The Clouds of the Middle Troposphere: Composition, Radiative Impact, and Global Distribution

The clouds of the middle troposphere span the temperature range where both ice and liquid water in a supercooled state can exist. However, because one phase tends to dominate, of the two midlevel cloud types, altostratus are deep ice-dominated, while altocumulus are shallow water-dominated, mixed-phase clouds with ice crystal virga typically trailing below. Multiple remote sensor examples of these cloud types are given to illustrate their main features, and the radiative consequences of the different cloud microphysical compositions are discussed. Spaceborne radar and lidar measurements using the CloudSat and CALIPSO satellites are analyzed to determine the global distributions of cloud frequencies and heights of these clouds. It is found that together these little-studied clouds cover ~25% of the Earth’s surface, which is about one-third of the total cloud cover, and thus represent a significant contribution to the planet’s energy balance.     

A new airborne Polar Nephelometer for the measurement of optical and microphysical cloud properties. Part II: Preliminary tests

A new optical sensor, the airborne Polar Nephelometer, has been tested in an open wind tunnel. The wind tunnel was operated in cloudy conditions including either cloud water droplets or ice crystals, or a mixture of these particles. The sensor is designed to measure the optical and microphysical parameters of cloud particles sized from a few micrometers to about 500 m diameter. Basically, the probe measures the scattering phase function of an ensemble of cloud particles which intersect a collimated laser beam near the focal point of a paraboloidal mirror. From the measured scattering phase function the retrieval of the droplet-size spectra and subsequent derived quantities such as liquid water content and size parameters can be calculated using an inversion method. The particle phase discrimination (water droplets/ice particles) can be derived from the shape of the scattering phase function and the sensitivity of the probe allows the detection of small ice crystals (typically of 5 m diameter). The paper describes the preliminary results obtained by the prototype version of the Polar Nephelometer in various cloudy conditions. These results are compared with direct microphysical measurements obtained by usual PMS probes also mounted in the wind tunnel. Complementary results obtained in a cold chamber are presented in order to illustrate the reliability of the Polar Nephelometer in the presence of small ice crystals.     

On the regional climatic impact of contrails: microphysical and radiative properties of contrails and natural cirrus clouds

The impact of contrail-induced cirrus clouds on regional climate is estimated for mean atmospheric conditions of southern Germany in the months of July and October. This is done by use of a regionalized one-dimensional radiative convective model (RCM). The influence of an increased ice cloud cover is studied by comparing RCM results representing climatological values with a modified case. In order to study the sensitivity of this effect on the radiative characteristics of the ice cloud, two types of additional ice clouds were modelled: cirrus and contrails, the latter cloud type containing a higher number of smaller and less of the larger cloud particles. Ice cloud parameters are calculated on the basis of a particle size distribution which covers the range from 2 to 2000 m, taking into consideration recent measurements which show a remarkable amount of particles smaller than 20 m. It turns out that a 10% increase in ice cloud cover leads to a surface temperature increase in the order of 1K, ranging from 1.1 to 1.2K in July and from 0.8 to 0.9K in October depending on the radiative characteristics of the air-traffic-induced ice clouds. Modelling the current contrail cloud cover which is near 0.5% over Europe yields a surface temperature increase in the order of 0.05 K.     

Radiative properties of cirrus clouds in NOAA 4 VTPR channels: Some explorations of cloud scenes from satellites

