The Probability Density Function Related to Shallow Cumulus Entrainment Rate and Its Influencing Factors in a Large-Eddy Simulation

The process of entrainment-mixing between cumulus clouds and the ambient air is important for the development of cumulus clouds.Accurately obtaining the entrainment rate(λ)is particularly important for its parameterization within the overall cumulus parameterization scheme.In this study,an improved bulk-plume method is proposed by solving the equations of two conserved variables simultaneously to calculateλof cumulus clouds in a large-eddy simulation.The results demonstrate that the improved bulk-plume method is more reliable than the traditional bulk-plume method,becauseλ,as calculated from the improved method,falls within the range ofλvalues obtained from the traditional method using different conserved variables.The probability density functions ofλfor all data,different times,and different heights can be well-fitted by a log-normal distribution,which supports the assumed stochastic entrainment process in previous studies.Further analysis demonstrate that the relationship betweenλand the vertical velocity is better than other thermodynamic/dynamical properties;thus,the vertical velocity is recommended as the primary influencing factor for the parameterization ofλin the future.The results of this study enhance the theoretical understanding ofλand its influencing factors and shed new light on the development ofλparameterization.

The Vertical Transport of Air Pollutants by Convective Clouds Part Ⅱ：Transport of Soluble Gases and Sensitivity Tests

A two-dimensional, non-reactive convective cloud transport model is used to simulate in detail the vertical transport and wet scavenging of soluble pollutant gases by a deep thunderstorm systems Simulations show that for gases with not very high solubility, a deep and intense thunderstorm can still rapidly and efficiently transport them from boundary layer(PBL) up to mid and upper troposphere. resulting in a local significant increase of concentration in the upper layer and a reduction in PBL. Dissolution effects decrease both the incloud gas concentration and the upward net fluxes. The higher the solubility is, the more remarkable the decrease is. However, for very low soluble gases (H<102 Matm-1), the influences are very slight. In addition, the effects of irreversible dissolution and aqueous reactions in drops on the vertical transport of gaseous pollutants are estimated in extreme.

The Vertical Transport of Air Pollutants by Convective Clouds．Part Ⅲ：Transport Features of Different Cloud Systems

The vertical transport features of gaseous pollutants, with a negative exponent profile of concentration, by different types of convective cloud systems are numerically investigated by using a two-dimensional, reactlonless convective cloud transport model. The results show that an isolated, weak storm is able to pump pollutant gas out PBL and transport it to the mid-troposphere, whereas a deep. intense thunderstorm can very efficiently transport air pollutants up to the mid and upper troposphere and laterally spread with anvil, forming an extensive concentration surge layer at aliitnde of ten odd kilometers altitude. Each type of convective transport results in concentration reduction in PHL. In a wind shear environment the transport efficiency of deep thunderstorm significantly increases and the pollutants enter into clouds on the downshear side at low level and spread downwind in anvil layer. On the other hand, for a cumulus cloud with plenty of liquid water. the gas dissolution effect is increased, and the irreversible aqueous reactions, in extreme, may significantly weaken the vertical transports of pollutant gases even with solubility coefficients no more than 103 M atm-1.

Elevated Ducts and Low Clouds over the Central Western Pacific Ocean in Winter Based on GPS Soundings and Satellite Observation

