scholarly journals On the Freezing Time of Supercooled Drops in Developing Convective Clouds

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Yang ◽  
Zhien Wang ◽  
Andrew Heymsfield
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Shape Deformation ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Freezing Time ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
Convective Clouds ◽  
Lower Temperature ◽  
Bin Microphysics

Abstract. In this study, the particle size distributions (PSDs) measured in fresh developing maritime convective clouds sampled during the Ice in Clouds-Tropical (ICE-T) project are shown and compared with the PSDs modeled using a parcel model containing a spectral bin microphysics scheme. The observations suggest that the first ice in convective clouds is small. To interpret the observed ice PSDs, the freezing times and temperatures of supercooled drops are analyzed. The results indicate that the freezing time is longer for large drops than it is for small drops. Due to instrumental limitations, freezing drops cannot be identified until they exhibit obvious shape deformation. If the updraft is strong enough, large freezing drops can be carried upwards to a lower temperature than their nucleation temperature before obvious shape deformation occurs. In models, drop freezing is assumed to be instantaneous, which is not realistic; thus, the model yields a broader first ice PSD than is observed. This study allows us to interpret the observed ice PSDs in fresh developing convective clouds from the perspective of the freezing time of supercooled drops and notes the deficiency of instantaneous drop freezing in models. To better understand the mechanisms of drop freezing and ice initiation in convective clouds, more laboratory experiments and in situ measurements are needed in the future.

scholarly journals Nanoparticle formation by ozonolysis of inducible plant volatiles

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 1489-1495 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Joutsensaari ◽  
M. Loivamäki ◽  
T. Vuorinen ◽  
P. Miettinen ◽  
A.-M. Nerg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Oxidation Products ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Aerosol Formation ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Organic Species ◽  
Atmospheric Nucleation ◽  
White Cabbage ◽  
Volatile Organic ◽  
Order Of Magnitude

Abstract. We present the first laboratory experiments of aerosol formation from oxidation of volatile organic species emitted by living plants, a process which for half a century has been known to take place in the atmosphere. We have treated white cabbage plants with methyl jasmonate in order to induce the production of monoterpenes and certain less-volatile sesqui- and homoterpenes. Ozone was introduced into the growth chamber in which the plants were placed, and the subsequent aerosol formation and growth of aerosols were monitored by measuring the particle size distributions continuously during the experiments. Our observations show similar particle formation rates as in the atmosphere but much higher growth rates. The results indicate that the concentrations of nonvolatile oxidation products of plant released precursors needed to induce the nucleation are roughly an order-of-magnitude higher than their concentrations during atmospheric nucleation events. Our results therefore suggest that if oxidized organics are involved in atmospheric nucleation events, their role is to participate in the growth of pre-existing molecular clusters rather than to form such clusters through homogeneous or ion-induced nucleation.

scholarly journals Theoretical basis for convective invigoration due to increased aerosol concentration

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 5407-5429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. J. Lebo ◽  
J. H. Seinfeld
Keyword(s):  
Number Concentration ◽  
Latent Heating ◽  
Heating Rates ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
Convective Clouds ◽  
Aerosol Loading ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Deep Convective Clouds ◽  
Bin Microphysics ◽  
Cumulative Precipitation

