Cloud microphysical relationships and their implication on entrainment and mixing mechanism for the stratocumulus clouds measured during the VOCALS project
Abstract
Cloud microphysical data obtained from G-1 aircraft flights over the southeastern pacific during the VOCALS-Rex field campaign were analyzed for evidence of entrainment mixing of dry air from above cloud top. Mixing diagram analysis was made for the horizontal flight data recorded at 1 Hz and 40 Hz. The dominant observed feature, a positive relationship between cloud droplet mean volume (V) and liquid water content (L), suggested occurrence of homogeneous mixing. On the other hand, estimation of the relevant scale parameters (i.e., transition length scale and transition scale number) consistently indicated inhomogeneous mixing. Importantly, the flight altitudes of the measurements were significantly below cloud top. We speculate that mixing of the entrained air near the cloud top may have indeed been inhomogeneous; but due to vertical circulation mixing, the correlation between V and L became positive at the measurement altitudes in mid-level of clouds, because during their descent, cloud droplets evaporate, faster in more diluted cloud parcels, leading to a positive correlation between V and L regardless of the mixing mechanism near the cloud top.
- Authors:
-
- Yonsei Univ., Seoul (Korea)
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1201352
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-108011-2015-JA
Journal ID: ISSN 2169-897X; R&D Project: 2016-BNL-EE630EECA-Budg; KP1701000
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC00112704
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 120; Journal Issue: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 2169-897X
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Citation Formats
Yum, Seong Soo, Wang, Jian, Liu, Yangang, Senum, Gunnar, Springston, Stephen, McGraw, Robert, and Yeom, Jae Min. Cloud microphysical relationships and their implication on entrainment and mixing mechanism for the stratocumulus clouds measured during the VOCALS project. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web. doi:10.1002/2014JD022802.
Yum, Seong Soo, Wang, Jian, Liu, Yangang, Senum, Gunnar, Springston, Stephen, McGraw, Robert, & Yeom, Jae Min. Cloud microphysical relationships and their implication on entrainment and mixing mechanism for the stratocumulus clouds measured during the VOCALS project. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022802
Yum, Seong Soo, Wang, Jian, Liu, Yangang, Senum, Gunnar, Springston, Stephen, McGraw, Robert, and Yeom, Jae Min. Wed .
"Cloud microphysical relationships and their implication on entrainment and mixing mechanism for the stratocumulus clouds measured during the VOCALS project". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022802. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1201352.
@article{osti_1201352,
title = {Cloud microphysical relationships and their implication on entrainment and mixing mechanism for the stratocumulus clouds measured during the VOCALS project},
author = {Yum, Seong Soo and Wang, Jian and Liu, Yangang and Senum, Gunnar and Springston, Stephen and McGraw, Robert and Yeom, Jae Min},
abstractNote = {Cloud microphysical data obtained from G-1 aircraft flights over the southeastern pacific during the VOCALS-Rex field campaign were analyzed for evidence of entrainment mixing of dry air from above cloud top. Mixing diagram analysis was made for the horizontal flight data recorded at 1 Hz and 40 Hz. The dominant observed feature, a positive relationship between cloud droplet mean volume (V) and liquid water content (L), suggested occurrence of homogeneous mixing. On the other hand, estimation of the relevant scale parameters (i.e., transition length scale and transition scale number) consistently indicated inhomogeneous mixing. Importantly, the flight altitudes of the measurements were significantly below cloud top. We speculate that mixing of the entrained air near the cloud top may have indeed been inhomogeneous; but due to vertical circulation mixing, the correlation between V and L became positive at the measurement altitudes in mid-level of clouds, because during their descent, cloud droplets evaporate, faster in more diluted cloud parcels, leading to a positive correlation between V and L regardless of the mixing mechanism near the cloud top.},
doi = {10.1002/2014JD022802},
journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres},
number = 10,
volume = 120,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed May 27 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Wed May 27 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
Web of Science
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