Modeling Marine Stratocumulus with a Detailed Microphysical Scheme

A one-dimensional 3rd-order turbulence closure model with size-resolved microphysics and radiative transfer has been developed for investigating aerosol and cloud interactions of the stratocumulus-topped marine boundary layer. A new method is presented for coupling between the dynamical model and the microphysical model. This scheme allows the liquid water related correlations to be directly calculated rather than parameterized. On 21 April 2001, a marine stratocumulus was observed by the Caesar aircraft over the west Pacific Rim south of Japan during the 2001 APEX/ACE-Asia field measurements. This cloud is simulated by the model we present here. The model results show that the general features of the stratocumulus-topped marine boundary layer predicted by the model are in agreement with the measurements. A new onboard cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) counter provides not only total CCN number concentration (as the traditional CCN counters do at a certain supersaturation) but also the CCN size distribution information. Using these CCN data, model responses to different CCN initial concentrations are examined. The model results are consistent with both observations and expectations. The numerical results show that the cloud microphysical properties are changed fundamentally by different initial CCN concentrations but the cloud liquid water content does not differ significantly. Different initial CCN loadings have large impacts on the evolution of cloud microstructure and radiation transfer while they have a modest effect on thermodynamics. Increased CCN concentration leads to significant decrease of cloud effective radius.

Implementation of Turbulent Mixing over a Stratocumulus-Topped Boundary Layer and Its Impact in a GCM

The effect of a vertical diffusion scheme over a stratocumulus topped boundary layer （STBL） was investigated using the YONU AGCM （Yonsei University Atmospheric General Circulation Model）. To consider the impact of clouds on the turbulence production, the turbulence mixing term, driven by radiative cooling at the cloud top, is implemented as an extended non-local diffusion scheme. In the model with this new scheme, the STBL parameterization significantly influences the lower atmosphere over the tropical and subtropical regions. Consideration of the turbulent mixing within the cloud layer leads to continuous stratocumulus formation. The cloud-top radiative cooling tends to favor more rapid entrainment and produces top-down turbulent mixing. This cooling develops a mixed layer without initiation of deep convection by surface fluxes. Variations in thermodynamical and dynamical features are produced by planetary boundary layer （PBL） cloud development. The simulated stratocumulus induces more mixing of heat and moisture due to the cloud forcing. Over STBL regions, the lower boundary layer becomes warmer and drier. It also weakens vertical motion and zonal trade winds in the eastern Pacific, which indicates that stratocumulus cloud cover plays a role in weakening the Walker circulation; that is, cloud cover damps the tropical circulation.

A Coupled Dynamical-Radiational Model of Stratocumulus

A model dealing with interactions between the air and low stratiform clouds is presented based on the mixed-layer model Lilly (1968) pioneered and on Deardorffs three dimensional numerical model results. Its main new aspects lie in 1) consideration of the natures of both the atmosphere and cloud; 2) a new entrainment velocity scheme with few arbitrary assumptions; 3) transition from one-mixed layer to two-mixed layer model; and 4) parameterization of radiation and precipitation calculations.The model results for radiation, moisture, and heat turbulent fluxes turn out to be in good agreement with those calculated or observed by Kawa (1988), Nicholls (1984), and Schmets et al. (1981) in California, the North Sea, and the North Atlantic, respectively.Basically, this paper furnishes the theoretical basis for a model to address questions concerning the time-evolution of thermodynamical profiles both in cloud and out of cloud. The applications of this model wil be in a separate paper.

THE STUDY ON THE WINTERTIME STRATOCUMULUS CLOUDS OVER URUMQI,XINJIANG OF CHINA——NUMERICAL MODELING OF STRATOCUMULUS CLOUDS

On the basis of the conceptual model,the development of wintertime stratocumulus cloud has been sim- ulated by using a planetary boundary layer/cloud physics model.The main characteristics of the cloud struc- ture and evolution obtained from the simulation are consistent with those from observations.By analyzing the modeled results,some details of the cloud structures and microphysics processes are discussed.

An improved diagnostic stratocumulus scheme based on estimated inversion strength and its performance in GAMIL2

Based on satellite data and the estimated inversion strength(EIS) derived by Wood et al.(2006), a feasible and uncomplicated stratocumulus scheme is proposed, referred to as EIS scheme. It improves simulation of cloud radiative forcing(CRF) in the Grid-point Atmospheric Model of IAP/LASG version 2(GAMIL2.0) model. When compared with the original lower troposphere stability(LTS) scheme, the EIS scheme reproduces more reasonable climatology distributions of clouds and CRF. The parameterization partly corrects CRF underestimation at mid and high latitudes and overestimation in the convective region. Such improvements are achieved by neglecting the effect of free-tropospheric stratification changes that follow a cooler moist adiabat at middle and high latitude, thereby improving simulated cloudiness. The EIS scheme also improves simulation of the CRF interannual variability. The positive net CRF and negative stratiform anomaly in the East Asian and western North Pacific monsoon regions(EAWNPMR) are well simulated. The EIS scheme is more sensitive to sea surface temperature anomalies(SSTA) than the LTS. Therefore, under the effect of a warmer SSTA in the EAWNPMR, the EIS generates a stronger negative stratiform response, which reduces radiative heating in the low and mid troposphere, in turn producing strong subsidence and negative anomalies of both moisture and cloudiness. Consequent decreases in cloud reflection and shading effects ultimately improve simulation of incoming surface shortwave radiative fluxes and CRF. Because of the stronger subsidence, a stronger anomalous anticyclone over the Philippines Sea is simulated by the EIS run, which leads to a better positive precipitation anomaly in eastern China during ENSO winter.