Abstract. The potential effects of increased aerosol loading on the development of deep convective clouds and resulting precipitation amounts are studied by employing the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model as a detailed high-resolution cloud resolving model (CRM) with both detailed bulk and bin microphysics schemes. Both models include a physically-based activation scheme that incorporates a size-resolved aerosol population. We demonstrate that the aerosol-induced effect is controlled by the balance between latent heating and the increase in condensed water aloft, each having opposing effects on buoyancy. It is also shown that under polluted conditions, increases in the CCN number concentration reduce the cumulative precipitation due to the competition between the sedimentation and evaporation/sublimation timescales. The effect of an increase in the IN number concentration on the dynamics of deep convective clouds is small and the resulting decrease in domain-averaged cumulative precipitation is shown not to be statistically significant, but may act to suppress precipitation. It is also shown that even in the presence of a decrease in the domain-averaged cumulative precipitation, an increase in the precipitation variance, or in other words, andincrease in rainfall intensity, may be expected in more polluted environments, especially in moist environments. A significant difference exists between the predictions based on the bin and bulk microphysics schemes of precipitation and the influence of aerosol perturbations on updraft velocity within the convective core. The bulk microphysics scheme shows little change in the latent heating rates due to an increase in the CCN number concentration, while the bin microphysics scheme demonstrates significant increases in the latent heating aloft with increasing CCN number concentration. This suggests that even a detailed two-bulk microphysics scheme, coupled to a detailed activation scheme, may not be sufficient to predict small changes that result from perturbations in aerosol loading.

scholarly journals Measurement report: Vertical profiling of particle size distributions over Lhasa, Tibet: Tethered balloon-based in-situ measurements and source apportionment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Ran ◽  
Zhaoze Deng ◽  
Yunfei Wu ◽  
Jiwei Li ◽  
Zhixuan Bai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Particle Size ◽  
Source Apportionment ◽  
Particle Mass ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Aerosol Formation ◽  
Tethered Balloon ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Secondary Aerosol

Abstract. In-situ measurements of vertically resolved particle size distributions based on a tethered balloon system were carried out for the first time in the highland city of Lhasa over the Tibetan Plateau in summer 2020, using portable optical counters for the size range of 0.124~32 μm. The vertical structure of 112 aerosol profiles was found to be largely shaped by the evolution of the boundary layer (BL), with a nearly uniform distribution of aerosols within the daytime mixing layer and a sharp decline with the height in the shallow nocturnal boundary layer. During the campaign, the average mass concentration of particulate matters smaller than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) within the BL was around 3 μg m−3, almost four times of the amount in the free troposphere (FT), which was rarely affected by surface anthropogenic emissions. Though there was a lower level of particle mass in the residual layer (RL) than in the BL, a similarity in particle mass size distributions (PMSDs) suggested that particles in the RL might be of the same origin as particles in the BL. This was also in consistence with the source apportionment analysis based on the PMSDs. Three distinct modes were observed in the PMSDs for the BL and the RL. One mode was exclusively coarse particles up to roughly 15 μm and peaked around 5 μm. More than 50 % of total particle mass was often contributed by coarse mode particles in this area, which was thought to be associated with local dust resuspension. The mode peaking over 0.5~0.7 μm was representative of biomass burning on religious holidays and was found to be most pronounced on holiday mornings. The contribution from the religious burning factor rose from about 25 % on non-holidays to nearly 50 % on holiday mornings. The mode dominated by particles smaller than 0.3 μm was thought to be associated with combustion related emissions and/or secondary aerosol formation. In the FT coarse mode particles only accounted for less than 10 % of the total mass and particles larger than 5 μm were negligible. The predominant submicron particles in the FT might be related to secondary aerosol formation and the aging of existed particles. To give a full picture of aerosol physical and chemical properties and better understand the origin and impacts of aerosols in this area, intensive field campaigns involving measurements of vertically resolved aerosol chemical compositions in different seasons would be much encouraged in the future.

scholarly journals Comparison of the aerosol optical properties and size distribution retrieved by Sun photometer with in-situ measurements at mid-latitude

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurélien Chauvigné ◽  
Karine Sellegri ◽  
Maxime Hervo ◽  
Nadège Montoux ◽  
Patrick Freville ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Atmospheric Column ◽  
Fine Mode ◽  
Sun Photometer

