Microphysical and radiative properties of mixed-phase altocumulus: A model evaluation of glaciation effects

Using a cloud model with explicit microphysics and radiation, we evaluate the microphysical changes in a supercooled liquid altocumulus cloud with increasing ice content, until glaciation occurs. The properties of the ice and water particle constituents are resolved independently, revealing the relative radiative contributions from the water phase source cloud versus the ice phase virga. Cloud contents are also converted to millimeter-wave radar reflectivities to shed light on the ability of such radars to study these ubiquitous clouds. The results show that the radiative and radar backscattering properties of mixed-phase clouds are dominated by the cloud droplets and ice crystals they contain, respectively.     

Thermal radiative fluxes through inhomogeneous cloud fields: a sensitivity study using a new stochastic cloud generator

We analyze the effects of flat and bumpy top, fractional and internally inhomogeneous cloud layers on large area-averaged thermal radiative fluxes. Inhomogeneous clouds are generated by a new stochastic model: the tree-driven mass accumulation process (tdMAP). This model is able to provide stratocumulus and cumulus cloud fields with properties close to those observed in real clouds. A sensitivity study of cloud parameters is done by analyzing differences between 3D fluxes simulated by the spherical harmonic discrete ordinate method and three “standard” models likely to be used in general circulation models: plane-parallel homogeneous cloud model (PPH), PPH with fractional cloud coverage model (FCPPH) and independent pixel approximation model (IPA). We show that thermal fluxes are strong functions of fractional cloud coverage, mean optical depth, mean geometrical thickness and cloud base altitude. Fluctuations of “in-cloud” horizontal variability in optical depth and cloud-top bumps have negligible effects in the whole. We also showed that PPH, FCPPH and IPA models are not suitable to compute thermal fluxes of flat top fractional inhomogeneous cloud layer, except for completely overcast cloud. This implies that horizontal transport of photon at thermal wavelengths is important when cloudy cells are separated by optically thin regions.     

计算非均一大气条件下太阳辐射通量的一个简单而又精确的模式

发展了一个计算非均一大气条件下太阳辐射通量的一个简单而又精确的模式，其中包括关于大气球反射率与透过率的一个参数化表达式，并引入加权一次散射反照率和加权不对称因子，用于拟合非均一大气条件下计算辐射通量的四个经验订正因子。对清洁和浑浊的两类大气，都具有120060组的辐射通量模拟试验，以检验本模式的精度。这些模拟试验覆盖0－50的云光学厚度、0－0．8地表反射率、Junge和对数正态的气溶胶谱分布、－0．05气溶胶折射率虚部。在均一大气条件下，由本模式计算的120060组向上通量的标准差对清洁和浑浊两类大气分别为1．08％和1．04％；而向下通量的标准差分别为4.12%和3．31％。在非均一大气条件下，由本模式计算的向上通量的标准差对清洁和浑浊两类大气分别为3．01％和3．48％；而向下通量的标准差分别为4．54％和4．89％，其精度远优于均一假设下的计算结果。     

A simple yet more accurate model to calculate solar radiative flux in the inhomogeneous atmosphere

A simple yet more accurate semiempirical model is developed to calculate solar radiative flux in the optically inhomogeneous atmosphere. In the model a parameterized expression of spherical reflectance and transmitance of the atmosphere is confirmed, and the weighted single scatter albedo and weighted asymmetric factor are introduced to fit four empirical correction factors responsible for radiative fluxes in the inhomogeneous atmosphere. For both clean and turbid models, there are 120060 sets of radiative flux simulations for accuracy checks of the model, which cover 0-50 cloud optical depths, 0-0.8 surface reflectance, Junge and Log-normal aerosol size distributions, and 0-0.05 imaginary parts of aerosol refractive indexes. In case of the homogeneous atmosphere, standard errors of the 120060 upward fluxes from the present model are 1.08% and 1.04% for clean and turbid aerosol models, respectively; and those of the downward fluxes are 4.12% and 3.31%. In case of the inhomogeneous atmosphere, standard errors of the upw ard fluxes from the present model are 3.01% and 3.48% for clean and turbid aerosol models.respectively; and those of the downward fluxes are 4.54% and 4.89%, showing a much better accuracy than the results calculated by using an assumption of the homogeneous atmosphere.     

