects on the development of heavy rainfall near Seoul, South Korea, on 12 July 2006, focusing on precipitation amount. The impact of the aerosol concentration on simulated precipitation is evaluated by varying the initial cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) number concentration in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Double-Moment 6-class (WDM6) microphysics scheme. The simulations are performed under clean, semi-polluted, and polluted conditions. Detailed analysis of the physical processes that are responsible for surface precipitation, including moisture and cloud microphysical budgets shows enhanced ice-phase processes to be the primary driver of increased surface precipitation under the semi-polluted condition. Under the polluted condition, suppressed auto-conversion and the enhanced evaporation of rain cause surface precipitation to decrease. To investigate the role of environmental conditions on precipitation response under different aerosol number concentrations, a set of sensitivity experiments are conducted with a 5?% decrease in relative humidity at the initial time, relative to the base simulations. Results show ice-phase processes having small sensitivity to CCN number concentration, compared with the base simulations. Surface precipitation responds differently to CCN number concentration under the lower humidity initial condition, being greatest under the clean condition, followed by the semi-polluted and polluted conditions.     

A Comparison of Two Bulk Microphysics Parameterizations for the Study of Aerosol Impacts on an Idealized Supercell

Idealized supercell storms are simulated with two aerosol-aware bulk microphysics schemes(BMSs),the Thompson and the Chen-Liu-Reisner(CLR),using the Weather Research and Forecast(WRF)model.The objective of this study is to investigate the parameterizations of aerosol effects on cloud and precipitation characteristics and assess the necessity of introducing aerosols into a weather prediction model at fine grid resolution.The results show that aerosols play a decisive role in the composition of clouds in terms of the mixing ratios and number concentrations of liquid and ice hydrometeors in an intense supercell storm.The storm consists of a large amount of cloud water and snow in the polluted environment,but a large amount of rainwater and graupel instead in the clean environment.The total precipitation and rain intensity are suppressed in the CLR scheme more than in the Thompson scheme in the first three hours of storm simulations.The critical processes explaining the differences are the auto-conversion rate in the warm-rain process at the beginning of storm intensification and the low-level cooling induced by large ice hydrometeors.The cloud condensation nuclei(CCN)activation and auto-conversion processes of the two schemes exhibit considerable differences,indicating the inherent uncertainty of the parameterized aerosol effects among different BMSs.Beyond the aerosol effects,the fall speed characteristics of graupel in the two schemes play an important role in the storm dynamics and precipitation via low-level cooling.The rapid intensification of storms simulated with the Thompson scheme is attributed to the production of hail-like graupel.     

CCN数浓度及参数化方案对一次层云降水过程影响的数值研究

利用中尺度WRF模式(V3.7),采用WDM6双参数微物理方案,对2014年7月26日12时—28日06时发生在华东地区的一次层状云降水天气进行数值模拟。通过改变模式中初始云凝结核(CCN)数浓度及参数化方案,进行敏感试验,对模拟结果进行对比分析。改变CCN数浓度的结果表明,CCN数浓度对降水的影响复杂、非线性,随着CCN数浓度的增大,降水量减小。云水、霰混合比始终增加,雨水混合比表现为先增加后减小再增加的趋势,冰晶混合比则与之相反,呈现先减小再增加再减小的趋势,雪晶混合比呈现先减小后增加的趋势;改变CCN参数化方案的结果表明,两者模拟降水落区有差别,三参数方案更接近实际;降水产生后,三参数方案的CCN浓度一直高于双参数方案,且数值变化不大;双参数方案的结果显示暖云降水加强,冷云降水略弱,三参数方案则显示暖云降水较弱,冷云降水较强。     

初始云滴浓度（CCN）对对流性降水作用的数值试验

本文利用一个二维滞弹性非静力平衡云模式[1],选择三个典型个例,就初始云滴浓度（CCN）对对流性暖雨和冷雨过程的效应进行了数值试验。模拟结果表明：初始CCN对对流性降水影响较大。对暖雨过程而言,随着初始CCN的增大,地面累积降水量减弱;对冷雨过程而言,增大初始CCN,可削弱对流强度,减少地面累积降雹量,延缓液态水到达地面的时间,但最终增强了地面累积液态降水量。并且分析了初始CCN导致暖雨和冷雨过程这种差别的原因。     

An Attempt to Improve Kessler-Type Parameterization of Warm Cloud Microphysical Conversion Processes Using CloudSat Observations

Improvements to the Kessler-type parameterization of warm cloud microphysical conversion processes (also called autoconversion) are proposed based on a large number of CloudSat observations between Jun...     

