scholarly journals Cloud-droplet growth due to supersaturation fluctuations in stratiform clouds

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 639-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang-Yu Li ◽  
Gunilla Svensson ◽  
Axel Brandenburg ◽  
Nils E. L. Haugen
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Water Vapor ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Passive Scalar ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Stratiform Clouds ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Condensational Growth

Abstract. Condensational growth of cloud droplets due to supersaturation fluctuations is investigated by solving the hydrodynamic and thermodynamic equations using direct numerical simulations (DNS) with droplets being modeled as Lagrangian particles. The supersaturation field is calculated directly by simulating the temperature and water vapor fields instead of being treated as a passive scalar. Thermodynamic feedbacks to the fields due to condensation are also included for completeness. We find that the width of droplet size distributions increases with time, which is contrary to the classical theory without supersaturation fluctuations, where condensational growth leads to progressively narrower size distributions. Nevertheless, in agreement with earlier Lagrangian stochastic models of the condensational growth, the standard deviation of the surface area of droplets increases as t1∕2. Also, for the first time, we explicitly demonstrate that the time evolution of the size distribution is sensitive to the Reynolds number, but insensitive to the mean energy dissipation rate. This is shown to be due to the fact that temperature fluctuations and water vapor mixing ratio fluctuations increase with increasing Reynolds number; therefore the resulting supersaturation fluctuations are enhanced with increasing Reynolds number. Our simulations may explain the broadening of the size distribution in stratiform clouds qualitatively, where the mean updraft velocity is almost zero.

scholarly journals Cloud-droplet growth due to supersaturation fluctuations in stratiform clouds

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang-Yu Li ◽  
Gunilla Svensson ◽  
Axel Brandenburg ◽  
Nils E. L. Haugen
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Energy Dissipation Rate ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Cloud Droplets ◽  
Stratiform Clouds ◽  
Water Vapor Mixing Ratio ◽  
Condensational Growth

Abstract. Condensational growth of cloud droplets due to supersaturation fluctuations is investigated by solving the hydrodynamic and thermodynamic equations using direct numerical simulations with droplets being modeled as Lagrangian particles. We find that the width of droplet size distributions increases with time, which is contrary to the classical theory without supersaturation fluctuations, where condensational growth leads to progressively narrower size distributions. Nevertheless, in agreement with earlier Lagrangian stochastic models of the condensational growth, the standard deviation of the surface area of droplets increases as t1/2. Also, we numerically confirm that the time evolution of the size distribution depends strongly on the Reynolds number and only weakly on the mean energy dissipation rate. This is shown to be due to the fact that temperature fluctuations and water vapor mixing ratio fluctuations increases with increasing Reynolds number, therefore the resulting supersaturation fluctuations are enhanced with increasing Reynolds number. Our simulations may explain the broadening of the size distribution in stratiform clouds qualitatively, where the updraft velocity is almost zero.

scholarly journals Remote sensing of water cloud droplet size distributions using the backscatter glory: a case study

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 1255-1263 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Mayer ◽  
M. Schröder ◽  
R. Preusker ◽  
L. Schüller
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Droplet Size ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Droplet Size Distribution ◽  
Single Scattering ◽  
Effective Radius ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
High Angular Resolution ◽  
Size Distributions

Abstract. Cloud single scattering properties are mainly determined by the effective radius of the droplet size distribution. There are only few exceptions where the shape of the size distribution affects the optical properties, in particular the rainbow and the glory directions of the scattering phase function. Using observations by the Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (CASI) in 180° backscatter geometry, we found that high angular resolution aircraft observations of the glory provide unique new information which is not available from traditional remote sensing techniques: Using only one single wavelength, 753nm, we were able to determine not only optical thickness and effective radius, but also the width of the size distribution at cloud top. Applying this novel technique to the ACE-2 CLOUDYCOLUMN experiment, we found that the size distributions were much narrower than usually assumed in radiation calculations which is in agreement with in-situ observations during this campaign. While the shape of the size distribution has only little relevance for the radiative properties of clouds, it is extremely important for understanding their formation and evolution.