利用MODIS数据反演多层云光学厚度和有效粒子半径

利用卫星资料反演云微物理参数不仅有助于对天气变化的监测和预报,而且对人工影响天气的研究十分有益.目前卫星反演云微物理参数的算法一般是假设视场中只有一层云,但是实际环境中多层云出现很频繁.文中研究了多层云的光学厚度和有效粒子半径微物理参数的反演算法,主要针对薄的冰云覆盖在低层水云的多层云情形.算法利用中分辨率成像光谱仪(MODIS)吸收通道和非吸收通道同时进行反演,在此基础上利用SBDART辐射传输模式模拟冰云覆盖在低层水云上的多层云对云微物理参数反演的影响,模拟表明反演时将多层云作为单层云处理会使反演结果产生较大误差.为此,文中提出了云光学厚度和有效粒子半径反演算法中要考虑多层云的因素,并设计了一套云光学厚度和有效粒子半径反演方案.该方案使用SBDART辐射传输模式建立不同观测几何条件、下垫面类型、大气环境等条件下以光学厚度和有效粒子半径为函数变量的多层云、水云和冰云辐射查找表.经过云检测、云相态识别和多层云检测后,在该查找表的基础上,对MODIS通道1和通道7的数据采用最小方差拟合法反演光学厚度、有效粒子半径.利用该方案对2006年7月12日TERRA卫星MODIS数据进行反演试验,反演结果与NASA发布的MOD06产品中云的光学厚度和有效粒子半径的结果较一致,表明方案具有合理性.     

层状云微物理参数反演及其辐射效应的个例研究

利用毫米波云雷达、微波辐射计联合反演方法,对2015年11月11日安徽寿县的一次层状云过程的云参数进行了反演,将所得云参数加入到SBDART辐射传输模式中,进行辐射通量计算,并将计算的地面辐射通量与观测的地面辐射通量进行了对比分析。研究表明:1)利用毫米波雷达和微波辐射计数据联合反演的云参数比较可靠;2)利用SBDART模式并结合反演的云参数,可以准确实时地计算地面及其他高度层的长短波辐射通量;3)在反演的云参数中,光学厚度对地面各种辐射通量的影响是最大的,云层的光学厚度越大,到达地面的太阳短波辐射越小,地面反射短波辐射也越小。另外云底温度越高,云体向下发射的红外长波辐射越大。地面向上的长波辐射是地面温度的普朗克函数,随地面温度而变;4)云对地面的短波辐射强迫为负值,对地面有降温的作用。云对地面的长波辐射强迫是一个正值,对地面有一个增温的作用;5)云对地面的净辐射强迫随时间变化很大,它的正负与太阳高度角和云参数有关。     

Characterization of cloud microphysical properties in different cloud types over East Asia based on CloudSat/CALIPSO satellite products

利用CloudSat/CALIPSO卫星资料,本文揭示了东亚三个代表性区域的云微物理属性,为评估和改进模式云微物理过程提供重要的观测基础.研究的云微物理量包括云水/冰质量,数浓度和有效半径.研究表明:暖云中云水质量和数浓度随高度增加而减小,有效半径处于8-14μm范围.对于冰云,云冰质量和有效半径随高度增加而减小,而数浓度在垂直方向上变化不大.此外,云微物理属性在不同云型之间存在显著差异:积云的云水质量和数浓度最大,而卷云的云水质量和数浓度最小.从三个区域的对比结果来看,相比于华东和西北太平洋地区,青藏高原地区暖云的云水质量和数浓度较小,而冰云的则较大.     