Abstract. Aerosols influence the Earth radiative budget through scattering and absorption of solar radiation. Several methods are used to investigate aerosol properties and thus quantify their direct and indirect impacts on climate. At the Puy de Dôme station, continuous high altitude near surface in-situ measurements and low altitude ground-based remote sensing atmospheric column measurements give the opportunity to compare the aerosol extinction measured with both methods over a one year period. To our knowledge, it is the first time that such a comparison is realized with continuous measurements of a high altitude site during a long term period. This comparison addresses to which extend near surface in-situ measurements are representative of the whole atmospheric column, the aerosol Mixing Layer (ML), or the Free Troposphere (FT). In particular, the impact of multi aerosol layers events detected using LIDAR backscatter profiles is analysed. A good correlation between in-situ aerosol extinction coefficient and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) measured by the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Sun photometer is observed with a correlation coefficient around 0.80, indicating that the in-situ measurements station is representative of the overall atmospheric column. After filtering for multilayer cases and correcting for each layer optical contribution (ML and FT), the atmospheric structure seems to be the main factor influencing the comparison between the two measurement techniques. When the site lies in the ML, the in-situ extinction represents 45 % of the Sun photometer ML extinction while when the site lies within the FT, the in-situ extinction is more than two times higher than the FT Sun photometer extinction. Remote sensing retrievals of the aerosol particle size distributions (PSD) from the Sun photometer observations are then compared to the near surface in-situ measurements, at dry and at ambient relative humidities. When in-situ measurements are considered at dry state, the in-situ fine mode diameters are 44 % higher than the Sun photometer-retrieved diameters and in-situ volume concentrations are 20 % lower than of the Sun photometer-retrieved fine mode concentration. Using a parametrised hygroscopic growth factor applied to aerosol diameters, the difference between in-situ and retrieved diameters grows larger. Coarse mode in-situ diameter and concentrations show a good correlation with retrieved particle size distributions from remote sensing.

scholarly journals Dependence of solar radiative forcing of forest fire aerosol on ageing and state of mixture

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 881-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Fiebig ◽  
A. Stohl ◽  
M. Wendisch ◽  
S. Eckhardt ◽  
A. Petzold
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Forest Fire ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Fire Plume ◽  
Coagulation Rate ◽  
Mean Diameter ◽  
Convective Mixed Layer

Abstract. During airborne in situ measurements of particle size distributions in a forest fire plume originating in Northern Canada, an accumulation mode number mean diameter of 0.34 mm was observed over Lindenberg, Germany on 9 August 1998. Realizing that this is possibly the largest value observed for this property in a forest fire plume, scenarios of plume ageing by coagulation are considered to explain the observed size distribution, concluding that the plume dilution was inhibited in parts of the plume. The uncertainties in coagulation rate and transition from external to internal mixture of absorbing forest fire and non-absorbing background particles cause uncertainties in the plume's solar instantaneous radiative forcing of 20-40% and of a factor of 5-6, respectively. Including information compiled from other studies on this plume, it is concluded that the plume's characteristics are qualitatively consistent with a radiative-convective mixed layer.

The Impact of Facies Variability within the Harwich Formation on Ground Engineering in the London Area, UK.

2021 ◽  
pp. qjegh2020-136
Author(s):  
Justyna Edgar ◽  
Richard C. Ghail ◽  
James Lawrence ◽  
Jacqueline Skipper ◽  
Philippa J. Mason
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Fault Zones ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Facies Model ◽  
In Situ Observations ◽  
The Impact

The Eocene Harwich Formation, underlying the Greater London (UK) area, presents many construction problems for design and location of tunnels, pipelines, and other engineering infrastructure projects. Variable deposits make up the sequence of the Harwich Formation. These include cemented fault zones, hard grounds, loose gravel and sand that, when unexpectedly encountered, can cause construction delays and increase costs. Here, we interpret borehole cores and logs, in-situ observations coupled with borehole derived samples, and calculate particle-size distributions to develop a general facies model that accounts for the lithological distribution within the Harwich Formation. This provides an improved geological framework for proposed subsurface construction that can reduce inherent engineering uncertainties, not only in the London region, but potentially in other similar geological environments.

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