A one-dimensional spectral infrared radiative transfer model has been developed for atmospheres containing cirrus clouds and absorbing gases above, below and within the cloud. The transfer model takes into consideration the inhomogeneity of the cloudy atmosphere, the gaseous absorption in scattering cloud layers and the wavenumber dependence of radiative transfer. In addition, the cirrus cloud is further divided into a number of sub-layers to account for the non-isothermal and inhomogeneous cloud characteristics. Single-scattering properties for ice crystals are calculated assuming ice cylinders 200 and 60 m in lenght and width, respectively, randomly oriented in a horizontal plane. The spectral infrared transfer program is applied to VTPR channels of the NOAA 4 satellite to simulate upward radiances in cirrus cloud conditions.Comparisons between satellite observed and theoretically simulated upward radiances are carried out for selected cirrus cloud cases. Incorporating atmospheric profiles obtained from radiosonde and the observed cloud information into the spectral transfer program, we show a systematic agreement between observed and computed upward radiances. Systematic reduction patterns of the upward radiance caused by the increase of the cloud ice content are clearly demonstrated for VTPR channels employing tropical and midlatitude atmospheric profiles. Having the quantitative relationships between upward radiances and ice contents, procedures are described for the inference of the cloud ice content and cloud amount. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the three cirrus cloud cases.     

Preliminary laboratory studies of the optical scattering properties of the crystal clouds

Ice crystal clouds have an influence on the radiative budget of the earth; however, the exact size and nature of this influence has yet to be determined. A laboratory cloud chamber experiment has been set up to provide data on the optical scattering behaviour of ice crystals at a visible wavelength in order to gain information which can be used in climate models concerning the radiative characteristics of cirrus clouds. A PMS grey-scale probe is used to monitor simultaneously the cloud microphysical properties in order to correlate these closely with the observed radiative properties. Preliminary results show that ice crystals scatter considerably more at 90° than do water droplets, and that the halo effects are visible in a laboratorygenerated cloud when the ice crystal concentration is sufficiently small to prevent masking from multiple scattering.     

Diagnosis of cirrus cloud occurrence using large-scale analysis data and a cloud-scale model

The development of cirrus clouds is governed by large-scale synoptic movements such as updraft regions in convergence zones, but also by smaller scale features, for instance microphysical phenomena, entrainment, small-scale turbulence and radiative field, fall-out of the ice phase or wind shear. For this reason, the proper handling of cirrus life cycles is not an easy task using a large-scale model alone. We present some results from a small-scale cirrus cloud model initialized by ECMWF first-guess data, which prove more convenient for this task than the analyzed ones. This model is Starr’s 2-D cirrus cloud model, where the rate of ice production/destruction is parametrized from environmental data. Comparison with satellite and local observations during the ICE89 experiment (North Sea) shows that such an efficient model using large-scale data as input provides a reasonable diagnosis of cirrus occurrence in a given meteorological field. The main driving features are the updraft provided by the large-scale model, which enhances or inhibits the cloud development according to its sign, and the water vapour availability. The cloud fields retrieved are compared to satellite imagery. Finally, the use of a small-scale model in large-scale numerical studies is examined.     

Growth of the ice phase in strong cumulonimbus updrafts

A numerical model of ice phase growth in an ascending parcel is used to delineate seeding requirements under the competing embryo and glaciation hypotheses. The strong updraft core is found to remain virtually all liquid until homogeneous freezing occurs, AgI or dry ice seeding having negligible effects with achievable seeding rates. This suggests that the glaciation hypothesis is untenable. Natural hail embryo formation is noted to be limited to updrafts less than 3 to 4 m sec^?1 at cloud base. AgI seeding of such updraft regions at rates currently used is found to produce concentrations of hail embryos sufficient to enhance competition in multi-cell hailstorms, although super-cell storms may require significantly greater seeding rates.     

On the growth of ice crystals in supercooled water and aqueous solution drops

Summary The results of a recent investigation on the free growth rate and the growth forms of ice in supercooled water and aqueous solutions are presented. The results are used to discuss the structure of frozen drops, the structure of hailstones, the mechanisms which are responsible for the glaciation of atmospheric clouds and the mechanisms which cause cloud electrification. It was found that the presence of dissolved salts and dust particles in cloud drops favor the formation of spongy and polycristalline ice, that it is unlikely for frozen cloud drops to develop into hexagonal shaped ice single-crystals, and that it is also unlikely that in atmospheric clouds freezing drops shatter and splinter. The latter result casts serious doubts on the splintering mechanism to contribute to thunderstorm electrification and to promote glaciation of clouds.This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. GP 2922.     