scholarly journals Broadening of Cloud Droplet Spectra through Eddy Hopping: Turbulent Entraining Parcel Simulations

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (10) ◽  
pp. 3365-3379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustavo C. Abade ◽  
Wojciech W. Grabowski ◽  
Hanna Pawlowska
Keyword(s):  
Droplet Size ◽  
Turbulent Mixing ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Cloud Microphysics ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Size Spectrum ◽  
Entrainment Rate ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

This paper discusses the effects of cloud turbulence, turbulent entrainment, and entrained cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation on the evolution of the cloud droplet size spectrum. We simulate an ensemble of idealized turbulent cloud parcels that are subject to entrainment events modeled as a random process. Entrainment events, subsequent turbulent mixing inside the parcel, supersaturation fluctuations, and the resulting stochastic droplet activation and growth by condensation are simulated using a Monte Carlo scheme. Quantities characterizing the turbulence intensity, entrainment rate, CCN concentration, and the mean fraction of environmental air entrained in an event are all specified as independent external parameters. Cloud microphysics is described by applying Lagrangian particles, the so-called superdroplets. These are either unactivated CCN or cloud droplets that grow from activated CCN. The model accounts for the addition of environmental CCN into the cloud by entraining eddies at the cloud edge. Turbulent mixing of the entrained dry air with cloudy air is described using the classical linear relaxation to the mean model. We show that turbulence plays an important role in aiding entrained CCN to activate, and thus broadening the droplet size distribution. These findings are consistent with previous large-eddy simulations (LESs) that consider the impact of variable droplet growth histories on the droplet size spectra in small cumuli. The scheme developed in this work is ready to be used as a stochastic subgrid-scale scheme in LESs of natural clouds.

scholarly journals Evaluating the capabilities and uncertainties of droplet measurements for the fog droplet spectrometer (FM-100)

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 2237-2260 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. K. Spiegel ◽  
P. Zieger ◽  
N. Bukowiecki ◽  
E. Hammer ◽  
E. Weingartner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Droplet Size ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Droplet Size Distribution ◽  
Stochastic Approach ◽  
Mie Scattering ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Size Spectra ◽  
Wind Speeds

Abstract. Droplet size spectra measurements are crucial to obtain a quantitative microphysical description of clouds and fog. However, cloud droplet size measurements are subject to various uncertainties. This work focuses on the error analysis of two key measurement uncertainties arising during cloud droplet size measurements with a conventional droplet size spectrometer (FM-100): first, we addressed the precision with which droplets can be sized with the FM-100 on the basis of the Mie theory. We deduced error assumptions and proposed a new method on how to correct measured size distributions for these errors by redistributing the measured droplet size distribution using a stochastic approach. Second, based on a literature study, we summarized corrections for particle losses during sampling with the FM-100. We applied both corrections to cloud droplet size spectra measured at the high alpine site Jungfraujoch for a temperature range from 0 °C to 11 °C. We showed that Mie scattering led to spikes in the droplet size distributions using the default sizing procedure, while the new stochastic approach reproduced the ambient size distribution adequately. A detailed analysis of the FM-100 sampling efficiency revealed that particle losses were typically below 10% for droplet diameters up to 10 μm. For larger droplets, particle losses can increase up to 90% for the largest droplets of 50 μm at ambient wind speeds below 4.4 m s−1 and even to >90% for larger angles between the instrument orientation and the wind vector (sampling angle) at higher wind speeds. Comparisons of the FM-100 to other reference instruments revealed that the total liquid water content (LWC) measured by the FM-100 was more sensitive to particle losses than to re-sizing based on Mie scattering, while the total number concentration was only marginally influenced by particle losses. Consequently, for further LWC measurements with the FM-100 we strongly recommend to consider (1) the error arising due to Mie scattering, and (2) the particle losses, especially for larger droplets depending on the set-up and wind conditions.

