Evaluating the performance of a WRF microphysics ensemble through comparisons with aircraft observations

observation data obtained in a mesoscale convective system are compared to Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF)model simulations using four microphysics schemes(Morrison,WSM6,P3,SBM)with different complexities.The main purpose of this paper is to assess the performance of the microphysics ensemble in terms of cloud microphysical properties.Results show that although the vertical distributions of liquid water content(LWC)and ice water content(IWC)simulated by the four members are quite different in the convective cloud region,they are relatively uniform in the stratiform cloud region.Overall,the results of the Morrison scheme are very similar to the ensemble average,and both of them are closer to the observations compared to the other schemes.Besides,the authors also note that all members still overpredict the LWC by a factor of 2–8 in some regions,resulting in large deviation between the observation and ensemble average.

Comparison of aircraft observations with ensemble forecast model results in terms of the microphysical characteristics of stratiform precipitation

The prediction of the particle number concentration and liquid/ice water content of cloud is significant for many aspects of atmospheric science.However,given the uncertainties in the initial and boundary conditions and imperfections of microphysical schemes,the accurate prediction of these microphysical properties of cloud is still a big challenge.The ensemble approach may be a viable way to reduce forecast uncertainties.In this paper,a large-scale stratiform cloud precipitation process is studied by comparing results of a 10-member ensemble forecast model with aircraft observation data.By means of the ensemble average,the prediction of bulk parameters such as liquid water content and ice water content can be improved in comparison with the control member,but the particle number concentrations are still one to two orders of magnitude less than those from observations.Intercomparison of raindrop size spectra reveals a big distinction between observations and predictions for particles with a diameter less than 1000μm.

Observation of room‐temperature out‐of‐plane switchable electric polarization in supported 3R‐MoS_(2) monolayers

Two‐dimensional(2D)ferroelectrics have attracted considerable attention due to their potential in the development of devices of miniaturization and multifunction.Although several van der Waals(vdW)‐layered materials show ferroelectricity,the experimental demonstrations of ferroelectric behavior in monolayers are very limited.Here we report the observation of room‐temperature out‐of‐plane switchable electric polarization in supported MoS_(2) monolayers exfoliated from 3R‐stacked bulk crystals under ambient conditions.Using in situ piezoelectric force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy in a glovebox,we reveal that trapped water/ice molecules are responsible for this switchable electric polarization and this conclusion is strongly supported by theoretical simulations.It is worth noting that the water/ice trapping in the monolayers exfoliated from 2H‐stacked MoS_(2) crystals is not as much as that in 3R monolayers and,consequently,the out‐of‐plane electric polarization is missing there.Our findings indicate that monolayers with a trapped single layer of polar molecules might be emerging alternatives to 2D ferroelectrics.Furthermore,the stacking sequences may bring new properties and applications to 2D vdW materials not only when we stack them up but also when we thin them down.