scholarly journals Reviewer Comments for: Microphysical properties and fall speed measurements of snow ice crystals using the Dual Ice Crystal Imager (D-ICI)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Hammonds
Keyword(s):  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Fall Speed

scholarly journals Microphysical properties and fall speed measurements of snow ice crystals using the Dual Ice Crystal Imager (D-ICI)

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1273-1285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Kuhn ◽  
Sandra Vázquez-Martín
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Vertical Direction ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Double Exposure ◽  
Shape Information ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Ice Particles ◽  
Crystal Properties ◽  
Fall Speed

Abstract. Accurate predictions of snowfall require good knowledge of the microphysical properties of the snow ice crystals and particles. Shape is an important parameter as it strongly influences the scattering properties of the ice particles, and thus their response to remote sensing techniques such as radar measurements. The fall speed of ice particles is another important parameter for both numerical forecast models as well as representation of ice clouds and snow in climate models, as it is responsible for the rate of removal of ice from these models. We describe a new ground-based in situ instrument, the Dual Ice Crystal Imager (D-ICI), to determine snow ice crystal properties and fall speed simultaneously. The instrument takes two high-resolution pictures of the same falling ice particle from two different viewing directions. Both cameras use a microscope-like setup resulting in an image pixel resolution of approximately 4 µm pixel−1. One viewing direction is horizontal and is used to determine fall speed by means of a double exposure. For this purpose, two bright flashes of a light-emitting diode behind the camera illuminate the falling ice particle and create this double exposure, and the vertical displacement of the particle provides its fall speed. The other viewing direction is close-to-vertical and is used to provide size and shape information from single-exposure images. This viewing geometry is chosen instead of a horizontal one because shape and size of ice particles as viewed in the vertical direction are more relevant than these properties viewed horizontally, as the vertical fall speed is more strongly influenced by the vertically viewed properties. In addition, a comparison with remote sensing instruments that mostly have a vertical or close-to-vertical viewing geometry is favoured when the particle properties are measured in the same direction. The instrument has been tested in Kiruna, northern Sweden (67.8∘ N, 20.4∘ E). Measurements are demonstrated with images from different snow events, and the determined snow ice crystal properties are presented.

scholarly journals Microphysical properties and fall speed measurements of snow ice crystals using the Dual Ice Crystal Imager (D-ICI)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Kuhn ◽  
Sandra Vázquez-Martín
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Vertical Direction ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Double Exposure ◽  
Shape Information ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Ice Particles ◽  
Crystal Properties ◽  
Fall Speed

Abstract. Accurate predictions of snowfall require good knowledge of the microphysical properties of the snow ice crystals and particles. Shape is an important parameter as it influences strongly the scattering properties of the ice particles, and thus their response to remote sensing techniques such as radar measurements. The fall speed of ice particles is another important parameter for both numerical forecast models as well as representation of ice clouds and snow in climate models, as it is responsible for the rate of removal of ice from these models. We describe a new ground-based in-situ instrument, the Dual Ice Crystal Imager (D-ICI), to determine snow ice crystal properties and fall speed simultaneously. The instrument takes two high-resolution pictures of the same falling ice particle from two different viewing directions. Both cameras use a microscope-like set-up resulting in an image pixel resolution of approximately 4 μm/pixel. One viewing direction is horizontal and is used to determine fall speed by means of a double exposure. For this purpose, two bright flashes of a light emitting diode behind the camera illuminate the falling ice particle and create this double exposure and the vertical displacement of the particle provides its fall speed. The other viewing direction is close to vertical and is used to provide size and shape information from single-exposure images. This viewing geometry is chosen instead of a horizontal one because shape and size of ice particles as viewed in the vertical direction are more relevant than these properties viewed horizontally as the vertical fall speed is more strongly influenced by the vertically viewed properties. In addition, a comparison with remote sensing instruments that mostly have a vertical or close to vertical viewing geometry is favoured when the particle properties are measured in the same direction. The instrument has been tested in Kiruna, northern Sweden (67.8° N, 20.4° E). Measurements are demonstrated with images from different snow events, and the determined snow ice crystal properties are presented.

