Modulation of Tropical Convection-Circulation Interaction by Aerosol Indirect Effects in Convective Self-Aggregation Simulations of a Gray Zone Global Model

Su, Chun‐Yian; Wu, Chien‐Ming; Chen, Wei‐Ting; Peters, John M.

doi:10.1029/2023jd040190

Title: Modulation of Tropical Convection-Circulation Interaction by Aerosol Indirect Effects in Convective Self-Aggregation Simulations of a Gray Zone Global Model

Journal Article · 22 March 2024 · Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2023jd040190 · OSTI ID:2326935

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Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); National Taiwan Univ., Taipei (Taiwan)
National Taiwan Univ., Taipei (Taiwan)
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)

Disentangling the response of tropical convective updrafts to enhanced aerosol concentrations has been challenging. Leading theories for explaining the influence of aerosol concentrations on tropical convection are based on the dynamical response of convection to changes in cloud microphysics, neglecting possible changes in the environment. In recent years, global convection-permitting models (GCPM) have been developed to circumvent problems arising from imposing artificial scale separation on physical processes associated with deep convection. Here, we use a global model in the convective gray zone that partially simulates deep convection to investigate how enhanced concentrations of aerosols that act as cloud condensate nuclei (CCN) impact tropical convection features by modulating the convection-circulation interaction. Results from a pair of idealized non-rotating radiative-convective equilibrium simulations show that the enhanced CCN concentration leads to weaker large-scale circulation, the closeness of deep convective systems to the moist cluster edges, and more mid-level cloud water at an equilibrium state in which convective self-aggregation occurred. Correspondingly, the enhanced CCN concentration modulates how the physical processes that support or oppose convective aggregation maintain the aggregated state at equilibrium. Overall, the enhanced CCN concentration facilitates the development of deep convection in a drier environment but reduces mean precipitation. Our results emphasize the importance of allowing atmospheric phenomena to evolve continuously across spatial and temporal scales in simulations when investigating the response of tropical convection to changes in cloud microphysics.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); National Science Foundation (NSF)

OSTI ID:: 2326935

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 129; ISSN 2169-897X

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
tropical convection
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aerosol indirect effects
global convection-permitting model
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Title: Modulation of Tropical Convection-Circulation Interaction by Aerosol Indirect Effects in Convective Self-Aggregation Simulations of a Gray Zone Global Model

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