Dominant Role by Vertical Wind Shear in Regulating Aerosol Effects on Deep Convective Clouds
The impact of aerosols on clouds, especially deep convective clouds (DCCs), is one of the most important and least understood aspects of climate change. Aerosols can either suppress or enhance convection/precipitation in DCCs under different conditions. Here we study the effect of vertical wind shear, a key atmospheric condition, on interactions between aerosol and DCCs. We show a dominant role by vertical wind shear in regulating aerosol effects on DCCs by both modeling and observational evidence. It qualitatively determines whether aerosols suppress or invigorate convective strength: aerosols always suppress convection under strong wind shear and enhance convection under weak wind shear until reaching an optimum loading. In a humid atmosphere, aerosols have the greatest potential to suppress convection when wind shear is strong.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 969166
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-64280; TRN: US201001%%282
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Geophysical Research. D. (Atmospheres), 114(D22206), Vol. 114; ISSN 0747-7309
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
On the role of aerosols, humidity, and vertical wind shear in the transition of shallow-to-deep convection at the Green Ocean Amazon 2014/5 site
Microphysical Effects Determine Macrophysical Response for Aerosol Impacts on Deep Convective Clouds