scholarly journals Aerosol indirect effect from turbulence-induced broadening of cloud-droplet size distributions

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (50) ◽  
pp. 14243-14248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamal Kant Chandrakar ◽  
Will Cantrell ◽  
Kelken Chang ◽  
David Ciochetto ◽  
Dennis Niedermeier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Droplet Size ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Droplet Size Distribution ◽  
Aerosol Concentration ◽  
Droplet Radius ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Moist Convection ◽  
Concentration Changes ◽  
Precipitation Formation

The influence of aerosol concentration on the cloud-droplet size distribution is investigated in a laboratory chamber that enables turbulent cloud formation through moist convection. The experiments allow steady-state microphysics to be achieved, with aerosol input balanced by cloud-droplet growth and fallout. As aerosol concentration is increased, the cloud-droplet mean diameter decreases, as expected, but the width of the size distribution also decreases sharply. The aerosol input allows for cloud generation in the limiting regimes of fast microphysics (τc<τt) for high aerosol concentration, and slow microphysics (τc>τt) for low aerosol concentration; here, τc is the phase-relaxation time and τt is the turbulence-correlation time. The increase in the width of the droplet size distribution for the low aerosol limit is consistent with larger variability of supersaturation due to the slow microphysical response. A stochastic differential equation for supersaturation predicts that the standard deviation of the squared droplet radius should increase linearly with a system time scale defined as τs−1=τc−1+τt−1, and the measurements are in excellent agreement with this finding. The result underscores the importance of droplet size dispersion for aerosol indirect effects: increasing aerosol concentration changes the albedo and suppresses precipitation formation not only through reduction of the mean droplet diameter but also by narrowing of the droplet size distribution due to reduced supersaturation fluctuations. Supersaturation fluctuations in the low aerosol/slow microphysics limit are likely of leading importance for precipitation formation.

Size decrease of detonation nanodiamonds by air annealing investigated by AFM

MRS Advances ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (16) ◽  
pp. 1067-1073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stepan Stehlik ◽  
Daria Miliaieva ◽  
Marian Varga ◽  
Alexander Kromka ◽  
Bohuslav Rezek
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Annealing Temperature ◽  
Detonation Nanodiamonds ◽  
Particle Analysis ◽  
Detonation Synthesis ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Mean Size ◽  
The Mean

ABSTRACTNanodiamonds (NDs) represent a novel nanomaterial applicable from biomedicine to spintronics. Here we study ability of air annealing to further decrease the typical 5 nm NDs produced by detonation synthesis. We use atomic force microscopy (AFM) with sub-nm resolution to directly measure individual detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs) on a flat Si substrate. By means of particle analysis we obtain their accurate and statistically relevant size distributions. Using this approach, we characterize evolution of the size distribution as a function of time and annealing temperature: i) at constant time (25 min) with changing temperature (480, 490, 500°C) and ii) at constant temperature (490°C) with changing time (10, 25, 50 min). We show that the mean size of DNDs can be controllably reduced from 4.5 nm to 1.8 nm without noticeable particle loss and down to 1.3 nm with 36% yield. By air annealing the size distribution changes from Gaussian to lognormal with a steep edge around 1 nm, indicating instability of DNDs below 1 nm.

scholarly journals Density and Size Distribution of the Sea Cucumber, Holothuria scabra (Jaeger, 1935), at Six Exploited Sites in Mahout Bay, Sultanate of Oman

2007 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalfan M. Al-Rashdi ◽  
Michel R. Claereboudt ◽  
Saud S. Al-Busaidi
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Sea Cucumber ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Sultanate Of Oman ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
Sea Cucumbers ◽  
Holothuria Scabra ◽  
Mean Size ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
The Mean