Simple two-dimensional kinematic framework designed to test warm rain microphysical models

This paper describes a two-dimensional kinematic framework designed to test warm rain microphysical models. The idealized flow field is based on a case study from the Hawaiian Rainband Project (1990). Analyses of radar and aircraft data collected in convective cells embedded in Hawaiian rainbands are included for model validation. A Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) activation spectrum, a condensational growth equation including the CCN chemical composition, collection efficiencies, and terminal velocities of the growing drops, are all provided. A sample set of figures from the test run with bulk microphysical parameterization illustrates the desired format for comparisons between the detailed model results and for validation of the model output with observations. This simple yet realistic test formulation includes vertical and horizontal advection, and can be used to evaluate microphysical model performance without complexities resulting from dynamical–microphysical interactions in dynamic cloud models. Without such interactions, scientists can focus on key physical processes involved in the formation of warm rain. The accurate representation of these processes in detailed models is essential to successfully simulate the observed evolution of warm precipitating clouds.     

Stratiform Cloud—Inversion Characterization During the Arctic Melt Season

Data collected during July and August from the Arctic Ocean Experiment 2001 illustrated a common occurrence of specific-humidity (q) inversions, where moisture increases with height, coinciding with temperature inversions in the central Arctic boundary layer and lower troposphere. Low-level stratiform clouds and their relationship to temperature inversions are examined using radiosonde data and data from a suite of remote sensing instrumentation. Two low-level cloud regimes are identified: the canonical case of stratiform clouds, where the cloud tops are capped by the temperature inversion base (CCI—Clouds Capped by Inversion) and clouds where the cloud tops were found well inside the inversion (CII—Clouds Inside Inversion). The latter case was found to occur more than twice as frequently than the former. The characteristic of the temperature inversion is shown to have an influence on the cloud regime that was supported. Statistical analyses of the cloud regimes using remote sensing instruments suggest that CCI cases tend to be dominated by single-phase liquid cloud droplets; radiative cooling at the cloud top limits the vertical extent of such clouds to the inversion base height. The CII cases, on the other hand, display characteristics that can be divided into two situations—(1) clouds that only slightly penetrate the temperature inversion and exhibit a microphysical signal similar to CCI cases, or (2) clouds that extend higher into the inversion and show evidence of a mixed-phase cloud structure. An important interplay between the mixed-phase structure and an increased potential for turbulent mixing across the inversion base appears to support the lifetime of CII cases existing within the inversion layer.     

Cloud optical thickness and albedo retrievals from bidirectional reflectance measurements of POLDER instruments during ACE‐2

The POLDER instrument is devoted to global observations of the solar radiation reflected by the Earth–atmosphere system. The airborne version of the instrument was operated during the ACE‐2 experiment, more particularly as a component of the CLOUDYCOLUMN project of ACE‐2 that was conducted in summer 1997 over the subtropical northeastern Atlantic ocean. CLOUDYCOLUMN is a coordinated project specifically dedicated to the study of the indirect effect of aerosols. In this context, the airborne POLDER was assigned to remote measurements of the cloud optical and radiative properties, namely the cloud optical thickness and the cloud albedo. This paper presents the retrievals of those 2 cloud parameters for 2 golden days of the campaign 26 June and 9 July 1997. Coincident spaceborne ADEOS‐POLDER data from 2 orbits over the ACE‐2 area on 26 June are also analyzed. 26 June corresponds to a pure air marine case and 9 July is a polluted air case. The multidirectional viewing capability of airborne POLDER is here demonstrated to be very useful to estimate the effective radius of cloud droplet that characterizes the observed stratocumulus clouds. A 12 μm cloud droplet size distribution appears to be a suitable cloud droplet model in the pure marine cloud case study. For the polluted case the mean retrieved effective droplet radius is of the order of 6–10 μm. This only preliminary result can be interpreted as a confirmation of the indirect effect of aerosols. It is consistent with the significant increase in droplet concentration measured in polluted marine clouds compared to clean marine ones. Further investigations and comparisons to in‐situ microphysical measurements are now needed.     

