Understanding cloud droplet spectral dispersion effect using empirical and semi-analytical parameterizations in NCAR CAM5.3

Wang, Minqi; Peng, Yiran; Liu, Yangang; Liu, Yu; Xie, Xiaoning; Guo, Zengyuan

doi:10.1029/2020EA001276

Title: Understanding cloud droplet spectral dispersion effect using empirical and semi-analytical parameterizations in NCAR CAM5.3

Journal Article · Tue Jun 09 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Earth and Space Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EA001276· OSTI ID:1631919

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Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China)
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing (China)
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an (China)

Five parameterizations of cloud droplet spectral shape are implemented in a global climate model to investigate the dispersion effect and aerosol indirect effect (AIE). We design a series of experiments by modifying the microphysical cloud scheme of NCAR CAM5.3 (Community Atmospheric Model Version 5.3). We employ four empirical (Martin94, RLiu03, PengL03, Liu08) and one semi-analytical (LiuLi15) expressions for cloud droplet spectral shape parameters. Analysis focuses on the instantaneous differences in the simulated cloud microphysical properties and the comparison between model output and satellite data. The results show that RLiu03, PengL03 and LiuLi15 produce wider droplet spectrum and faster autoconversion rate, but Liu08 has a narrower droplet spectrum and slower autoconversion rate than the default parameterization (Martin94) in CAM5.3. Global dispersion effects caused by the five parameterizations modify the aerosol indirect effect by -10% (counteract) to 13% (strengthen). The simulated AIEs and dispersion effects exhibit noticeably spatial inhomogeneity. In the sensitive regions of AIE (Southeast Asia, North Pacific and west coast of South America), we decompose the response of shortwave cloud forcing to the change in droplet number for analysis. The varying dispersion effects can be explained by different responses of cloud properties in different spectral parameterizations.

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Research Organization:: Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0012704

OSTI ID:: 1631919

Report Number(s):: BNL-215986-2020-JAAM

Journal Information:: Earth and Space Science, Vol. 7, Issue 8; ISSN 2333-5084

Publisher:: American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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