A rapid survey of the density and size distribution of recently exploited populations of Holothuria scabra in Mahout Bay (Ghubbat Hashish Bay) was carried out at six fishing sites. The results showed that population densities varied between 1170 and 4000 individuals ha-1 and biomass ranged between 393 and 2903 kg ha-1. The mean size of sea cucumbers and population densities were much lower in populations closer to human settlements, suggestive of overfishing. The sex ratio was estimated to be 1:1 and the size distributions of males and females did not differ significantly. The length-weight relationship for both sexes was calculated as W (g) = 0.033 Length (mm) 2.178. 

scholarly journals Bridging the condensation-collision size gap: a direct numerical simulation of continuous droplet growth in turbulent cloud

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisi Chen ◽  
Man-Kong Yau ◽  
Peter Bartello ◽  
Lulin Xue
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Droplet Size Distribution ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Combined Processes ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Condensational Growth ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rain Formation

Abstract. In most previous DNS studies on droplet growth in turbulence, condensational growth and collisional growth were treated separately. Studies in recent decades have postulated that small-scale turbulence may accelerate droplet collisions when droplets are still small when condensational growth is effective. This implies that both processes should be considered simultaneously to unveil the full history of droplet growth and rain formation. This paper introduces the first DNS approach to explicitly study the continuous droplet growth by condensation and collisions inside an adiabatic ascending cloud parcel. Results from the condensation-only, collision-only, and condensation-collision experiments are compared to examine the contribution to the broadening of droplet size distribution by the individual process and by the combined processes. Simulations of different turbulent intensities are conducted to investigate the impact of turbulence on each process and on the condensation-induced collisions. The results show that the condensational process promotes the collisions in a turbulent environment and reduces the collisions when in still air, indicating a positive impact of condensation on turbulent collisions. This work suggests the necessity to include both processes simultaneously when studying droplet-turbulence interaction to quantify the turbulence effect on the evolution of cloud droplet spectrum and rain formation.

scholarly journals Evaluating the capabilities and uncertainties of droplet measurements for the fog droplet spectrometer (FM-100)

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 3333-3393 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. K. Spiegel ◽  
P. Zieger ◽  
N. Bukowiecki ◽  
E. Hammer ◽  
E. Weingartner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Droplet Size ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Droplet Size Distribution ◽  
Stochastic Approach ◽  
Liquid Water Content ◽  
Mie Scattering ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Size Spectra

Abstract. Droplet size spectra measurements are crucial to obtain a quantitative microphysical description of clouds and fog. However, cloud droplet size measurements are subject to various uncertainties. This work focuses on the evaluation of two key measurement uncertainties arising during cloud droplet size measurements with a conventional droplet size spectrometer (FM-100): first, we addressed the precision with which droplets can be sized with the FM-100 on the basis of Mie theory. We deduced error assumptions and proposed how to correct measured size distributions for these errors by redistributing the measured droplet size distribution using a stochastic approach. Second, based on a literature study, we derived corrections for particle losses during sampling with the FM-100. We applied both corrections to cloud droplet size spectra measured at the high alpine site Jungfraujoch for a temperature range from 0 °C to 11 °C. We show that Mie scattering led to spikes in the droplet size distributions using the default sizing procedure, while the stochastic approach reproduced the ambient size distribution adequately. A detailed analysis of the FM-100 sampling efficiency revealed that particle losses were typically below 10% for droplet diameters up to 10 μm. For larger droplets, particle losses can increase up to 90% for the largest droplets of 50 μm at ambient windspeeds below 4.4 m s−1 and even to >90% for larger angles between the instrument orientation and the wind vector (sampling angle) at higher wind speeds. Comparisons of the FM-100 to other reference instruments revealed that the total liquid water content (LWC) measured by the FM-100 was more sensitive to particle losses than to re-sizing based on Mie scattering, while the total number concentration was only marginally influenced by particle losses. As a consequence, for further LWC measurements with the FM-100 we strongly recommend to consider (1) the error arising due to Mie scattering, and (2) the particle losses, especially for larger droplets depending on the set-up and wind conditions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document