Nonturbulent Liquid‐Bearing Polar Clouds: Observed Frequency of Occurrence and Simulated Sensitivity to Gravity Waves
Abstract
Abstract A common feature of polar liquid‐bearing clouds (LBCs) is radiatively driven turbulence, which may variously alter cloud lifecycle via vertical mixing, droplet activation, and subsequent feedbacks. However, polar LBCs are commonly initiated under stable, nonturbulent conditions. Using long‐term data from the North Slope of Alaska and McMurdo, Antarctica, we show that nonturbulent conditions prevail in ~25% of detected LBCs, surmised to be preferentially early in their lifecycle. We conclude that nonturbulent LBCs are likely common over the polar regions owing primarily to atmospheric temperature and stability. Such stable environments are known to support gravity wave activity. Using large‐eddy simulations, we find that short to intermediate period gravity waves may catalyze turbulence formation when aerosol particles available for activation are sufficiently small. We posit that the frequent occurrence of nonturbulent LBCs over the polar regions has implications for polar aerosol‐cloud interactions and their parameterization in large‐scale models.
- Authors:
-
[1];
[2];
[1];
[3];
[2]
- Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USA
- NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies New York NY USA
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California San Diego CA USA
- Publication Date:
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1619892
- Grant/Contract Number:
- DE‐SC0017981; DE‐SC0018046
- Resource Type:
- Publisher's Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Volume: 47 Journal Issue: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 0094-8276
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Citation Formats
Silber, Israel, Fridlind, Ann M., Verlinde, Johannes, Russell, Lynn M., and Ackerman, Andrew S. Nonturbulent Liquid‐Bearing Polar Clouds: Observed Frequency of Occurrence and Simulated Sensitivity to Gravity Waves. United States: N. p., 2020.
Web. doi:10.1029/2020GL087099.
Silber, Israel, Fridlind, Ann M., Verlinde, Johannes, Russell, Lynn M., & Ackerman, Andrew S. Nonturbulent Liquid‐Bearing Polar Clouds: Observed Frequency of Occurrence and Simulated Sensitivity to Gravity Waves. United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL087099
Silber, Israel, Fridlind, Ann M., Verlinde, Johannes, Russell, Lynn M., and Ackerman, Andrew S. Mon .
"Nonturbulent Liquid‐Bearing Polar Clouds: Observed Frequency of Occurrence and Simulated Sensitivity to Gravity Waves". United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL087099.
@article{osti_1619892,
title = {Nonturbulent Liquid‐Bearing Polar Clouds: Observed Frequency of Occurrence and Simulated Sensitivity to Gravity Waves},
author = {Silber, Israel and Fridlind, Ann M. and Verlinde, Johannes and Russell, Lynn M. and Ackerman, Andrew S.},
abstractNote = {Abstract A common feature of polar liquid‐bearing clouds (LBCs) is radiatively driven turbulence, which may variously alter cloud lifecycle via vertical mixing, droplet activation, and subsequent feedbacks. However, polar LBCs are commonly initiated under stable, nonturbulent conditions. Using long‐term data from the North Slope of Alaska and McMurdo, Antarctica, we show that nonturbulent conditions prevail in ~25% of detected LBCs, surmised to be preferentially early in their lifecycle. We conclude that nonturbulent LBCs are likely common over the polar regions owing primarily to atmospheric temperature and stability. Such stable environments are known to support gravity wave activity. Using large‐eddy simulations, we find that short to intermediate period gravity waves may catalyze turbulence formation when aerosol particles available for activation are sufficiently small. We posit that the frequent occurrence of nonturbulent LBCs over the polar regions has implications for polar aerosol‐cloud interactions and their parameterization in large‐scale models.},
doi = {10.1029/2020GL087099},
journal = {Geophysical Research Letters},
number = 10,
volume = 47,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon May 18 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Mon May 18 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
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