基于COSMIC掩星探测资料的云底高反演研究

本文基于相对湿度廓线进入云层时的突变实现云底高反演的思想,采用2008年11月至2009年1月的COSMIC掩星湿空气数据反演全球云底高度,并与探空资料反演结果进行对比分析,得出以下重要结论:(1)当温度－40 ℃相似文献   

利用风云三号微波成像仪资料遥感“桑达”台风降雨云结构

本文利用搭载于我国风云三号B星上的微波成像仪(MWRI)观测亮温数据,结合戈达德廓线反演算法,对1102号"桑达"台风地面雨强和降雨云结构进行反演试验.利用AMSR-E业务降水产品对地面雨强反演结果进行了检验,结果表明,MWRI和AMSR-E反演的地面雨强在空间分布上非常吻合,相关性达76%,均方根误差约2.8 mm/h,二者的观测亮温及地面雨强反演结果具有较好的一致性.提取洋面台风雨区的平均水凝物廓线,其垂直结构显示,雨水和可降冰含量丰富,随高度变化明显,且具有明显峰值高度,云水和云冰含量则较少,且随高度变化不明显;当降水增强时,雨水和可降冰各层含量稳定增加,且峰值高度基本保持不变,云水和云冰含量则增幅不稳,且峰值高度有所改变.地面雨强随距台风中心距离的变化阐释了台风的螺旋结构及降水特点,距台风中心距离0.3°和0.6°附近分别出现了地面雨强峰值和次峰值,且66%的降水集中在距台风中心距离1°的空间范围内.MWRI提供的台风地面雨强和降雨云垂直信息具有较高的可信度,对于我们监测台风降水、分析台风降水结构的时空演变特征以及数值预报模式应用等具有重要的参考价值.     

A LiDAR study of the effective size of cirrus ice crystals over Chung-Li,Taiwan

In this paper, we estimated the effective size of ice crystals in cirrus clouds using fall velocity derived from LiDAR (light detection and ranging) measurements at Chung-Li (24.58°N, 121.1°E), Taiwan. Nine shapes of the ice crystals, viz. hexagonal plates, hexagonal columns, rimed long columns, crystals with sector-like branches, broad-branched crystals, stellar crystal with broad arms, side planes, bullet rosettes and assemblages of planar poly-crystals of specific dimensions have been analyzed. The results show that the lidar derived most probable mean effective size of ice crystals is 340±180 μm with a dominant size range of 200–300 μm. The lidar derived mean effective size of cirrus crystals are parameterized in terms of cloud mid-height temperature as well as optical depth. The discussed method will be useful to study the most probable effective size distribution of ice crystals in cirrus cloud.     

SOFIE PMC observations during the northern summer of 2007

This work examines the first season of polar mesospheric cloud (PMC) observations from the Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment (SOFIE). SOFIE observations of temperature, water vapor, and PMC frequency, mass density, particle shape, and size distribution are used to characterize the seasonal evolution and altitude dependence of mesospheric ice and the surrounding environment. SOFIE indicates that ice is nearly always present during summer, and that the ice layer is continuous from about 81 km altitude to the mesopause and above. Ice particles are observed to be more aspherical above and below the extinction peak altitude, suggesting a relationship between particle shape and mass density. The smallest particles are observed near the top of the ice layer while the largest particles exist at low concentrations near cloud base. A strong correlation was found between water vapor and particle size with small particles existing when H₂O is low. This relationship holds when examining variability in altitude, and variability over time at one altitude.     

