scholarly journals The scientific basis for a satellite mission to retrieve CCN concentrations and their impacts on convective clouds

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 2039-2055 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Rosenfeld ◽  
E. Williams ◽  
M. O. Andreae ◽  
E. Freud ◽  
U. Pöschl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Satellite Measurements ◽  
Satellite Mission ◽  
Cloud Drop ◽  
Aerosol Radiative Forcing ◽  
Convective Clouds ◽  
Synchronous Orbit

Abstract. The cloud-mediated aerosol radiative forcing is widely recognized as the main source of uncertainty in our knowledge of the anthropogenic forcing on climate. The current challenges for improving our understanding are (1) global measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) in the cloudy boundary layer from space, and (2) disentangling the effects of aerosols from the thermodynamic and meteorological effects on the clouds. Here, we present a new conceptual framework to help us overcome these two challenges, using relatively simple passive satellite measurements in the visible and infared (IR). The idea is to use the clouds themselves as natural CCN chambers by retrieving simultaneously the number of activated aerosols at cloud base, Na, and the cloud base updraft speed. The Na is obtained by analyzing the distribution of cloud drop effective radius in convective elements as a function of distance above cloud base. The cloud base updraft velocities are estimated by double stereoscopic viewing and tracking of the evolution of cloud surface features just above cloud base. In order to resolve the vertical dimension of the clouds, the field of view will be 100 m for the microphysical retrievals, and 50 m for the stereoscopic measurements. The viewing geometry will be eastward and 30 degrees off nadir, with the Sun in the back at 30 degrees off zenith westward, requiring a Sun-synchronous orbit at 14 LST. Measuring simultaneously the thermodynamic environment, the vertical motions of the clouds, their microstructure and the CCN concentration will allow separating the dynamics from the CCN effects. This concept is being applied in the proposed satellite mission named Clouds, Hazards and Aerosols Survey for Earth Researchers (CHASER).

scholarly journals The scientific basis for a satellite mission to retrieve CCN concentrations and their impacts on convective clouds

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1317-1354 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Rosenfeld ◽  
E. Williams ◽  
M. O. Andreae ◽  
E. Freud ◽  
U. Pöschl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Climate Forcing ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Satellite Measurements ◽  
Satellite Mission ◽  
Cloud Drop ◽  
Convective Clouds ◽  
Synchronous Orbit

Abstract. The cloud -mediated radiative forcing is widely recognized as the main source of uncertainty in our knowledge of the anthropogenic climate forcing and in our understanding of climate sensitivity. Current outstanding challenges are (1) global measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) in the cloudy boundary layer from space, and, (2) disentangling the effects of aerosols from the thermodynamic and meteorological effects on the clouds. Here we present a new concept for a way to overcome these two challenges, using relatively simple passive satellite measurements in the visible and IR. The idea is to use the clouds themselves as natural CCN chambers by retrieving simultaneously the number of activated aerosols at cloud base, Na, and the cloud base updraft speed. The Na is obtained by analyzing the distribution of cloud drop effective radius in convective elements as a function distance above cloud base. The cloud base updraft velocities are estimated by double stereoscopic viewing and tracking of the evolution of cloud surface features just above cloud base. In order to resolve the vertical dimension of the clouds, the field of view will be 100 m for the microphysical retrievals, and 50 m for the stereoscopic measurements. The viewing geometry will be 30 degrees off nadir eastward, with the Sun in the back at 30 degrees off zenith westward, which requires a Sun synchronous orbit at 14:00 LST. Having measured simultaneously the thermodynamic environment, the vertical motions of the clouds, their microstructure and the CCN concentration will allow separating the dynamic from the CCN effects. This concept is being applied in the proposed satellite mission named Clouds, Hazards and Aerosols Survey for Earth Researchers (CHASER).

scholarly journals Automated Mapping of Convective Clouds (AMCC) Thermodynamical, Microphysical, and CCN Properties from SNPP/VIIRS Satellite Data

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 887-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiguo Yue ◽  
Daniel Rosenfeld ◽  
Guihua Liu ◽  
Jin Dai ◽  
Xing Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Models ◽  
Weather Forecasting ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Convective Cloud ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Base Temperature ◽  
Cloud Drop ◽  
Automated Mapping ◽  
Convective Clouds