Modeling Ice Crystal Aspect Ratio Evolution during Riming: A Single-Particle Growth Model

2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 2569-2590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders A. Jensen ◽  
Jerry Y. Harrington
Keyword(s):  
Wind Tunnel ◽  
Growth Model ◽  
Liquid Water ◽  
Single Particle ◽  
Liquid Drop ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Vapor Growth ◽  
Wind Tunnel Data ◽  
Fall Speed

This paper describes and tests a single-particle ice growth model that evolves both ice crystal mass and shape as a result of vapor growth and riming. Columnar collision efficiencies in the model are calculated using a new theoretical method derived from spherical collision efficiencies. The model is able to evolve mass, shape, and fall speed of growing ice across a range of temperatures, and it compares well with wind tunnel data. The onset time of riming and the effects of riming on mass and fall speed between −3° and −16°C are modeled, as compared with wind tunnel data for a liquid water content of 0.4 g m−3. Under these conditions, riming is constrained to the more isometric habits near −10° and −4°C. It is shown that the mass and fall speed of riming dendrites depend on the liquid drop distribution properties, leading to a range of mass–size and fall speed–size relationships. Riming at low liquid water contents is shown to be sensitive to ice crystal habit and liquid drop size. Moreover, very light riming can affect the shape of ice crystals enough to reduce vapor growth and suppress overall mass growth, as compared with those same ice crystals if they were unrimed.

Microphysical Properties of Ice Crystal Precipitation and Surface-Generated Ice Crystals in a High Alpine Environment in Switzerland

2017 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 433-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Schlenczek ◽  
Jacob P. Fugal ◽  
Gary Lloyd ◽  
Keith N. Bower ◽  
Thomas W. Choularton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Crystal Habit ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Ice Clouds ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
The Individual

AbstractDuring the Cloud and Aerosol Characterization Experiment (CLACE) 2013 field campaign at the High Altitude Research Station Jungfraujoch, Switzerland, optically thin pure ice clouds and ice crystal precipitation were measured using holographic and other in situ particle instruments. For cloud particles, particle images, positions in space, concentrations, and size distributions were obtained, allowing one to extract size distributions classified by ice crystal habit. Small ice crystals occurring under conditions with a vertically thin cloud layer above and a stratocumulus layer approximately 1 km below exhibit similar properties in size and crystal habits as Antarctic/Arctic diamond dust. Also, ice crystal precipitation stemming from midlevel clouds subsequent to the diamond dust event was observed with a larger fraction of ice crystal aggregates when compared with the diamond dust. In another event, particle size distributions could be derived from mostly irregular ice crystals and aggregates, which likely originated from surface processes. These particles show a high spatial and temporal variability, and it is noted that size and habit distributions have only a weak dependence on the particle number concentration. Larger ice crystal aggregates and rosette shapes of some hundred microns in maximum dimension could be sampled as a precipitating cirrostratus cloud passed the site. The individual size distributions for each habit agree well with lognormal distributions. Fitted parameters to the size distributions are presented along with the area-derived ice water content, and the size distributions are compared with other measurements of pure ice clouds made in the Arctic and Antarctic.

scholarly journals Bulk microphysical properties of semi transparent cirrus from AIRS: a six years global climatology and statistical analysis in synergy with CALIPSO and CloudSat

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 24671-24725
Author(s):  
A. Guignard ◽  
C. J. Stubenrauch ◽  
A. J. Baran ◽  
R. Armante
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
General Circulation Models ◽  
Single Scattering ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Effective Diameter ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Ice Clouds ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Ice Water

Abstract. This article presents a retrieval method and a statistical analysis of the bulk micropysical properties of semi-transparent ice clouds using the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). Global and long-term coverage provides information on the effective diameter (De) and habits of ice crystals in relation with their environment, ice water path (IWP) and temperature. The method relies on spectral absorption differences between 8 and 12 μm that depend on ice crystal properties. Using single scattering properties for column-like or aggregate-like ice crystals, the method is sensitive to De of up to 85 μm and IWP of up to 120 g m−2. Uncertainties due to the hypotheses on atmospheric parameters and ice crystal single scattering properties as well as horizontal heterogeneities have been demonstrated to be small. The behaviour of bulk microphysical properties as a function of temperature demonstrates that pure ice clouds only occur when Tcld<230 K. On a global scale, these clouds represent practically 25 % of all high clouds and are mainly encountered in the mid-latitudes during winter and in the tropics. Colocated Radar-Lidar Geometrical Profiling (GEOPROF) data reveal an increase in the vertical extent of these cloud layers during mid-latitude winter but which does not significantly impact ice crystal characteristics. A comparative study with bulk microphysical properties from the TIROS-N Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) reveals improvements, especially for optically thin and thick semi-transparent ice clouds. Finally, we investigated parametrizations of De as a function of IWP or Ice Water Content (IWC), which could be useful for modelling cirrus in General Circulation Models.

scholarly journals Preliminary laboratory studies of the optical scattering properties of the crystal clouds