The Role of Initial Cloud Condensation Nuclei Concentration in Hail Using the WRF NSSL 2-moment Microphysics Scheme

The effects of the initial cloud condensation nuclei(CCN) concentrations(100–3000 mg~(-1)) on hail properties were investigated in an idealized non-severe hail storm experiment using the Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF) model, with the National Severe Storms Laboratory 2-moment microphysics scheme. The initial CCN concentration(CCNC) had obvious non-monotonic effects on the mixing ratio, number concentrations, and radius of hail, both in clouds and at the surface, with a CCNC threshold between 300 and 500 mg~(-1). An increasing CCNC is conducive(suppressive) to the amount of surface hail precipitation below(above) the CCNC threshold. The non-monotonic effects were due to both the thermodynamics and microphysics. Below the CCNC threshold, the mixing ratios of cloud droplets and ice crystals increased dramatically with the increasing CCNC, resulting in more latent heat released from condensation and frozen between 4 and 8 km and intensified updraft volume. The extent of the riming process, which is the primary process for hail production, increased dramatically. Above the CCNC threshold, the mixing ratio of cloud droplets and ice crystals increased continuously, but the maximum updraft volume was weakened because of reduced frozen latent heating at low level. The smaller ice crystals reduced the formation of hail and smaller clouds, with decreased rain water reducing riming efficiency so that graupel and hail also decreased with increasing CCNC, which is unfavorable for hail growth.     

三江源地区对流云吸湿性催化的数值模拟

采用二维分档对流云模式,模拟研究了不同的云凝结核(CCN)背景下三江源地区对流云及其降水的发展,以及吸湿剂的催化效果。结果表明:该地区对流云以冰相过程为主,霰粒子在降水发展过程中具有支配性的作用;初始CCN数浓度增加使降水延迟、降水量减少;催化效果在初始CCN数浓度较高的环境下更好;在云发展的早期,于云底上升气流区播撒吸湿剂,能够获得较好的降水增加效果;对催化结果起决定作用的是粗粒子,小粒子对催化起到负作用。这些结果表明,在合理的催化方案下对该地区作吸湿性催化能得到较为理想的增雨效果。     

EVALUATION OF CONVECTIVE-STRATIFORM RAINFALL SEPARATION SCHEMES BY PRECIPITATION AND CLOUD STATISTICS

In this study,two convective-stratiform rainfall partitioning schemes are evaluated using precipitation and cloud statistics for different rainfall types categorized by applying surface rainfall equation on grid-scale data from a two-dimensional cloud-resolving model simulation.One scheme is based on surface rainfall intensity whereas the other is based on cloud content information.The model is largely forced by the large-scale vertical velocity derived from the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment(TOGA COARE).The results reveal that over 40% of convective rainfall is associated with water vapor divergence,which primarily comes from the rainfall type with local atmospheric drying and water hydrometeor loss/convergence,caused by precipitation and evaporation of rain.More than 40% of stratiform rainfall is related to water vapor convergence,which largely comes from the rainfall type with local atmospheric moistening and hydrometeor loss/convergence attributable to water clouds through precipitation and the evaporation of rain and ice clouds through the conversion from ice hydrometeor to water hydrometeor.This implies that the separation methods based on surface rainfall and cloud content may not clearly separate convective and stratiform rainfall.     