AbstractThe advent of the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on board the Suomi NPP (SNPP) satellite made it possible to retrieve a new class of convective cloud properties and the aerosols that they ingest. An automated mapping system of retrieval of some properties of convective cloud fields over large areas at the scale of satellite coverage was developed and is presented here. The system is named Automated Mapping of Convective Clouds (AMCC). The input is level-1 VIIRS data and meteorological gridded data. AMCC identifies the cloudy pixels of convective elements; retrieves for each pixel its temperature T and cloud drop effective radius re; calculates cloud-base temperature Tb based on the warmest cloudy pixels; calculates cloud-base height Hb and pressure Pb based on Tb and meteorological data; calculates cloud-base updraft Wb based on Hb; calculates cloud-base adiabatic cloud drop concentrations Nd,a based on the T–re relationship, Tb, and Pb; calculates cloud-base maximum vapor supersaturation S based on Nd,a and Wb; and defines Nd,a/1.3 as the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentration NCCN at that S. The results are gridded 36 km × 36 km data points at nadir, which are sufficiently large to capture the properties of a field of convective clouds and also sufficiently small to capture aerosol and dynamic perturbations at this scale, such as urban and land-use features. The results of AMCC are instrumental in observing spatial covariability in clouds and CCN properties and for obtaining insights from such observations for natural and man-made causes. AMCC-generated maps are also useful for applications from numerical weather forecasting to climate models.

scholarly journals Comparing parameterized versus measured microphysical properties of tropical convective cloud bases during the ACRIDICON–CHUVA campaign

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 7365-7386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramon Campos Braga ◽  
Daniel Rosenfeld ◽  
Ralf Weigel ◽  
Tina Jurkat ◽  
Meinrat O. Andreae ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Convective Cloud ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Aircraft Measurements ◽  
Cloud Drop ◽  
Convective Clouds ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Cloud Water Content ◽  
Satellite Retrievals ◽  
Vertical Evolution

Abstract. The objective of this study is to validate parameterizations that were recently developed for satellite retrievals of cloud condensation nuclei supersaturation spectra, NCCN(S), at cloud base alongside more traditional parameterizations connecting NCCN(S) with cloud base updrafts and drop concentrations. This was based on the HALO aircraft measurements during the ACRIDICON–CHUVA campaign over the Amazon region, which took place in September 2014. The properties of convective clouds were measured with a cloud combination probe (CCP), a cloud and aerosol spectrometer (CAS-DPOL), and a CCN counter onboard the HALO aircraft. An intercomparison of the cloud drop size distributions (DSDs) and the cloud water content (CWC) derived from the different instruments generally shows good agreement within the instrumental uncertainties. To this end, the directly measured cloud drop concentrations (Nd) near cloud base were compared with inferred values based on the measured cloud base updraft velocity (Wb) and NCCN(S) spectra. The measurements of Nd at cloud base were also compared with drop concentrations (Na) derived on the basis of an adiabatic assumption and obtained from the vertical evolution of cloud drop effective radius (re) above cloud base. The measurements of NCCN(S) and Wb reproduced the observed Nd within the measurements uncertainties when the old (1959) Twomey's parameterization was used. The agreement between the measured and calculated Nd was only within a factor of 2 with attempts to use cloud base S, as obtained from the measured Wb, Nd, and NCCN(S). This underscores the yet unresolved challenge of aircraft measurements of S in clouds. Importantly, the vertical evolution of re with height reproduced the observation-based nearly adiabatic cloud base drop concentrations, Na. The combination of these results provides aircraft observational support for the various components of the satellite-retrieved methodology that was recently developed to retrieve NCCN(S) under the base of convective clouds. This parameterization can now be applied with the proper qualifications to cloud simulations and satellite retrievals.

scholarly journals Satellite retrieval of cloud condensation nuclei concentrations by using clouds as CCN chambers

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (21) ◽  
pp. 5828-5834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Rosenfeld ◽  
Youtong Zheng ◽  
Eyal Hashimshoni ◽  
Mira L. Pöhlker ◽  
Anne Jefferson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosol ◽  
Convective Clouds ◽  
Aerosol Cloud ◽  
High Uncertainty

Quantifying the aerosol/cloud-mediated radiative effect at a global scale requires simultaneous satellite retrievals of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations and cloud base updraft velocities (Wb). Hitherto, the inability to do so has been a major cause of high uncertainty regarding anthropogenic aerosol/cloud-mediated radiative forcing. This can be addressed by the emerging capability of estimating CCN and Wb of boundary layer convective clouds from an operational polar orbiting weather satellite. Our methodology uses such clouds as an effective analog for CCN chambers. The cloud base supersaturation (S) is determined by Wb and the satellite-retrieved cloud base drop concentrations (Ndb), which is the same as CCN(S). Validation against ground-based CCN instruments at Oklahoma, at Manaus, and onboard a ship in the northeast Pacific showed a retrieval accuracy of ±25% to ±30% for individual satellite overpasses. The methodology is presently limited to boundary layer not raining convective clouds of at least 1 km depth that are not obscured by upper layer clouds, including semitransparent cirrus. The limitation for small solar backscattering angles of <25° restricts the satellite coverage to ∼25% of the world area in a single day.

