An evaluation of kilometre scale ICON simulations of mixed-phase stratocumulus over the Southern Ocean during CAPRICORN

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veeramanikandan Ramadoss ◽  
Kevin Pfannkuch ◽  
Alain Protat ◽  
Yi Huang ◽  
Steven Siems ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Mixed Phase ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Wave Radiation ◽  
Shallow Convection

<p>Stratocumulus (Sc) clouds cover between 25% to 40% of the mid-latitude oceans, where they substantially cool the ocean surface. Many climate models poorly represent these marine boundary layer clouds in the lee of cold fronts in the Southern Ocean (SO), which yields a substantial underestimation of the reflection of short-wave radiation. This results in a positive mean bias of 2 K in the SO. The representation of stratocumulus clouds, cloud variability, precipitation statistics, and boundary layer dynamics within the ICON-NWP (Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic – Numerical Weather Prediction) model at the km-scale is evaluated in this study over the SO.</p> <p><br />Real case simulations forced by ERA5 are performed with a two-way nesting strategy down to a resolution of 1.2 km. The model is evaluated using the soundings, remote sensing and in-situ observations obtained during the CAPRICORN (Clouds, Aerosols, Precipitation, Radiation, and Atmospheric Composition over the Southern Ocean) field campaign that took place during March and April 2016. During two days (26 and 27 March 2016), open-cell stratocumuli were continuously observed by the shipborne radars and lidars between 47<sup>o</sup>S 144<sup>o</sup>E and 45<sup>o</sup>S 146<sup>o</sup>E (South of Tasmania). Our simulations are evaluated against the remote sensing retrievals using the forward simulated radar signatures from PAMTRA (Passive and Active Microwave TRAnsfer).</p> <p><br />The initial results show that the observed variability of various cloud fields is best captured in simulations where only shallow convection is parameterised at this scale. Furthermore, ICON-NWP captures the observed intermittency of precipitation, yet the precipitation amount is overestimated. We further analyse the sensitivity of the cloud and precipitation statistics with respect to primary and secondary ice-phase processes (such as Hallett–Mossop and collisional breakup) in ICON-NWP. Both processes have previously been shown to improve ice properties of simulated shallow mixed-phase clouds over the Southern Ocean in other models.</p>

An evaluation of kilometre scale ICON simulations of mixed-phase stratocumulus over the Southern Ocean during CAPRICORN

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veeramanikandan Ramadoss ◽  
Kevin Pfannkuch ◽  
Alain Protat ◽  
Yi Huang ◽  
Steven Siems ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Mixed Phase ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Wave Radiation ◽  
Shallow Convection

<p>Stratocumulus (Sc) clouds cover between 25% to 40% of the mid-latitude oceans, where they substantially cool the ocean surface. Many climate models poorly represent these marine boundary layer clouds in the lee of cold fronts in the Southern Ocean (SO), which yields a substantial underestimation of the reflection of short wave radiation. This results in a positive mean bias of 2K in the SO. The representation of stratocumulus clouds, cloud variability, precipitation statistics, and boundary layer dynamics within the ICON-NWP (Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic – Numerical Weather Prediction) model at the km-scale is evaluated in this study over the SO.</p><p>Real case simulations forced by ERA5 are performed with a two-way nesting strategy down to a resolution of 1.2 km. The model is evaluated using the soundings, remote sensing and in-situ observations obtained during the CAPRICORN (Clouds, Aerosols, Precipitation, Radiation, and Atmospheric Composition over the Southern Ocean) field campaign that took place during March and April 2016. During two days (26<sup>th</sup> to 27<sup>th</sup> of March 2016), open-cell stratocumuli were continuously observed by the shipborne radars and lidars between 47<sup>o</sup>S 144<sup>o</sup>E and 45<sup>o</sup>S 146<sup>o</sup>E (South of Tasmania). Our simulations are evaluated against the remote sensing retrievals using the forward simulated radar signatures from PAMTRA (Passive and Active Microwave TRAnsfer).</p><p>The initial results show that the observed variability of various cloud fields is best captured in simulations where only shallow convection is parameterised at this scale. Furthermore, ICON-NWP captures the observed intermittency of precipitation, yet the precipitation amount is overestimated. We further analyse the sensitivity of the cloud and precipitation statistics with respect to primary and secondary ice-phase processes (such as Hallett–Mossop and collisional breakup) in ICON-NWP. Both processes have previously been shown to improve ice properties of simulated shallow mixed-phase clouds over the Southern Ocean in other models. </p>

Simulating mixed-phase cloud properties with ICON around the CAPRICORN field campaign at the kilometre scale

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veeramanikandan Ramadoss ◽  
Alain Protat ◽  
Yi Huang ◽  
Steven Siems ◽  
Anna Possner
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Cold Front ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Short Wave ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Wave Radiation ◽  
Limited Area ◽  
Field Campaign ◽  
Radiative Balance