不同微物理方案对台风“彩虹”(2015)降水影响的比较研究

本文以GFS资料为初始场,利用WRF（v3.6.1）模式对2015年第22号台风“彩虹”进行了数值研究。采用CMA（中国气象局）台风最佳路径、MTSAT卫星、自动站降水为观测资料,对比了4个微物理方案（Lin、WSM6、GCE和Morrison）对“彩虹”台风路径、强度、结构、降水的模拟性能。模拟发现上述4个云微物理方案都能较好地模拟出“彩虹”台风西行登陆过程,但是其模拟的台风强度、结构及降水存在较大差异;就水成物而言,除GCE方案对雨水的模拟偏高以外,其他方案对云水、雨水过程的模拟较为接近,其差异主要存在于云冰、雪、霰粒子的模拟上。本文对比分析了WSM6和Morrison两个方案模拟的云微物理过程,发现WSM6方案模拟的雪和霰粒子融化过程显著强于Morrison方案,但是冰相粒子间转化过程的强度明显弱于Morrison方案。云微物理过程的热量收支分析表明:WSM6方案模拟的眼区潜热更强,暖心结构更为显著,台风中心气压更低。细致的云微物理转化分析表明,此次台风降水的主要云微物理过程是水汽凝结成云水和凝华为云冰;生成的云水一方面被雨水收集碰并直接转化为雨水,另一方面先被雪粒子碰并收集转化为霰,然后霰粒子融化成雨水;而生成的云冰则通过碰并增长转化为雪。小部分雪粒子通过碰并收集过冷水滴并淞附增长为霰粒子,随后融化为雨水,大部分雪粒子则直接融化形成地面降水。     

Comparison of Aerosol Effects on Simulated Spring and Summer Hailstorm Clouds

Numerical simulations are carried out to investigate the effect of cloud condensation nuclei(CCN) concentrations on microphysical processes and precipitation characteristics of hailstorms. Two hailstorm cases are simulated, a spring case and a summer case, in a semiarid region of northern China, with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System. The results are used to investigate the differences and similarities of the CCN effects between spring and summer hailstorms. The similarities are:(1) The total hydrometeor mixing ratio decreases, while the total ice-phase mixing ratio enhances, with increasing CCN concentration;(2) Enhancement of the CCN concentration results in the production of a greater amount of small-sized hydrometeor particles, but a lessening of large-sized hydrometeor particles;(3) As the CCN concentration increases, the supercooled cloud water and rainwater make a lesser contribution to hail, while the ice-phase hydrometeors take on active roles in the growth of hail;(4) When the CCN concentration increases, the amount of total precipitation lessens,while the role played by liquid-phase rainfall in the amount of total precipitation reduces, relatively, compared to that of icephase precipitation. The differences between the two storms include:(1) An increase in the CCN concentration tends to reduce pristine ice mixing ratios in the spring case but enhance them in the summer case;(2) Ice-phase hydrometeor particles contribute more to hail growth in the spring case, while liquid water contributes more in the summer case;(3) An increase in the CCN concentration has different effects on surface hail precipitation in different seasons.     

暖底积云自然降水过程和 人工催化个例数值模拟

利用一维积雨云双参数模式模拟福建省的暖底积云自然降水过程和催化过程。模拟结果表明:暖云催化影响了降水的演变过程,不仅使总降水量增加,而且改变了降水的分布,使降水提前出现。冷云催化对降水过程没有发生明显的影响。对催化云和自然云云水和雨水含量的模拟表明:暖云催化使云中碰并过程提前出现,导致催化云中云水含量明显少于自然云中的云水含量:催化云雨水含量先是明显大于自然云中的雨水含量,随后明显小于自然云中的雨水含量。     

暖底对流云催化的微物理和动力效应的数值模拟

为加深理解暖云底对流云降水形成的微物理机制,调查对这类对流云实施碘化银催化所能产生的微物理和动力效应,本文使用三维对流云模式(包含6种水成物:云滴、雨滴、冰晶、雪花、霰和冰雹),对2004年7月8日发生在我国江淮地区的一例对流云进行模拟,并开展碘化银催化试验。结果表明:(1)模式能够较好地模拟出实测风暴的回波结构。(2)云雨自动转化和霰粒子融化是两个最重要的成雨机制,产生的雨滴占雨滴总数量(质量)的67%(19%)和18%(57%)。(3)对流发展初期在主上升气流区进行的催化试验表明,对本例对流云播撒碘化银能够同时获得增雨和减雹的正效果。(4)催化增加的霰粒子通过竞争机制抑制了前期冰雹的形成,但增强了向雨滴的转化(通过融化机制);催化也促进了二次对流的发展,增加了入云的水汽通量和云水含量,加强了后期的云雨自动转化及碰并增长,导致后期的雨和冰雹增加,并使地面降水分布发生变化。这些结果表明,对暖底对流云进行碘化银催化能够产生微物理和动力效应。     