scholarly journals Comparing calculated microphysical properties of tropical convective clouds at cloud base with measurements during the ACRIDICON-CHUVA campaign

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramon Campos Braga ◽  
Daniel Rosenfeld ◽  
Ralf Weigel ◽  
Tina Jurkat ◽  
Meinrat O. Andreae ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Convective Cloud ◽  
Cloud Formation ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Cloud Drop ◽  
Convective Clouds ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Vertical Evolution ◽  
Good Agreement

Abstract. Reliable aircraft measurements of cloud microphysical properties are essential for understanding liquid convective cloud formation. In September 2014, the properties of convective clouds were measured with a Cloud Combination Probe (CCP), a Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS-DPOL), and a cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) counter on board the HALO (High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft) aircraft during the ACRIDICON-CHUVA campaign over the Amazon region. An intercomparison of the cloud drop size distributions (DSDs) and the cloud water content derived from the different instruments generally shows good agreement within the instrumental uncertainties. The objective of this study is to validate several parameterizations for liquid cloud formation in tropical convection. To this end the directly measured cloud drop concentrations (Nd) near cloud base were compared with inferred values based on the measured cloud base updraft velocity (Wb) and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) vs. supersaturation (S) spectra. The measurements of Nd at cloud base were also compared with drop concentrations (Na) derived on the basis of an adiabatic assumption and obtained from the vertical evolution of cloud drop effective radius (re) above cloud base. The results demonstrate agreement of the measured and theoretically expected values of Nd based on CCN, S, Wb at cloud base, and the height profile of re. The measurements of NCCN(S) and Wb did reproduce the observed Nd. Furthermore, the vertical evolution of re with height reproduced the observation-based nearly adiabatic cloud base drop concentrations, Na. Achieving such good agreement is possible only with accurate measurements of DSDs. This agreement supports the validity of the applied parameterizations for continental convective cloud evolution, which now can be used more confidently in simulations and satellite retrievals.

scholarly journals A Satellite-Based Parameter to Monitor the Aerosol Impact on Convective Clouds

2007 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 660-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itamar M. Lensky ◽  
Ron Drori
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Urban Air Pollution ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Urban Pollution ◽  
Convective Cloud ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Suppression Effect ◽  
Convective Clouds

Abstract A method to monitor the aerosol impact on convective clouds using satellite data is presented. The impacts of forest fires and highly polluting megacities on cloud precipitation formation processes are quantified by the vertical extent above cloud base to which convective cloud tops have to develop for onset of precipitation in terms of temperature difference D15. Large D15 is a manifestation of the precipitation suppression effect of small cloud condensation nuclei aerosols that elevate the altitude where effective precipitation processes are initiated. A warmer land surface with a greater sensible heat flux that increases the updraft velocity at cloud base may also contribute to the same effect. Therefore, D15 is greater for clouds that develop over more polluted and/or warmer surfaces that result from smoke and urban pollution and/or urban heat island, respectively. The precipitation suppression effects of both smoke from forest fires and urban effects can be vividly seen in a case study over Southeast Asia. Typical values of D15 are 1°–6°C for tropical maritime clouds, 8°–15°C for tropical clouds over land, 16°–26°C for urban air pollution, and 18°–39°C for clouds ingesting smoke from forest fires.

scholarly journals Aerosol measurements during COPE: composition, size, and sources of CCN and INPs at the interface between marine and terrestrial influences

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (18) ◽  
pp. 11687-11709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan W. Taylor ◽  
Thomas W. Choularton ◽  
Alan M. Blyth ◽  
Michael J. Flynn ◽  
Paul I. Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Convective Cloud ◽  
Cloud Formation ◽  
Convective Precipitation ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Sea Spray ◽  
Cloud Drop ◽  
Aerosol Mass ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
The Uk

