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Title: A study on the entrainment and mixing process in the continental stratocumulus clouds measured during the RACORO campaign

Journal Article · · Atmospheric Research
 [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [3]
  1. Yonsei Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences
  2. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Environmental and Climate Sciences Dept.
  3. Nanjing Univ. of Information Science and Technology (NUIST) (China). Key Lab. of Meteorological Disaster of Ministry of Education. CMA Key Lab. for Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation
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Entrainment and mixing processes and their effects on cloud microphysics in the continental stratocumulus clouds observed in Oklahoma during the RACORO campaign are analyzed in the frame of homogeneous and inhomogeneous mixing concepts by combining the approaches of microphysical correlation, mixing diagram, and transition scale (number). A total of 110 horizontally penetrated cloud segments is analyzed in this paper. Mixing diagram and cloud microphysical relationship analyses show homogeneous mixing trait of positive relationship between liquid water content (L) and mean volume of droplets (V) (i.e., smaller droplets in more diluted parcel) in most cloud segments. Relatively small temperature and humidity differences between the entraining air from above the cloud top and cloudy air and relatively large turbulent dissipation rate are found to be responsible for this finding. The related scale parameters (i.e., transition length and transition scale number) are relatively large, which also indicates high likelihood of homogeneous mixing. Finally, clear positive relationship between L and vertical velocity (W) for some cloud segments is suggested to be evidence of vertical circulation mixing, which may further enhance the positive relationship between L and V created by homogeneous mixing.

Research Organization:
Yonsei Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); Korea Meteorological Administration (Korea, Republic of)
Contributing Organization:
Nanjing Univ. of Information Science and Technology (NUIST) (China)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC00112704; 91537108; KMIPA 2015-2061
OSTI ID:
1354694
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1419394
Report Number(s):
BNL-113795-2017-JA; R&D Project: 2016-BNL-EE630EECA-Budg; KP1701000
Journal Information:
Atmospheric Research, Vol. 194; ISSN 0169-8095
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 16 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (2)

On Which Microphysical Time Scales to Use in Studies of Entrainment‐Mixing Mechanisms in Clouds journal April 2018
Cloud Adiabaticity and Its Relationship to Marine Stratocumulus Characteristics Over the Northeast Pacific Ocean journal December 2018

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Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Entrainment
Continental stratocumulus
Mixing process
Aircraft measurement