1998 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 618-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Saunders ◽  
J. Rimmer ◽  
P. Jonas ◽  
J. Arathoon ◽  
C. Liu
Keyword(s):  
Climate Models ◽  
Optical Scattering ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
Exact Size ◽  
Set Up

Abstract. Ice crystal clouds have an influence on the radiative budget of the earth; however, the exact size and nature of this influence has yet to be determined. A laboratory cloud chamber experiment has been set up to provide data on the optical scattering behaviour of ice crystals at a visible wavelength in order to gain information which can be used in climate models concerning the radiative characteristics of cirrus clouds. A PMS grey-scale probe is used to monitor simultaneously the cloud microphysical properties in order to correlate these closely with the observed radiative properties. Preliminary results show that ice crystals scatter considerably more at 90° than do water droplets, and that the halo effects are visible in a laboratory-generated cloud when the ice crystal concentration is sufficiently small to prevent masking from multiple scattering.Key words. Meteorology and atmosphere dynamics · Climatology · Radiative process · Atmospheric composition and structure · Cloud physics and chemistry

scholarly journals The origin of midlatitude ice clouds and the resulting influence on their microphysical properties

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (23) ◽  
pp. 34243-34281 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. E. Luebke ◽  
A. Afchine ◽  
A. Costa ◽  
J. Meyer ◽  
C. Rolf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bimodal Distribution ◽  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Ice Clouds ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal Size ◽  
Ice Water

Abstract. The radiative role of ice clouds in the atmosphere is known to be important, but uncertainties remain concerning the magnitude and net effects. However, through measurements of the microphysical properties of cirrus clouds, we can better characterize them, which can ultimately allow for their radiative properties to be more accurately ascertained. It has recently been proposed that there are two types of cirrus clouds – in situ and liquid origin. In this study, we present observational evidence to show that two distinct types of cirrus do exist. Airborne, in situ measurements of cloud ice water content (IWC), ice crystal concentration (Nice), and ice crystal size from the 2014 ML-CIRRUS campaign provide cloud samples that have been divided according to their origin type. The key features that set liquid origin cirrus apart from the in situ origin cirrus are a higher frequency of high IWC (> 100 ppmv), higher Nice values, and larger ice crystals. A vertical distribution of Nice shows that the in situ origin cirrus clouds exhibit a median value of around 0.1 cm−3, while the liquid origin concentrations are slightly, but notably higher. The median sizes of the crystals contributing the most mass are less than 200 μm for in situ origin cirrus, with some of the largest crystals reaching 550 μm in size. The liquid origin cirrus, on the other hand, were observed to have median diameters greater than 200 μm, and crystals that were up to 750 μm. An examination of these characteristics in relation to each other and their relationship to temperature provides strong evidence that these differences arise from the dynamics and conditions in which the ice crystals formed. Additionally, the existence of these two groups in cirrus cloud populations may explain why a bimodal distribution in the IWC-temperature relationship has been observed. We hypothesize that the low IWC mode is the result of in situ origin cirrus and the high IWC mode is the result of liquid origin cirrus.

scholarly journals Vertical distribution of microphysical properties of Arctic springtime low-level mixed-phase clouds over the Greenland and Norwegian seas

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (20) ◽  
pp. 12845-12869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Mioche ◽  
Olivier Jourdan ◽  
Julien Delanoë ◽  
Christophe Gourbeyre ◽  
Guy Febvre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Water ◽  
Crystal Size ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Vertical Profiles ◽  
Liquid Droplets ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal Size ◽  
Mixed Phase Clouds

Abstract. This study aims to characterize the microphysical and optical properties of ice crystals and supercooled liquid droplets within low-level Arctic mixed-phase clouds (MPCs). We compiled and analyzed cloud in situ measurements from four airborne spring campaigns (representing 18 flights and 71 vertical profiles in MPCs) over the Greenland and Norwegian seas mainly in the vicinity of the Svalbard archipelago. Cloud phase discrimination and representative vertical profiles of the number, size, mass and shape of ice crystals and liquid droplets are established. The results show that the liquid phase dominates the upper part of the MPCs. High concentrations (120 cm−3 on average) of small droplets (mean values of 15 µm), with an averaged liquid water content (LWC) of 0.2 g m−3 are measured at cloud top. The ice phase dominates the microphysical properties in the lower part of the cloud and beneath it in the precipitation region (mean values of 100 µm, 3 L−1 and 0.025 g m−3 for diameter, particle concentration and ice water content (IWC), respectively). The analysis of the ice crystal morphology shows that the majority of ice particles are irregularly shaped or rimed particles; the prevailing regular habits found are stellars and plates. We hypothesize that riming and diffusional growth processes, including the Wegener–Bergeron–Findeisen (WBF) mechanism, are the main growth mechanisms involved in the observed MPCs. The impact of larger-scale meteorological conditions on the vertical profiles of MPC properties was also investigated. Large values of LWC and high concentration of smaller droplets are possibly linked to polluted situations and air mass origins from the south, which can lead to very low values of ice crystal size and IWC. On the contrary, clean situations with low temperatures exhibit larger values of ice crystal size and IWC. Several parameterizations relevant for remote sensing or modeling studies are also determined, such as IWC (and LWC) – extinction relationship, ice and liquid integrated water paths, ice concentration and liquid water fraction according to temperature.

