Variability of Microphysical Properties in High-Altitude Ice Clouds: Results of the Remote Sensing Method

Matrosov, S Y

Title: Variability of Microphysical Properties in High-Altitude Ice Clouds: Results of the Remote Sensing Method

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Abstract

(A260/OAK) Ice cloud microphysical parameters are estimated from the ground using combined radar and radiometer techniques. The remote sensing method for retrieving vertical profiles of microphysical parameters in ice clouds from ground-based measurements taken by the Doppler radar and IR radiometer was applied to several cloud cases observed during different field experiments including FIRE-II, ASTEX, and the Arizona Program. The measurements were performed with the NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory instrumentation. The observed ice clouds were mostly cirrus clouds located in the upper troposphere above 5.6 km. Their geometrical thicknesses varied from a few hundred meters to 3 km. Characteristic cloud particle sizes expressed in median mass diameters of equal-volume spheres varied from about 25 {micro}m to more than 400 {micro}m. Typically, characteristic particle sizes were increasing toward the cloud base, with the exception of the lowest range gates where particles were quickly sublimating. Highest particle concentrations were usually observed near the cloud tops. The vertical variability of particle sizes inside an individual cloud could reach one order of magnitude. The standard deviation of the mean profile for a typical cloud is usually factor of 2 or 3 smaller than mean values of particle characteristic size. Typical values of retrieved cloudmore »« less

Authors:: Matrosov, S Y

Publication Date:: Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997

Research Org.:: NOAA/ETL (US)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Research (ER) (US)

OSTI Identifier:: 792023

DOE Contract Number:: AI03-95ER61960

Resource Type:: Journal Article

Journal Name:: J. of Applied Meteorology

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 36; Journal Issue: June; Other Information: Published in J. of Applied Meteorology, ISSN 1520-0450, Volume 36, No.6, 633-648 (Jun 1997); PBD: 1 Jun 1997

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; ICE; CLOUDS; RADAR; RADIOMETERS; REMOTE SENSING; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; GROUND TRUTH MEASUREMENTS; ICE CLOUDS; MILLIMETER-WAVE CLOUD RADAR

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                    Matrosov, S Y. Variability of Microphysical Properties in High-Altitude Ice Clouds: Results of the Remote Sensing Method.  United States: N. p., 1997. 
        Web.

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                    Matrosov, S Y. Variability of Microphysical Properties in High-Altitude Ice Clouds: Results of the Remote Sensing Method.  United States.

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                    Matrosov, S Y. 1997.  
        "Variability of Microphysical Properties in High-Altitude Ice Clouds: Results of the Remote Sensing Method".  United States.

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@article{osti_792023,

  title        = {Variability of Microphysical Properties in High-Altitude Ice Clouds: Results of the Remote Sensing Method},

  author       = {Matrosov, S Y},

  abstractNote = {(A260/OAK) Ice cloud microphysical parameters are estimated from the ground using combined radar and radiometer techniques. The remote sensing method for retrieving vertical profiles of microphysical parameters in ice clouds from ground-based measurements taken by the Doppler radar and IR radiometer was applied to several cloud cases observed during different field experiments including FIRE-II, ASTEX, and the Arizona Program. The measurements were performed with the NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory instrumentation. The observed ice clouds were mostly cirrus clouds located in the upper troposphere above 5.6 km. Their geometrical thicknesses varied from a few hundred meters to 3 km. Characteristic cloud particle sizes expressed in median mass diameters of equal-volume spheres varied from about 25 {micro}m to more than 400 {micro}m. Typically, characteristic particle sizes were increasing toward the cloud base, with the exception of the lowest range gates where particles were quickly sublimating. Highest particle concentrations were usually observed near the cloud tops. The vertical variability of particle sizes inside an individual cloud could reach one order of magnitude. The standard deviation of the mean profile for a typical cloud is usually factor of 2 or 3 smaller than mean values of particle characteristic size. Typical values of retrieved cloud ice water content varied from 1 to 100 mg m{sup -3}; however, individual variations were as high as four orders of magnitude. There was no consistent pattern in the vertical distribution of ice water content except for the rapid decrease in the vicinity of the cloud base. The relationships between retrieved cloud parameters and measured radar reflectivities were considered. The uncertainty of estimating cloud parameters from the power-law regressions is discussed. The parameters of these regressions varied from cloud to cloud and were comparable to the parameters in corresponding regressions obtained from direct particle sampling in other experiments. Relationships between cloud microphysical parameters and reflectivity can vary even for the same observational case. The variability diminishes if stronger reflectivities are considered. A procedure of ''tuning'' cloud microphysics--reflectivity regressions for individual profiles is suggested. Such a procedure can simplify the radar--radiometer method and make it applicable for a broader range of clouds.},

  doi          = {},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/792023},
  journal      = {J. of Applied Meteorology},
number       = June,

  volume       = 36,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997},

  month        = {Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997}

}

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