The role of dynamic transport in the formation of the inverted charge structure in a simulated hailstorm

The inverted charge structure formation of a hailstorm was investigated using the Advanced Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF-ARW) model coupled with electrification and discharge schemes. Different processes may be responsible for inverted charge structure in different storms and regions. A dynamical-derived mechanism of inverted charge structure formation was confirmed by the numerical model: the inverted structure was formed by strong updraft and downdraft under normal-polarity charging conditions such that the graupel charged negatively in the main charging region in the middle-upper level of the cloud. The simulation results showed the storm presented a normal charge structure before and after hail-fall; while during the hail-fall stage, it showed an inverted charge structure—negative charge region in the upper level of the cloud and a positive charge region in the middle level of the cloud—appearing at the front edge near the strong updraft in the hailstorm. The charging processes between the two particles mainly occurred at the top of the cloud, where the graupel charged negatively and ice crystals positively due to the strong updraft. When the updraft air reached the top of the storm, it would spread to the rear and front. The light ice crystals were transported backward and forward more easily. Meanwhile, the positively charged ice crystals were transported downward by the frontal subsidence, and then a positive charge region formed between the ?10 and ?25°C levels. Subsequently, a negative charge region materialized in the upper level of the cloud, and the inverted charge structure formed.     

积云动力和电过程二维模式研究 Ⅱ．计算结果

利用一个二维时变轴对称模式，模拟积云动力和电过程发展，讨论形成雷暴电结构的物理原因．计算结果指出，软雹碰撞冰晶的感应和非感应起电机制是形成雷暴三极性电荷结构和局地产生足以导致空气被击穿的强电场的主要物理过程．雷暴下部的次正电荷区主要由非感应起电机制形成，尤其表现在雷暴发展前期和后期，很依赖于次生冰晶效应．计算得到的次正区和主负区最大电荷浓度约为１０^－８Ｃ／ｍ^３，主正区约低一个量级．     

积云动力和电过程二维模式研究 Ⅰ．理论和模式

提出了一个模拟积云动力和电力发展的二维时变轴对称模式。考虑了１０种主要微物理过程，它们包括凝结（凝华）、蒸发、自动转换、粒子间的碰撞以及冰晶核化，次生冰晶等。在起电过程中除了考虑常规的扩散和电导起电外，重点引入了感应和非感应起电，以及次生冰晶起电的作用。作者认为后三个过程是形成积云电结构的主要物理因子。     

A numerical study of contrail development

In this study, the formation of a contrail from an aircraft flying near the tropopause is simulated using a three-dimensional mesoscale atmospheric model including a very complex scheme of parameterized cloud microphysical processes. Two different primary ice nucleation parameterizations for deposition nucleation, condensation freezing, and contact freezing are applied. The model-predicted ice concentrations are compared to data measured during the International Cirrus Experiment (ICE), 1989.     

基于CloudSat资料的北上江淮气旋暴雪云系结构特征

2007年3月3-5日和2013年11月24-25日,受江淮气旋北上影响,我国北方大部地区遭遇罕见暴风雪天气,2次暴雪过程有很多相似之处.利用常规观测、CloudSat卫星云廓线雷达的探测资料和NECP/NCAR再分析资料,分析了这2次暴雪过程江淮气旋云系结构和微物理特征.结果表明：（1）北上江淮气旋的冷锋云系较窄,以深厚对流云为主,回波核心在2~7 km,其结构在气旋发展的不同阶段变化不大;（2）逗点头云系范围宽广,在气旋的不同发展阶段,结构和强度有显著差异.气旋初始锋面波动和锋面断裂阶段,逗点头云系有两个降水区：北部为由多个单体组成的大范围层状云区,强回波从地表向上伸展,上空有高空对流泡,建立了播撒云-供水云机制,有利于下部冰晶粒子长大;南部有对流云柱发展.逗点头西部的冷输送带云系主要集中在6 km以下,强度弱,冰粒子含量少;（3）气旋暖锋后弯阶段,干侵入加强,冷锋后部的无云区或少云区范围扩大,逗点头云系南北范围收缩、变窄,云系的高度、强度和含水量减弱,冷锋云系也减弱;（4）气旋冷锋云系和逗点头南部的对流云柱以降雨为主,位于高纬度陆地上的逗点头云系以降雪为主,当逗点头云系处于海上有对流不稳定发展,以降雨为主.冷锋云系北部和逗点头云系南部均有由层积云或高积云组成的低云,以毛毛雨为主.冷锋云系和逗点头云系北部100-200 km的范围为随高度和距离逐渐变薄的高层云,无降水对应.     