scholarly journals Bulk microphysical properties of semi-transparent cirrus from AIRS: a six year global climatology and statistical analysis in synergy with geometrical profiling data from CloudSat-CALIPSO

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 503-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Guignard ◽  
C. J. Stubenrauch ◽  
A. J. Baran ◽  
R. Armante
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Single Scattering ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Crystal Habit ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Ice Clouds ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Temperature Range ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Ice Water

Abstract. This article presents a retrieval method and a statistical analysis of the bulk microphysical properties of semi-transparent ice clouds using the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). The method relies on spectral differences of cirrus emissivities in the 8–12 μm range and is sensitive to the effective ice crystal diameter (De) and ice water path (IWP) of up to 85 μm and 120 g m−2, respectively. An indication of the most frequent ice crystal habit in the cirrus has been obtained by using separately single scattering properties of column-like and aggregate-like ice crystals in the simulations. Uncertainties due to hypotheses on atmospheric parameters and ice crystal single scattering properties are discussed and the cirrus emissivity and temperature range for the applicability of the method are determined. To be sure that the cirrus only includes ice crystals, one has to restrict the cloud temperature range to Tcld<230 K. On a global scale, these semi-transparent ice clouds (cirrus) represent about 25% of all high clouds and are mainly encountered in the midlatitudes during winter and in the tropics, with an average De and IWP of 52 μm and 27 g m−2, respectively. A comparison with bulk microphysical properties from the TIROS-N Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) shows an agreement on global mean values. The addition of spectral information revealed improvements at the limits of the cirrus emissivity range. Collocated Radar-Lidar Geometrical Profiling (GEOPROF) data have been used to study the vertical structure of these clouds and to infer average ice water content (IWC) for cirrus with a small vertical extent. This allowed us to compare and contrast parameterizations of De as functions of IWC and IWP, respectively.

scholarly journals The origin of midlatitude ice clouds and the resulting influence on their microphysical properties

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 5793-5809 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna E. Luebke ◽  
Armin Afchine ◽  
Anja Costa ◽  
Jens-Uwe Grooß ◽  
Jessica Meyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bimodal Distribution ◽  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Ice Clouds ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal Size ◽  
Ice Water

Abstract. The radiative role of ice clouds in the atmosphere is known to be important, but uncertainties remain concerning the magnitude and net effects. However, through measurements of the microphysical properties of cirrus clouds, we can better characterize them, which can ultimately allow for their radiative properties to be more accurately ascertained. Recently, two types of cirrus clouds differing by formation mechanism and microphysical properties have been classified – in situ and liquid origin cirrus. In this study, we present observational evidence to show that two distinct types of cirrus do exist. Airborne, in situ measurements of cloud ice water content (IWC), ice crystal concentration (Nice), and ice crystal size from the 2014 ML-CIRRUS campaign provide cloud samples that have been divided according to their origin type. The key features that set liquid origin cirrus apart from the in situ origin cirrus are higher frequencies of high IWC ( > 100 ppmv), higher Nice values, and larger ice crystals. A vertical distribution of Nice shows that the in situ origin cirrus clouds exhibit a median value of around 0.1 cm−3, while the liquid origin concentrations are slightly, but notably higher. The median sizes of the crystals contributing the most mass are less than 200 µm for in situ origin cirrus, with some of the largest crystals reaching 550 µm in size. The liquid origin cirrus, on the other hand, were observed to have median diameters greater than 200 µm, and crystals that were up to 750 µm. An examination of these characteristics in relation to each other and their relationship to temperature provides strong evidence that these differences arise from the dynamics and conditions in which the ice crystals formed. Additionally, the existence of these two groups in cirrus cloud populations may explain why a bimodal distribution in the IWC-temperature relationship has been observed. We hypothesize that the low IWC mode is the result of in situ origin cirrus and the high IWC mode is the result of liquid origin cirrus.

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