Both low clouds and elevated ducts are common phenomena in the oceanic atmosphere. Low clouds affect elevated ducts by changing the structure of atmospheric temperature and humidity. However, due to the limitation of met-ocean measurements, research on them is still scattered. This paper presents the distribution of elevated ducts and clouds over the central Western Pacific Ocean(WPO) based on Global Position System(GPS) sounding data and Himawari-8 satellite products from November 2015 to January 2016. Results show that the frequency of elevated ducts detected by ship-based GPS soundings was as high as 77% over the central WPO. The height and frequency of elevated ducts are closely related to the low clouds. If there are no clouds, the occurrence probability and mean base height of the elevated ducts are 14% and 730 m, respectively. By comparison, the occurrence probability and mean base height increase up to 24% and 1471 m, respectively, in the presence of cumulus(Cu) clouds, and 22% and 1511 m, respectively, in the presence of stratocumulus(Sc) clouds. Elevated ducts occur near the cloud top. The analysis of geopotential height and wind fields from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ECMWF) reanalysis dataset(ERA-interim) shows that the study area is covered by a strong and stable subtropical high, and slowly sinking dry air masses inside the subtropical high are above the moist boundary-layer air mass. The appearance and evolution of low clouds will adjust the temperature and humidity structure of the lower troposphere. If there are no clouds, the marine boundary layer(MBL) is the classic mixed boundary layer. Humidity gradient and subsidence inversion are formed atop the mixed layer. When low clouds are present, long wave radiation and entrainment atop clouds form a strong temperature inversion and humidity gradient, which strengthen elevated ducts. However, when Sc clouds are decoupled, a weaker temperature inversion and humidity gradient may occur between the surface mixed layer and subcloud layer, leading to a weak elevated duct atop the mixed layer.

A Study of Shallow Cumulus Cloud Droplet Dispersion by Large Eddy Simulations

Cloud droplet dispersion is an important parameter in estimating aerosol indirect effect on climate in general circulation models（GCMs）.This study investigates droplet dispersion in shallow cumulus clouds under different aerosol conditions using three-dimensional large eddy simulations（LES）.It is found that cloud droplet mean radius,standard deviation,and relative dispersion generally decrease as aerosol mixing ratio increases from 25 mg-1（clean case） to 100 mg-1（moderate case）,and to 2000 mg-1（polluted case）.Under all the three simulated aerosol conditions,cloud droplet mean radius and standard deviation increase with height.However,droplet relative dispersion increases with height only in the polluted case,and does not vary with height in the clean and moderate cases.The mechanisms for cloud droplet dispersion are also investigated.An additional simulation without considering droplet collision-coalescence and sedimentation under the aerosol mixing ratio of 25 mg-1 shows smaller values of droplet mean radius,standard deviation,and relative dispersion as compared to the base clean case.This indicates that droplet collision-coalescence plays an important role in broadening droplet spectra.Results also suggest that the impact of homogeneous mixing on cumulus cloud droplet spectra is significant under all the three simulated aerosol conditions.In weak mixing（strong updraft） regions where clouds are closer to be adiabatic,cloud droplets tend to have larger mean radius,smaller standard deviation,and hence smaller relative dispersion than those in stronger mixing（downdraft or weak updraft） regions.The parameterized cloud optical depth in terms of cloud liquid water content,droplet number concentration,and relative dispersion is only slightly smaller than the result calculated from detailed droplet spectra,indicating that current parameterization of cloud optical depth as used in many GCMs is plausible for low clouds.

NUMERICAL MODELING OF CUMULUS CLOUD CHEMISTRY—PART Ⅱ:THE IMPACT OF CUMULUS CLOUD PROCESSES ON OZONE CHEMISTRY

Ozone chemistry processes are analyzed during a cumulus cloud process with the model (1CCCM)described in Part Ⅰ.The simulation results show that entire cumulus cloud process can be well described with the development of vertical velocities and liquid water content which are the two most outstanding features of cumulus clouds.Ozone chemistry is strongly influenced by cumulus clouds.NO_x can be transported upwards above 4 km in the first 20 minutes of the convection event and form a relative higher concentration area which enhances the production of ozone.Two areas ap- pear during the convection event:area of net ozone production and area of net ozone depletion.The area of ozone depletion coincides with the area of liquid water within cloud.Results show that the aqueous phase(cloud water and rainwater)can alter gas ozone level through two ways:one is scav- enging free radicals(HO_2)from the gas phase and thereby inhibiting the reactions of transformation to NO_2 from NO,which results in reduction of the gas source of ozone;the other is aqueous phase chemical reactions which consume ozone in the aqueous phase.Calculations reveal that the reaction O_3 +OH→HO_2 is the main pathway of ozone depletion in gas phase during the process of cumulus clouds.