Three-dimensional large-eddy simulations of the early phase of contrail-to-cirrus transition: effects of atmospheric turbulence and radiative transfer

Paoli, Roberto; Thouron, Odile; Cariolle, Daniel; García, Marta; Escobar, Juan

doi:10.1127/metz/2017/0764

Title: Three-dimensional large-eddy simulations of the early phase of contrail-to-cirrus transition: effects of atmospheric turbulence and radiative transfer

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Abstract

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.

Authors:

Paoli, Roberto ^[1]; Thouron, Odile ^[2]; Cariolle, Daniel ^[3]; García, Marta ^[4]; Escobar, Juan ^[5]

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; MetÃ©eo France, Toulouse (France)
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Univ. de Toulouse, Toulouse (France). Laboratoire d'Aerologie

Publication Date:: Fri Dec 08 00:00:00 EST 2017

Research Org.:: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

OSTI Identifier:: 1418264

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-06CH11357

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Meteorologische Zeitschrift (Berlin)

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Name: Meteorologische Zeitschrift (Berlin); Journal Volume: 26; Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 0941-2948

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; atmospheric turbulence; contrail-cirrus; large-eddy simulations; radiative transfer

Citation Formats


                    Paoli, Roberto, Thouron, Odile, Cariolle, Daniel, García, Marta, and Escobar, Juan. Three-dimensional large-eddy simulations of the early phase of contrail-to-cirrus transition: effects of atmospheric turbulence and radiative transfer.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.1127/metz/2017/0764.

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                    Paoli, Roberto, Thouron, Odile, Cariolle, Daniel, García, Marta, & Escobar, Juan. Three-dimensional large-eddy simulations of the early phase of contrail-to-cirrus transition: effects of atmospheric turbulence and radiative transfer.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1127/metz/2017/0764

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                    Paoli, Roberto, Thouron, Odile, Cariolle, Daniel, García, Marta, and Escobar, Juan. Fri .  
"Three-dimensional large-eddy simulations of the early phase of contrail-to-cirrus transition: effects of atmospheric turbulence and radiative transfer".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1127/metz/2017/0764.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1418264.

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@article{osti_1418264,

  title        = {Three-dimensional large-eddy simulations of the early phase of contrail-to-cirrus transition: effects of atmospheric turbulence and radiative transfer},

  author       = {Paoli, Roberto and Thouron, Odile and Cariolle, Daniel and García, Marta and Escobar, Juan},

  abstractNote = {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.},

  doi          = {10.1127/metz/2017/0764},

  journal      = {Meteorologische Zeitschrift (Berlin)},

  number       = 6,

  volume       = 26,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Fri Dec 08 00:00:00 EST 2017},

  month        = {Fri Dec 08 00:00:00 EST 2017}

}

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