A Bulk Microphysics Parameterization with Multiple Ice Precipitation Categories

2005 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerry M. Straka ◽  
Edward R. Mansell
Keyword(s):  
Parameter Tuning ◽  
Precipitation Process ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Cloud Droplets ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
Convective Storms ◽  
Single Moment ◽  
Warm Rain Process ◽  
Ice Crystal Habits ◽  
Cloud Ice

Abstract A single-moment bulk microphysics scheme with multiple ice precipitation categories is described. It has 2 liquid hydrometeor categories (cloud droplets and rain) and 10 ice categories that are characterized by habit, size, and density—two ice crystal habits (column and plate), rimed cloud ice, snow (ice crystal aggregates), three categories of graupel with different densities and intercepts, frozen drops, small hail, and large hail. The concept of riming history is implemented for conversions among the graupel and frozen drops categories. The multiple precipitation ice categories allow a range of particle densities and fall velocities for simulating a variety of convective storms with minimal parameter tuning. The scheme is applied to two cases—an idealized continental multicell storm that demonstrates the ice precipitation process, and a small Florida maritime storm in which the warm rain process is important.

scholarly journals Statistics on High-Cloud Areas and Their Sensitivities to Cloud Microphysics Using Single-Cloud Experiments

2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (9) ◽  
pp. 2659-2677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaki Satoh ◽  
Yuya Matsuda
Keyword(s):  
Longwave Radiation ◽  
Cloud Microphysics ◽  
Distribution Functions ◽  
Cumulus Clouds ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
High Cloud ◽  
Probability Distribution Functions ◽  
Single Moment ◽  
Parameter Dependency ◽  
Cloud Ice

Abstract Statistics on high-altitude cloud areas associated with deep cumulus clouds and their sensitivities to cloud microphysics are studied in the framework of single-cloud experiments with an explicit cloud system–resolving model. A comprehensive six-category single-moment bulk cloud microphysics scheme is used to investigate parameter dependency. High-cloud areas are defined by the threshold values of the outgoing longwave radiation, and probability distribution functions of high-cloud areas are obtained. First, resolution dependencies on grid sizes of approximately 3.5, 7, and 14 km are examined. It is found that although quantitative differences are confirmed, diurnal variations in high-cloud covers are similarly captured by all three experiments conducted. The main focus of the sensitivity experiments of cloud microphysics is on the fall speed and number concentration, or mean radius, of ice particles. The results clearly show that the sum of snow and cloud ice amounts is closely related to high-cloud covers. Among the number of experiments conducted, one interesting result is that the intercept parameters of snow and graupel have opposite effects on high-cloud covers. As the intercept parameter of graupel increases, the graupel amount increases because of an increase in the accretion rate of cloud water by graupel, which results in a decrease in the amount of snow and hence a decrease in high-cloud covers. This implies that a greater production of graupel leads to an increase in precipitation efficiency.

scholarly journals Benefits of a Fourth Ice Class in the Simulated Radar Reflectivities of Convective Systems Using a Bulk Microphysics Scheme

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 3583-3612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen E. Lang ◽  
Wei-Kuo Tao ◽  
Jiun-Dar Chern ◽  
Di Wu ◽  
Xiaowen Li
Keyword(s):  
Squall Line ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
Vapor Growth ◽  
Convective Systems ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
Density Mapping ◽  
Aggregation Effect ◽  
Single Moment ◽  
Simulated Surface ◽  
Cloud Ice

Abstract Current cloud microphysical schemes used in cloud and mesoscale models range from simple one-moment to multimoment, multiclass to explicit bin schemes. This study details the benefits of adding a fourth ice class (frozen drops/hail) to an already improved single-moment three-class ice (cloud ice, snow, graupel) bulk microphysics scheme developed for the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model. Besides the addition and modification of several hail processes from a bulk three-class hail scheme, further modifications were made to the three-ice processes, including allowing greater ice supersaturation and mitigating spurious evaporation/sublimation in the saturation adjustment scheme, allowing graupel/hail to transition to snow via vapor growth and hail to transition to graupel via riming, wet graupel to become hail, and the inclusion of a rain evaporation correction and vapor diffusivity factor. The improved three-ice snow/graupel size-mapping schemes were adjusted to be more stable at higher mixing ratios and to increase the aggregation effect for snow. A snow density mapping was also added. The new scheme was applied to an intense continental squall line and a moderate, loosely organized continental case using three different hail intercepts. Peak simulated reflectivities agree well with radar for both the intense and moderate cases and were superior to earlier three-ice versions when using a moderate and large intercept for hail, respectively. Simulated reflectivity distributions versus height were also improved versus radar in both cases compared to earlier three-ice versions. The bin-based rain evaporation correction affected the squall line more but overall the agreement among the reflectivity distributions was unchanged. The new scheme also improved the simulated surface rain-rate histograms.