从夹卷的角度探讨雾不同阶段微物理量的变化机理

夹卷混合过程作为影响云雾的主要物理过程之一,对云雾的生命周期、云雾降水的形成过程、辐射传输过程和气溶胶间接效应等都有着重要影响。本文从微物理和动力两个方面探讨辐射雾中的夹卷混合机制,既促进对夹卷混合机制的理论认识,又从新的角度来讨论辐射雾的发展消亡过程。利用2006年和2007年冬季在南京进行的雾综合观测的资料,研究了9个个例中的夹卷混合机制。首先,针对2007年12月10～11日这一次辐射雾过程进行详细分析,探讨了不同阶段微物理量的变化和夹卷混合机制。结果表明:成熟阶段主要为极端非均匀夹卷混合机制,数浓度和含水量同时减小,体积平均半径却基本保持不变;快速消散阶段主要为均匀夹卷混合机制,各微物理量同时减小,互为正相关关系。除了微物理,本文也分析了夹卷混合机制的动力特征,计算了过渡尺度数,发现在成熟（快速消散）阶段,过渡尺度数小（大）,有利于极端非均匀（均匀）夹卷混合机制的发生。其次,分析了其他8个个例中微物理量之间的相关关系,发现体积平均半径和含水量之间主要呈正相关关系,以均匀夹卷混合为主。所得结果有助于夹卷混合机制参数化方案的开发,同时为辐射雾的模拟预报提供参考。     

Lidar remote sounding of cirrus clouds and comparison of simulated fluxes with surface and METEOSAT observations

Three cirrus cloud cases have been remotely sounded near Paris by a ground-based backscatter lidar and broadband radiometers. Some cirrus properties (optical depth, emissivity, height) are derived from these measurements and used to compare radiative transfer calculations to surface and METEOSAT observations of broadband irradiances.For a useful comparison, the three cirrus cases were selected to have different morphologies and optical properties: June 29, 1993—thin cirrus cloud (thickness 1.5 km, optical depth 0.22); September 6, 1993—thick cirrus cloud (thickness 5 km, optical depth 2.7); and November 16, 1993—inhomogeneous and geometrically thick cirrus cloud (thickness 3.5–6.5 km) but optically thin (optical depth 0.82).At surface, the differences between measurements and model range from 1.5 to 4 Wm⁻² for longwave fluxes, and from 20 to 70 Wm⁻² for shortwave fluxes.At the top of the atmosphere, the differences between METEOSAT measurements and model are in fair agreement for longwave fluxes (up to 50 Wm⁻²). However, unexpected high differences are found for shortwave fluxes (up to 144 Wm⁻²) due to cirrus clouds heterogeneities and uncertainties in their microphysical properties and especially the occurrence of high reflectivity due to horizontally oriented ice crystals at the cloud top, which are not taken into account by the Model presently.     