Applying the WRF Double-Moment Six-Class Microphysics Scheme in the GRAPES_Meso Model: A Case Study

This study incorporated the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model double-moment 6-class (WDM6) microphysics scheme into the mesoscale version of the Global/Regional Assimilation and PrEdiction System (GRAPES_Meso). A rainfall event that occurred during 3–5 June 2015 around Beijing was simulated by using the WDM6, the WRF single-moment 6-class scheme (WSM6), and the NCEP 5-class scheme, respectively. The results show that both the distribution and magnitude of the rainfall simulated with WDM6 were more consistent with the observation. Compared with WDM6, WSM6 simulated larger cloud liquid water content, which provided more water vapor for graupel growth, leading to increased precipitation in the cold-rain processes. For areas with the warmrain processes, the sensitivity experiments using WDM6 showed that an increase in cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) number concentration led to enhanced CCN activation ratio and larger cloud droplet number concentration (N_c) but decreased cloud droplet effective diameter. The formation of more small-size cloud droplets resulted in a decrease in raindrop number concentration (N_r), inhibiting the warm-rain processes, thus gradually decreasing the amount of precipitation. For areas mainly with the cold-rain processes, the overall amount of precipitation increased; however, it gradually decreased when the CCN number concentration reached a certain magnitude. Hence, the effect of CCN number concentration on precipitation exhibits significant differences in different rainfall areas of the same precipitation event.     

Observations of Cloud Condensation Nuclei in North China

Using a DMT （Droplet Measurement Technologies） continuous flow streamwise thermal gradient cloud condensation nuclei （CCN） counter mounted on a Cheyenne IIIA aircraft, about 20 flights for aircraft mea- surements of CCN over North China were conducted in the autumn of 2005 and spring of 2006. According to the design for aircraft observation, the method of spiral ascent or descent in the troposphere was used for the vertical measurement of CCN, and some certain levels were chosen for horizontal measurement. The vertical distributions of CCN concentrations show that most CCN particles are concentrated in the low level of troposphere and CCN concentration decreased with height increasing. It suggests that the main source of CCN is from the surface. This result is consistent with former studies during 1983-1985 in China with a static thermal gradient CCN counter. The comparison of vertical observations between polluted rural area near Shijiazhuang and non-polluted rural area near Zhangjiakou shows that there is about five times difference in CCN concentration. But over two polluted cities, Shijiazhuang and Handan, there is no notable difference in CCN concentration. The horizontal flight measurements for penetrating the cumulus clouds experiment show the apparent decrease of CCN in clouds. It confirms that cloud has a definite consumptive effect on CCN particles because some CCN particles can form cloud droplets. The surface measurements of CCN in Shijiazhuang City were made during June-August 2005. The statistical CCN data show the great difference in concentration at the same supersaturation （S） in Shijiazhuang summertime. The minimum CCN concentrations were 584, 808, and 2431 cm-3, and the maximum concentrations were 9495, 16332, and 21812 cm-3 at S=0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%, respectively. CCN has a diurnal variation cycle. From 0600 BT, the concentration began to increase and reached the maximum at about noon. Then it generally decreased throughout the afternoon. The reason maybe is related to the onset o     

CCN Concentration in Troposphere over China

CCN concentration in the middle-lower troposphere over northern China was observed using a cloud condensation nucleus counter, MEE-130, installed on an IL-14 aircraft in the summer of 1983 and 1984. More than 60 sets of data (each flight as one set) were collected.The main results are: (1) in northern China, CCN concentration is 102-104/ cm3 near ground, decreases with increasing height and follows exponential distribution; (2) the local CCN concentration and its distribution with altitude are influenced by some meteorological factors: such as inversion, cloud and precipitation, wind and land-sea brce/.e etc. The inversion makes CCN significantly accumulate just below the inversion level; CCN concentration is lower inside clouds than outside clouds at same level; wind plays an important role of transporting CCN horizontally; (3) the CCN concentration is higher above the land than above the sea at same level; CCN concentration is one order of magnitude lower over the coastal cities like Qingdao than over