Impact of Cloud Microphysics on the Development of Trailing Stratiform Precipitation in a Simulated Squall Line: Comparison of One- and Two-Moment Schemes

2009 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
pp. 991-1007 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Morrison ◽  
G. Thompson ◽  
V. Tatarskii
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Cloud Microphysics ◽  
Squall Line ◽  
Cloud Droplets ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
Stratiform Region ◽  
Stratiform Precipitation ◽  
The One ◽  
Cloud Ice

Abstract A new two-moment cloud microphysics scheme predicting the mixing ratios and number concentrations of five species (i.e., cloud droplets, cloud ice, snow, rain, and graupel) has been implemented into the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF). This scheme is used to investigate the formation and evolution of trailing stratiform precipitation in an idealized two-dimensional squall line. Results are compared to those using a one-moment version of the scheme that predicts only the mixing ratios of the species, and diagnoses the number concentrations from the specified size distribution intercept parameter and predicted mixing ratio. The overall structure of the storm is similar using either the one- or two-moment schemes, although there are notable differences. The two-moment (2-M) scheme produces a widespread region of trailing stratiform precipitation within several hours of the storm formation. In contrast, there is negligible trailing stratiform precipitation using the one-moment (1-M) scheme. The primary reason for this difference are reduced rain evaporation rates in 2-M compared to 1-M in the trailing stratiform region, leading directly to greater rain mixing ratios and surface rainfall rates. Second, increased rain evaporation rates in 2-M compared to 1-M in the convective region at midlevels result in weaker convective updraft cells and increased midlevel detrainment and flux of positively buoyant air from the convective into the stratiform region. This flux is in turn associated with a stronger mesoscale updraft in the stratiform region and enhanced ice growth rates. The reduced (increased) rates of rain evaporation in the stratiform (convective) regions in 2-M are associated with differences in the predicted rain size distribution intercept parameter (which was specified as a constant in 1-M) between the two regions. This variability is consistent with surface disdrometer measurements in previous studies that show a rapid decrease of the rain intercept parameter during the transition from convective to stratiform rainfall.

scholarly journals Development of two-moment cloud microphysics for liquid and ice within the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS-5)

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1733-1766 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Barahona ◽  
A. Molod ◽  
J. Bacmeister ◽  
A. Nenes ◽  
A. Gettelman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Droplet ◽  
Cloud Microphysics ◽  
Linear Increase ◽  
Moist Convection ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
Earth Observing System ◽  
Cloud Properties ◽  
Satellite Retrievals ◽  
Ice Crystal Size

Abstract. This work presents the development of a two-moment cloud microphysics scheme within version 5 of the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS-5). The scheme includes the implementation of a comprehensive stratiform microphysics module, a new cloud coverage scheme that allows ice supersaturation, and a new microphysics module embedded within the moist convection parameterization of GEOS-5. Comprehensive physically based descriptions of ice nucleation, including homogeneous and heterogeneous freezing, and liquid droplet activation are implemented to describe the formation of cloud particles in stratiform clouds and convective cumulus. The effect of preexisting ice crystals on the formation of cirrus clouds is also accounted for. A new parameterization of the subgrid-scale vertical velocity distribution accounting for turbulence and gravity wave motion is also implemented. The new microphysics significantly improves the representation of liquid water and ice in GEOS-5. Evaluation of the model against satellite retrievals and in situ observations shows agreement of the simulated droplet and ice crystal effective radius, the ice mass mixing ratio and number concentration, and the relative humidity with respect to ice. When using the new microphysics, the fraction of condensate that remains as liquid follows a sigmoidal dependency with temperature, which is in agreement with observations and which fundamentally differs from the linear increase assumed in most models. The performance of the new microphysics in reproducing the observed total cloud fraction, longwave and shortwave cloud forcing, and total precipitation is similar to the operational version of GEOS-5 and in agreement with satellite retrievals. The new microphysics tends to underestimate the coverage of persistent low-level stratocumulus. Sensitivity studies showed that the simulated cloud properties are robust to moderate variation in cloud microphysical parameters. Significant sensitivity remains to variation in the dispersion of the ice crystal size distribution and the critical size for ice autoconversion. Despite these issues, the implementation of the new microphysics leads to a considerably improved and more realistic representation of cloud processes in GEOS-5, and allows the linkage of cloud properties to aerosol emissions.

scholarly journals Investigating the role of dust in ice nucleation within clouds and further effects on regional weather system over East Asia – Part I: model development and validation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Su ◽  
Jimmy C.H. Fung
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
Source Region ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Ice Nucleation ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Weather System ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
Ice Nuclei ◽  
Cloud Ice ◽  
Ice Water

Abstract. The GOCART–Thompson microphysics scheme, which couples the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model and aerosol-aware Thompson microphysics scheme, has been implemented in the Weather Research and Forecast model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem), to quantify and evaluate the effect of dust on the ice nucleation process in the atmosphere by serving as ice nuclei. The performance of the GOCART-Thompson microphysics scheme in simulating the effect of dust in atmospheric ice nucleation is then evaluated over East Asia during spring in 2012, a typical dust-intensive season. Based upon the dust emission reasonably reproduced by WRF-Chem, the effect of dust on atmospheric cloud ice water content is well reproduced. With abundant dust particles serving as ice nuclei, the simulated ice water mixing ratio and ice crystal number concentration increases by one order of magnitude over the dust source region and downwind areas during the investigated period. The comparison with ice water path from satellite observations demonstrated that the simulation of cloud ice profile is substantially improved by applying the GOCART–Thompson microphysics scheme in the simulations. Additional sensitivity experiments are carried out to optimize the parameters in the ice nucleation parameterization in the GOCART–Thompson microphysics scheme, and the results suggest that the calibration factor in the ice nucleation scheme should be set to 3 or 4. Lowering the threshold relative humidity with respect to ice to 100 % for the ice nucleation parameterization leads to further improvement in cloud ice simulation.