青藏高原那曲地区一次深对流云垂直结构的多源卫星和地基雷达观测对比分析

为了加强对青藏高原深对流云垂直结构的深入认识,利用TRMM、CloudSat和Aqua多源卫星观测资料及地基垂直指向雷达（C波段调频连续波雷达和KA波段毫米波云雷达）资料,对第三次青藏高原大气科学试验期间2014年7月9日13-16时（北京时）发生在那曲气象站附近的深厚强对流云和那曲气象站以西100 km左右的深厚弱对流云的垂直结构特征进行了分析,得到的结果如下:（1）深厚强对流云和深厚弱对流云的水平尺度均较小（10-20 km）,垂直发展高度较高（15-16 km,均指海拔高度）;深厚强对流云在0℃层以下雷达反射率因子递增非常快,表明对流云内固态降水粒子下落至0℃层以下后融化过程有很重要的作用;在对流减弱阶段有明显的0℃层亮带出现,亮带位于5.5 km左右（距地1 km）;（2）对比TRMM测雨雷达和C波段调频连续波雷达观测到的雷达反射率因子,发现TRMM测雨雷达在11 km以下存在高估;（3）深对流云主要为冰相云,云内10 km以上主要是丰富小冰粒子,而10 km以下是较少的大冰晶粒子;深厚强对流云和深厚弱对流云的微物理过程都主要包括混合相过程和冰化过程,混合相过程分为两种:一种是-25℃（深厚强对流云）或-29℃（深厚弱对流云）高度以下以凇附增长为主,另一种是该高度以上主要以冰晶聚合、凝华增长为主,该过程冰晶粒子有效半径增长较快。这些空基和地基的观测证据进一步揭示了青藏高原深对流云的垂直结构特征,为模式模拟青藏高原深对流云的检验提供了依据。      

Tropical convective responses to microphysical and radiative processes: a sensitivity study with a 2-D cloud resolving model

Summary Prognostic cloud schemes are increasingly used in weather and climate models in order to better treat cloud-radiation processes. Simplifications are often made in such schemes for computational efficiency, like the scheme being used in the National Centers for Environment Prediction models that excludes some microphysical processes and precipitation-radiation interaction. In this study, sensitivity tests with a 2-D cloud resolving model are carried out to examine effects of the excluded microphysical processes and precipitation-radiation interaction on tropical thermodynamics and cloud properties. The model is integrated for 10 days with the imposed vertical velocity derived from the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment. The experiment excluding the depositional growth of snow from cloud ice shows anomalous growth of cloud ice and more than 20% increase of fractional cloud cover, indicating that the lack of the depositional snow growth causes unrealistically large mixing ratio of cloud ice. The experiment excluding the precipitation-radiation interaction displays a significant cooling and drying bias. The analysis of heat and moisture budgets shows that the simulation without the interaction produces more stable upper troposphere and more unstable mid and lower troposphere than does the simulation with the interaction. Thus, the suppressed growth of ice clouds in upper troposphere and stronger radiative cooling in mid and lower troposphere are responsible for the cooling bias, and less evaporation of rain associated with the large-scale subsidence induces the drying in mid and lower troposphere.     

水云的长波光学性质参数化

在研究水云的微物理性质与光学性质关系的基础上，提出了三种用于长波区域窄带和宽带水云光学性质计算的参数化方案，研究了应用不同的水云光学性质参数化方案和不同的宽带数目对云辐射性质的影响。分析了云滴的散射作用对有云大气中长波辐射通量和冷却率的影响。     

CAMS复杂云微物理方案与GRAPES模式耦合的数值试验

CAMS复杂云微物理方案是混合相双参数方案, 包括11个云物理变量和31个云物理过程, 能够同时预报水成物的比质量和数浓度。通过在GRAPES非静力中尺度模式中增加预报量并修改相关程序后, 实现了二者的耦合, 耦合后模式运行稳定。选取2005年8月15—17日我国华北地区一次暴雨过程, 利用耦合后的模式进行48 h模拟试验, 同时还选取了GRAPES模式中其他3个比较复杂的微物理方案进行模拟, 着重分析了降水和水成物分布的模拟结果。研究结果表明: CAMS方案能够模拟出与实测相接近的雨带分布特征, 并且对降水演变的模拟结果与其他方案比较一致, 对暴雨中心位置的模拟有待改进。CAMS方案模拟的水成物垂直分布与其他方案相比具有相似的总体特征, 各相态粒子的量级和分布合理, 不同方案的结果在量值上有所差别。个例分析结果显示出CAMS方案对降水和水成物的分布能够合理描述。今后应通过更多个例进行更为精细的模拟试验, 对新方案进行检验。     

Evaluation of radiative parameterizations using an explicit cloud microphysical model

