The microphysics of the warm-rain and ice crystal processes of precipitation in simulated continental convective storms
Gupta, Ashok Kumar LU ; Deshmukh, Akash LU ; Waman, Deepak LU
; Patade, Sachin
LU
; Jadav, Arti
LU
; Phillips, Vaughan T.J.
LU
; Bansemer, Aaron
; Martins, Jorge A.
and Gonçalves, Fabio L.T.
(2023)
In Communications Earth and Environment
4(1).
- Abstract
Precipitation in clouds can form by either warm-rain or ice crystal processes, referred to as warm and cold formation pathways, respectively. Here, we investigate the warm and cold pathway contributions to surface precipitation in simulated continental convective storms. We analyze three contrasting convective storms that are cold-based, slightly warm-based and very warm-based. We apply tracer-tagging techniques in our aerosol-cloud model to determine simulated microphysical pathways that lead to precipitation. We find cold components of graupel and rain mass were higher than warm components in cold- and slightly warm-based clouds. By contrast, in very warm-based clouds nearly 80% of surface precipitation was formed via warm-rain... (More)
Precipitation in clouds can form by either warm-rain or ice crystal processes, referred to as warm and cold formation pathways, respectively. Here, we investigate the warm and cold pathway contributions to surface precipitation in simulated continental convective storms. We analyze three contrasting convective storms that are cold-based, slightly warm-based and very warm-based. We apply tracer-tagging techniques in our aerosol-cloud model to determine simulated microphysical pathways that lead to precipitation. We find cold components of graupel and rain mass were higher than warm components in cold- and slightly warm-based clouds. By contrast, in very warm-based clouds nearly 80% of surface precipitation was formed via warm-rain processes. Lowering of cloud base altitude to levels about 10–20 K warmer switched surface precipitation to being mostly warm, due to enhanced moisture content in the planetary boundary layer and larger cloud droplets aloft intensifying raindrop freezing. Our simulations indicate that warm and cold processes co-exist in any storm and the balance between them is determined by cloud base temperature and solute aerosol conditions.
(Less)
- author
- Gupta, Ashok Kumar
LU
; Deshmukh, Akash
LU
; Waman, Deepak
LU
; Patade, Sachin
LU
; Jadav, Arti
LU
; Phillips, Vaughan T.J.
LU
; Bansemer, Aaron
; Martins, Jorge A.
and Gonçalves, Fabio L.T.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Communications Earth and Environment
- volume
- 4
- issue
- 1
- article number
- 226
- publisher
- Springer Nature
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85163677001
- ISSN
- 2662-4435
- DOI
- 10.1038/s43247-023-00884-5
- project
- Secondary ice production: An empirical formulation and organization of mechanisms among simulated cloud-types
- Secondary ice production: An empirical formulation and organization of mechanisms among simulated cloud-types
- Mechanisms for the Influence from Ice Nucleus Aerosols on Clouds and their Indirect Effects: Cloud Modelling
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 97637354-9876-4ee6-bbae-233d20a97fef
- date added to LUP
- 2023-08-25 14:28:39
- date last changed
- 2024-03-08 08:20:14
@article{97637354-9876-4ee6-bbae-233d20a97fef,
abstract = {{<p>Precipitation in clouds can form by either warm-rain or ice crystal processes, referred to as warm and cold formation pathways, respectively. Here, we investigate the warm and cold pathway contributions to surface precipitation in simulated continental convective storms. We analyze three contrasting convective storms that are cold-based, slightly warm-based and very warm-based. We apply tracer-tagging techniques in our aerosol-cloud model to determine simulated microphysical pathways that lead to precipitation. We find cold components of graupel and rain mass were higher than warm components in cold- and slightly warm-based clouds. By contrast, in very warm-based clouds nearly 80% of surface precipitation was formed via warm-rain processes. Lowering of cloud base altitude to levels about 10–20 K warmer switched surface precipitation to being mostly warm, due to enhanced moisture content in the planetary boundary layer and larger cloud droplets aloft intensifying raindrop freezing. Our simulations indicate that warm and cold processes co-exist in any storm and the balance between them is determined by cloud base temperature and solute aerosol conditions.</p>}},
author = {{Gupta, Ashok Kumar and Deshmukh, Akash and Waman, Deepak and Patade, Sachin and Jadav, Arti and Phillips, Vaughan T.J. and Bansemer, Aaron and Martins, Jorge A. and Gonçalves, Fabio L.T.}},
issn = {{2662-4435}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{Springer Nature}},
series = {{Communications Earth and Environment}},
title = {{The microphysics of the warm-rain and ice crystal processes of precipitation in simulated continental convective storms}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00884-5}},
doi = {{10.1038/s43247-023-00884-5}},
volume = {{4}},
year = {{2023}},
}