scholarly journals Simulation of Severe Thunderstorms in Conjugation of Westerly and Easterly on 31 March 2019 in Bangladesh

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 29-43
Author(s):  
Samarendra Karmakar ◽  
Mohan Kumar Das ◽  
Md Quamrul Hassam ◽  
Md Abdul Mannan
Keyword(s):  
South Asian ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Weather Research And Forecasting ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
Severe Thunderstorms ◽  
Synoptic Conditions ◽  
Pbl Scheme ◽  
Single Moment

The diagnostic and prognostic studies of thunderstorms/squalls are very important to save live and loss of properties. The present study aims at diagnose the different tropospheric parameters, instability and synoptic conditions associated the severe thunderstorms with squalls, which occurred at different places in Bangladesh on 31 March 2019. For prognostic purposes, the severe thunderstorms occurred on 31 March 2019 have been numerically simulated. In this regard, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to predict different atmospheric conditions associated with the severe storms. The study domain is selected for 9 km horizontal resolution, which almost covers the south Asian region. Numerical experiments have been conducted with the combination of WRF single-moment 6 class (WSM6) microphysics scheme with Yonsei University (YSU) PBL scheme in simulation of the squall events. Model simulated results are compared with the available observations. The observed values of CAPE at Kolkata both at 0000 and 1200 UTC were 2680.4 and 3039.9 J kg-1 respectively on 31 March 2019 and are found to be comparable with the simulated values. The area averaged actual rainfall for 24 hrs is found is 22.4 mm, which complies with the simulated rainfall of 20-25 mm for 24 hrs. Journal of Engineering Science 12(3), 2021, 29-43

scholarly journals Classification of Ice Crystal Habits Observed From Airborne Cloud Particle Imager by Deep Transfer Learning

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. 1877-1886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haixia Xiao ◽  
Feng Zhang ◽  
Qianshan He ◽  
Pu Liu ◽  
Fei Yan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transfer Learning ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Cloud Particle ◽  
Ice Crystal Habits

scholarly journals Development and characterization of an ice-selecting pumped counterflow virtual impactor (IS-PCVI) to study ice crystal residuals

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 3817-3836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naruki Hiranuma ◽  
Ottmar Möhler ◽  
Gourihar Kulkarni ◽  
Martin Schnaiter ◽  
Steffen Vogt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transmission Efficiency ◽  
Number Concentration ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Cloud Droplets ◽  
Virtual Impactor ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Aerosol Cloud Interactions ◽  
Cloud Activation ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

Abstract. Separation of particles that play a role in cloud activation and ice nucleation from interstitial aerosols has become necessary to further understand aerosol-cloud interactions. The pumped counterflow virtual impactor (PCVI), which uses a vacuum pump to accelerate the particles and increase their momentum, provides an accessible option for dynamic and inertial separation of cloud elements. However, the use of a traditional PCVI to extract large cloud hydrometeors is difficult mainly due to its small cut-size diameters (< 5 µm). Here, for the first time we describe a development of an ice-selecting PCVI (IS-PCVI) to separate ice in controlled mixed-phase cloud system based on the particle inertia with the cut-off diameter  ≥  10 µm. We also present its laboratory application demonstrating the use of the impactor under a wide range of temperature and humidity conditions. The computational fluid dynamics simulations were initially carried out to guide the design of the IS-PCVI. After fabrication, a series of validation laboratory experiments were performed coupled with the Aerosol Interaction and Dynamics in the Atmosphere (AIDA) expansion cloud simulation chamber. In the AIDA chamber, test aerosol particles were exposed to the ice supersaturation conditions (i.e., RHice > 100 %), where a mixture of droplets and ice crystals was formed during the expansion experiment. In parallel, the flow conditions of the IS-PCVI were actively controlled, such that it separated ice crystals from a mixture of ice crystals and cloud droplets, which were of diameter  ≥  10 µm. These large ice crystals were passed through the heated evaporation section to remove the water content. Afterwards, the residuals were characterized with a suite of online and offline instruments downstream of the IS-PCVI. These results were used to assess the optimized operating parameters of the device in terms of (1) the critical cut-size diameter, (2) the transmission efficiency and (3) the counterflow-to-input flow ratio. Particle losses were characterized by comparing the residual number concentration to the rejected interstitial particle number concentration. Overall results suggest that the IS-PCVI enables inertial separation of particles with a volume-equivalent particle size in the range of  ~ 10–30 µm in diameter with small inadvertent intrusion (~  5 %) of unwanted particles.

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