Abstract. Heavy rainfall from convective clouds can lead to devastating flash flooding, and observations of aerosols and clouds are required to improve cloud parameterisations used in precipitation forecasts. We present measurements of boundary layer aerosol concentration, size, and composition from a series of research flights performed over the southwest peninsula of the UK during the COnvective Precipitation Experiment (COPE) of summer 2013. We place emphasis on periods of southwesterly winds, which locally are most conducive to convective cloud formation, when marine air from the Atlantic reached the peninsula. Accumulation-mode aerosol mass loadings were typically 2–3 µg m−3 (corrected to standard cubic metres at 1013.25 hPa and 273.15 K), the majority of which was sulfuric acid over the sea, or ammonium sulfate inland, as terrestrial ammonia sources neutralised the aerosol. The cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations in these conditions were  ∼  150–280 cm−3 at 0.1 % and 400–500 cm−3 at 0.9 % supersaturation (SST), which are in good agreement with previous Atlantic measurements, and the cloud drop concentrations at cloud base ranged from 100 to 500 cm−3. The concentration of CCN at 0.1 % SST was well correlated with non-sea-salt sulfate, meaning marine sulfate formation was likely the main source of CCN. Marine organic aerosol (OA) had a similar mass spectrum to previous measurements of sea spray OA and was poorly correlated with CCN. In one case study that was significantly different to the rest, polluted anthropogenic emissions from the southern and central UK advected to the peninsula, with significant enhancements of OA, ammonium nitrate and sulfate, and black carbon. The CCN concentrations here were around 6 times higher than in the clean cases, and the cloud drop number concentrations were 3–4 times higher. Sources of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) were assessed by comparing different parameterisations used to predict INP concentrations, using measured aerosol concentrations as input. The parameterisations based on total aerosol produced INP concentrations that agreed within an order of magnitude with measured first ice concentrations at cloud temperatures as low as −12 °C. Composition-specific parameterisations for mineral dust, fluorescent particles, and sea spray OA were 3–4 orders of magnitude lower than the measured first ice concentrations, meaning a source of INPs was present that was not characterised by our measurements and/or one or more of the composition-specific parameterisations greatly underestimated INPs in this environment.

scholarly journals CHASER: An Innovative Satellite Mission Concept to Measure the Effects of Aerosols on Clouds and Climate

2013 ◽  
Vol 94 (5) ◽  
pp. 685-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nilton O. Rennó ◽  
Earle Williams ◽  
Daniel Rosenfeld ◽  
David G. Fischer ◽  
Jürgen Fischer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Aerosol Particles ◽  
Satellite Mission ◽  
Cloud Droplets ◽  
Cloud Particle ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Fundamental Process ◽  
A New Technique

The formation of cloud droplets on aerosol particles, technically known as the activation of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), is the fundamental process driving the interactions of aerosols with clouds and precipitation. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Decadal Survey indicate that the uncertainty in how clouds adjust to aerosol perturbations dominates the uncertainty in the overall quantification of the radiative forcing attributable to human activities. Measurements by current satellites allow the determination of crude profiles of cloud particle size, but not of the activated CCN that seed them. The Clouds, Hazards, and Aerosols Survey for Earth Researchers (CHASER) mission concept responds to the IPCC and Decadal Survey concerns, utilizing a new technique and high-heritage instruments to measure all the quantities necessary to produce the first global survey maps of activated CCN and the properties of the clouds associated with them. CHASER also determines the activated CCN concentration and cloud thermodynamic forcing simultaneously, allowing the effects of each to be distinguished.

scholarly journals Reduced anthropogenic aerosol radiative forcing caused by biogenic new particle formation

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (43) ◽  
pp. 12053-12058 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamish Gordon ◽  
Kamalika Sengupta ◽  
Alexandru Rap ◽  
Jonathan Duplissy ◽  
Carla Frege ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Particle Formation ◽  
Lower Atmosphere ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosols ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosol ◽  
Aerosol Radiative Forcing ◽  
Cloud Albedo ◽  
Aerosol Radiative

The magnitude of aerosol radiative forcing caused by anthropogenic emissions depends on the baseline state of the atmosphere under pristine preindustrial conditions. Measurements show that particle formation in atmospheric conditions can occur solely from biogenic vapors. Here, we evaluate the potential effect of this source of particles on preindustrial cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations and aerosol–cloud radiative forcing over the industrial period. Model simulations show that the pure biogenic particle formation mechanism has a much larger relative effect on CCN concentrations in the preindustrial atmosphere than in the present atmosphere because of the lower aerosol concentrations. Consequently, preindustrial cloud albedo is increased more than under present day conditions, and therefore the cooling forcing of anthropogenic aerosols is reduced. The mechanism increases CCN concentrations by 20–100% over a large fraction of the preindustrial lower atmosphere, and the magnitude of annual global mean radiative forcing caused by changes of cloud albedo since 1750 is reduced by 0.22 W m−2 (27%) to −0.60 W m−2. Model uncertainties, relatively slow formation rates, and limited available ambient measurements make it difficult to establish the significance of a mechanism that has its dominant effect under preindustrial conditions. Our simulations predict more particle formation in the Amazon than is observed. However, the first observation of pure organic nucleation has now been reported for the free troposphere. Given the potentially significant effect on anthropogenic forcing, effort should be made to better understand such naturally driven aerosol processes.

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