Microphysical Responses to Catalysis During a Stratocumulus Aircraft Seeding Experiment over the Sanjiangyuan Region of China

This study explores the microphysical responses to a cloud seeding operation in the Sanjiangyuan region, China. The cloud seeding was performed using a zigzag flight pattern, while the detection phase was accomplished using a back-and-forth flight pattern through the top of a stratocumulus layer. Global Position System（GPS） and Particle Measuring System（PMS） data obtained during the operation are used to determine the efective cloud area before and after the operation, diferentiate the phase states of cloud particles, and analyze changes in the concentrations of liquid cloud particles and ice crystals, the evolution of the cloud particle spectrum, and the content of supercooled water. The median diameter of liquid cloud particles in the area of the cloud-seeding operation was 3.5–18.5 μm, most cloud particles observed in the 21.5–45.5-μm size regime were ice crystals, while all particles of size 50 μm and above were in the ice phase. Changes in the concentration and typical diameter of cloud particles within 36 km downwind of the cloudseeding operation did not exceed natural fluctuations in the cloud area before the operation; however, the concentration of liquid cloud particles decreased substantially in areas with high concentrations of supercooled water（concentrations of supercooled water exceeding 0.01 g m 3）. The concentration of ice crystals within the measuring range of the Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe（FSSP） increased substantially, the water content of ice-phase particles increased, and the average supercooled water content in the cloud decreased from（68.3± 23.1）% before the operation to（34.2± 12.4）%. The efects of cloud seeding were more pronounced in parts of the cloud where the content of supercooled water was higher. Little to no efects were observed in parts of the cloud with low concentrations of supercooled water.

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.

The First Observed Cloud Echoes and Microphysical Parameter Retrievals by China's 94-GHz Cloud Radar

By using the cloud echoes fi rst successfully observed by China’s indigenous 94-GHz SKY cloud radar, the macrostructure and microphysical properties of drizzling stratocumulus clouds in Anhui Province on 8 June 2013 are analyzed, and the detection capability of this cloud radar is discussed. The results are as follows. （1） The cloud radar is able to observe the time-varying macroscopic and microphysical parameters of clouds, and it can reveal the microscopic structure and small-scale changes of clouds. （2） The velocity spectral width of cloud droplets is small, but the spectral width of the cloud containing both cloud droplets and drizzle is large. When the spectral width is more than 0.4 m s-1, the radar refl ectivity factor is larger （over-10 dBZ）. （3） The radar’s sensitivity is comparatively higher because the minimum radar refl ectivity factor is about-35 dBZ in this experiment, which exceeds the threshold for detecting the linear depolarized ratio （LDR） of stratocumulus （commonly -11 to -14 dBZ; decreases with increasing turbulence）. （4） After distinguishing of cloud droplets from drizzle, cloud liquid water content and particle eff ective radius are retrieved. The liquid water content of drizzle is lower than that of cloud droplets at the same radar refl ectivity factor.

Reducing the biases in shortwave cloud radiative forcing in tropical and subtropical regions from the perspective of boundary layer processes

Biases in shortwave cloud radiative forcing(SWCF), which cause overestimates in tropical regions and underestimates in subtropical marine stratocumulus regions, are common in many climate models. Here, two boundary layer processes are investigated in the atmospheric model GAMIL2, entrainment at the top of the boundary layer and longwave radiative cooling at the top of stratocumulus clouds, in order to reduce biases and reveal the mechanisms underlying these processes. Our results show that including the entrainment process in the model can reduce negative SWCF biases in most tropical regions but increases positive SWCF biases in subtropical marine stratocumulus regions. This occurs because entrainment reduces the low-level cloud fraction and its cloud liquid water content by suppressing the vertical turbulent diffusion in the boundary layer and decreasing the relative humidity when warm and dry free atmosphere is entrained in the boundary layer. Longwave radiative cooling at the top of stratocumulus clouds can enhance turbulent diffusion within the stratocumulus-topped boundary layer. When combined with the entrainment process, longwave radiative cooling reduces the positive SWCF biases in subtropical marine stratocumulus regions that are observed using the entrainment process alone. The incorporation of these two boundary layer processes improves the simulated SWCF in tropical and subtropical regions in GAMIL2.