Three-dimensional large-eddy simulations of the early phase of contrail-to-cirrus transition: effects of atmospheric turbulence and radiative transfer
- Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering; Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); CNRS/Cerfacs, Toulouse (France). Climat, Environnement, Couplages et Incertitudes
- CNRS/Cerfacs, Toulouse (France). Climat, Environnement, Couplages et Incertitudes
- CNRS/Cerfacs, Toulouse (France). Climat, Environnement, Couplages et Incertitudes; Metéeo France, Toulouse (France)
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Univ. de Toulouse, Toulouse (France). Laboratoire d'Aerologie
Here, this article presents the results from numerical experiments of the early phase of contrail-cirrus formation using a limited set of fully three-dimensional, high-resolution large-eddy-simulations. The focus is laid on the interplay between atmospheric turbulence and the radiative transfer (and to a limited extent the ambient ice relative humidity), and how this interaction affects the contrail evolution and the characteristics of the resulting contrail-cirrus one hour after emission. Turbulence is sustained via a large-scale stochastic forcing that creates a non-uniform shear in addition to pure turbulent fluctuations. This effect manifests in the formation of vertically sheared structures of ice crystals. When radiative transfer is activated, ice tends to redistribute more uniformly along the vertical direction forming spotty vertical structures. For the conditions analyzed in this study, atmospheric turbulence, inclusive of non-uniform turbulent shear and turbulent fluctuations, affects primarily the contrail width whereas the microphysical properties such ice water path and ice mass are controlled by radiative transfer and relative humidity.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1418264
- Journal Information:
- Meteorologische Zeitschrift (Berlin), Vol. 26, Issue 6; ISSN 0941-2948
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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