Based on the simulations with a 3-D large-eddy simulation model of marine cloud-topped boundary layer that includes explicit cloud physics formulation, we have evaluated the effect of spatial inhomogeneities in cloud macro- and microstructure on the performance of parameterizations of optical depth commonly used in large-scale models. We have shown that an accurate parameterization of the grid average optical depth alone is not sufficient for correct determination of cloud transmittance to solar radiation due to the non-linear dependence between these two variables.The problem can be solved by introducing the “equivalent” value of optical depth that differs from the ordinarily defined mean optical depth by a factor α_t, that depends on the degree of cloud inhomogeneity and ranges from about 2 in the cumulus case to about 1.3 in the stratiform case.The accuracy of cloud optical depth parameterizations commonly employed in largescale models has been evaluated using the data from the explicit microphysical model as a benchmark for comparison. It has been shown that in the cumulus cloud case the parameterized expressions can err by as much as 100%. The error is smaller for more uniform stratiform clouds, where the error for some parameterizations varied in the 10–40% range. The best results are given by parameterizations that account for vertical stratification of parameters on which they are based. However, the error given by a particular parameterization varies and is different at cloud and surface levels. The results show the limitations of the existing simplified parameterizations and illustrate the scope and complexity of the cloud radiation parameterization problem.     

积层混合云结构和云微物理的数值模拟

对三维非静力中尺度模式ARPS的云微物理方案进行了改进,利用改进后的模式模拟了华北地区的积层混合云降水个例,通过对模拟结果的分析并结合实况资料研究了积层混合云的降水特征、云物理结构特征和微物理过程。结果表明,积层混合云降水分布不均匀,雨区中存在多个强降水中心,云系中微物理量在水平和垂直方向上分布都不均匀,积云中的垂直液态水积分含量大大高于层云中含量,此次降水冰相过程占主导地位,霰的融化是最主要的雨生成项。     

The effect of aerosol representation on cloud microphysical properties in Northeast Asia

This study performed a three-dimensional regional-scale simulation of aerosol and cloud fields using a meso-scale non-hydrostatic model with a bin-based cloud microphysics. The representation of aerosols in the model has been improved to account for more realistic multi-modal size distribution and multiple chemical compositions. Two case studies for shallow stratocumulus over Northeast Asia in March 2005 were conducted with different aerosol conditions to evaluate model performance. Improved condensation nuclei (CN) and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) are attributable to the newly constructed aerosol size distribution. The simulated results of cloud microphysical properties (cloud droplet effective radius, liquid water path, and optical thickness) with improved CN/CCN number are close to the retrievals from satellite-based observation. The effects of aerosol on the microphysical properties of shallow stratocumulus are investigated by model simulation, in terms of columnar aerosol number concentration. Enhanced aerosol number concentration results in increased liquid water path in humid case, but invariant liquid water path in dry case primarily due to precipitation occurrence. The changes of cloud microphysical properties are more predominant for small aerosol burden than for large aerosol burden with the retarded changes in cloud mass and size due to inactive condensation and collision-coalescence processes. Quantitative evaluation of sensitivity factor between aerosol and cloud microphysical properties indicates a strong aerosol-cloud interaction in Northeast Asian region.     

显式云物理方案的研究进展

回顾了近年来显式云物理方案的研究进展。显式云方案主要有体积水方法和详细微物理方法(分档法)。体积水方法有单参数和双参数两种谱描述方法,根据模式预报变量和物理过程的不同,可以分为暖云方案、简单冰相方案和复杂冰相方案。详细的微物理方法由于预报变量繁多、计算量巨大而一般多应用于研究工作。不同的模式,有不同的显式云方案,并不是粒子分类越复杂模拟效果就越好,需要根据研究的重点、计算资源的许可选择使用不同的物理方案。物理过程参数化需要建立在理论和实验研究的基础上,因此应加强这方面的理论和实验研究,使物理参数化具有更坚实的物理基础。