On the hydrodynamic behavior of supercooled water drops interacting with columnar ice crystals

A numerical evaluation of the complete Navier-Stokes equations of motion for steady-state, incompressible flow past an infinite circular cylinder is given in terms of the stream function, vorticity, and pressure distribution past such bodies. A method is described which allows use of these flow characteristics: (1) to approximate the characteristics of air flow past hexagonal columnar ice crystals falling under gravity at terminal velocity in air, (2) to compute the trajectory of supercooled cloud drops relative to such ice crystals, and (3) to determine the efficiency with which short columnar ice crystals and needle shaped ice crystals collide with supercooled cloud drops. It is found that for all columnar type ice crystals riming is negligible if the cloud drop size is less than 5 m, and that for riming to commence short columnar crystals must have diameters larger than 50 m, while needle crystals must have diameters larger than 40 m. It is further shown that the collision efficiency cut-offs at the small drop radius and at the large drop radius end of the collision efficiency diagram can be explained on the basis of the cloud drop trajectories for these drop size ranges.     

Effects of Arctic Sea Ice Decline on Weather and Climate: A Review

The areal extent, concentration and thickness of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas have strongly decreased during the recent decades, but cold, snow-rich winters have been common over mid-latitude land areas since 2005. A review is presented on studies addressing the local and remote effects of the sea ice decline on weather and climate. It is evident that the reduction in sea ice cover has increased the heat flux from the ocean to atmosphere in autumn and early winter. This has locally increased air temperature, moisture, and cloud cover and reduced the static stability in the lower troposphere. Several studies based on observations, atmospheric reanalyses, and model experiments suggest that the sea ice decline, together with increased snow cover in Eurasia, favours circulation patterns resembling the negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation and Arctic Oscillation. The suggested large-scale pressure patterns include a high over Eurasia, which favours cold winters in Europe and northeastern Eurasia. A high over the western and a low over the eastern North America have also been suggested, favouring advection of Arctic air masses to North America. Mid-latitude winter weather is, however, affected by several other factors, which generate a large inter-annual variability and often mask the effects of sea ice decline. In addition, the small sample of years with a large sea ice loss makes it difficult to distinguish the effects directly attributable to sea ice conditions. Several studies suggest that, with advancing global warming, cold winters in mid-latitude continents will no longer be common during the second half of the twenty-first century. Recent studies have also suggested causal links between the sea ice decline and summer precipitation in Europe, the Mediterranean, and East Asia.     

A method for solving relative dispersion of the cloud droplet spectra

The relative dispersion of the cloud droplet spectra or the shape parameter is usually assumed to be a constant in the two-parameter cloud microphysical scheme, or is derived through statistical analysis. However, observations have revealed that the use of such methods is not applicable for all actual cases. In this study, formulas were derived based on cloud microphysics and the properties of gamma function to solve the average cloud droplet radius and the cloud droplet spectral shape parameter. The gamma distribution shape parameter, relative dispersion, and cloud droplet spectral distribution can be derived through solving the droplet spectral shape parameter equation using the average droplet radius, volume radius, and their ratio, thereby deriving an analytic solution. We further examined the equation for the droplet spectral shape parameter using the observational droplet spectral data, and results revealed the feasibility of the method. In addition, when the method was applied to the two-parameter cloud microphysical scheme of the Weather Research and Forecast(WRF) model to further examine its feasibility, the modeling results showed that it improved precipitation simulation performance, thereby indicating that it can be utilized in two-parameter cloud microphysical schemes.