<p>Stratocumulus clouds are low-level boundary layer clouds that cover 23% of the ocean surface on a global average, with a mean coverage of 25% to 40% in the mid-latitude oceans. These clouds affect Earth's radiative balance due to their strong radiative cooling effect. Many climate models underestimate the reflection of short wave radiation over the Southern Ocean (SO) which results in a positive mean bias of 2K in the annual mean SST in the mid-latitudes of the southern hemisphere. The organization, cloud field properties and the cloud radiative effects of these clouds occur at the lee of cold front in the SO are analyzed in this study. At this conference, we will present preliminary results.<br>Real case simulations are performed in this study by using ICON - LAM (Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic - Limited Area Model) with two-way nesting domains of resolutions 4.9 km to 2.4 km to 1.2 km. The initial and lateral boundary conditions for the model are derived from IFS meteorological data. CAPRICORN (Clouds, Aerosols, Precipitation, Radiation, and Atmospheric Composition over the Southern Ocean) field campaign that took place during March and April 2016 has continuously observed the open-cell and stratocumuli using shipborne radars and lidars on 26 and 27 March 2016 at the lee of a cold front between 47ºS 144ºE and 45ºS 146ºE (South of Tasmania). The results are evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively with the shipborne observations and HIMAWARI satellite retrievals respectively.</p>

scholarly journals Determination and climatology of the planetary boundary layer height by in-situ and remote sensing methods as well as the COSMO model above the Swiss plateau

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 15419-15462 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Collaud Coen ◽  
C. Praz ◽  
A. Haefele ◽  
D. Ruffieux ◽  
P. Kaufmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Planetary Boundary Layer ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Microwave Radiometer ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Raman Lidar ◽  
Radio Sounding ◽  
Swiss Plateau

Abstract. The planetary boundary layer (PBL) height is a key parameter in air quality control and pollutant dispersion. The PBL height can however not be directly measured and its estimation relies on the analysis of the vertical profiles of the temperature, the turbulences or the atmospheric composition. An operational PBL height detection including several remote sensing instruments (windprofiler, Raman lidar, microwave radiometer) and several algorithms (Parcel and bulk Richardson number methods, surface-based temperature inversion, aerosol or humidity gradient analysis) were developed and the first year of application allowed validating these various detection methods against radio sounding measurements. The microwave radiometer provides convective boundary layer heights in good agreement with the radio sounding (median bias < 25 m, R2 > 0.70) and allows to fully analyzing the PBL height diurnal cycle due to its smaller time granularity. The Raman lidar also leads to good results whereas the windprofiler yields some more dispersed results. Comparisons with the numerical weather prediction model COSMO-2 were also established and point out a general overestimation by the model. Finally the seasonal cycles of the daytime and nighttime PBL heights are discussed for each instrument and each detection algorithm for two stations on the Swiss plateau.

The Impact of Mixed-Phase Microphysical Processes on the Turbulence in Low-level Clouds in the Arctic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Chylik ◽  
Roel Neggers
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Weather Forecast ◽  
Mixed Phase ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Microphysical Processes ◽  
The Impact

&lt;p&gt;The proper representation of Arctic mixed-phased clouds remains a challenge in both weather forecast and climate models. Amongst the contributing factors is the complexity of turbulent properties of clouds. While the effect of evaporating hydrometeors on turbulent properties of the boundary layer has been identified in other latitudes, the extent of similar studies in the Arctic has been so far limited.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Our study focus on the impact of heat release from mixed-phase microphysical processes on the turbulent properties of the convective low-level clouds in the Arctic. We &amp;#160;employ high-resolution simulations, properly constrained by relevant measurements.&lt;br&gt;Semi-idealised model cases are based on convective clouds observed during the recent campaign in the Arctic: ACLOUD, which took place May--June 2017 over Fram Strait. The simulations are performed in Dutch Atmospheric Large Eddy Simulation (DALES) with double-moment mixed-phase microphysics scheme of Seifert &amp; Beheng.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The results indicate an enhancement of boundary layer turbulence is some convective regimes.&lt;br&gt;Furthermore, results are sensitive to aerosols concentrations. Additional implications for the role of mixed-phase clouds in the Arctic Amplification will be discussed.&lt;/p&gt;

Did tropical precipitation improve in CMIP6 simulations?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Fiedler ◽  
Traute Crueger ◽  
Roberta D’Agostino ◽  
Karsten Peters ◽  
Tobias Becker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Models ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Internal Variability ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Tropical Precipitation ◽  
General Aspects

&lt;p&gt;Climate models are known to have biases in tropical precipitation. We assessed to what extent simulations of tropical precipitation have improved in the new Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) phase six, using state-of-the-art observational products and model results from the earlier CMIP phases three and five. We characterize tropical precipitation with different well-established metrics. Our assessment includes (1) general aspects of the mean climatology like precipitation associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone and shallow cloud regimes in the tropics, (2) solar radiative effects including the summer monsoons and the time of occurrence of tropical precipitation in the course of the day, (3) modes of internal variability such as the Madden-Julian Oscillation and the El Ni&amp;#241;o Southern Oscillation, and (4) changes in the course of the 20th century. The results point to improvements of CMIP6 models for some metrics, e.g., the occurrence of drizzle events and consecutive dry days. However, no improvements of CMIP6 models are identified for other aspects of tropical precipitation. These include the area and intensity of the global summer monsoon as well as the diurnal cycle of the tropical precipitation amount, frequency and intensity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;All our metrics taken together, CMIP6 models show no systematic improvement of tropical precipitation across different temporal and spatial scales. The model biases in the spatial distribution of tropical precipitation are typically larger than the changes associated with anthropogenic warming. Given the pace of climate change as compared to the pace of climate model improvements, we suggest to use novel modeling approaches to understand the responseof tropical precipitation to changes in atmospheric composition.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Mixed‐phase cloud physics and Southern Ocean cloud feedback in climate models

2015 ◽  
Vol 120 (18) ◽  
pp. 9539-9554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel T. McCoy ◽  
Dennis L. Hartmann ◽  
Mark D. Zelinka ◽  
Paulo Ceppi ◽  
Daniel P. Grosvenor
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Cloud Feedback ◽  
Mixed Phase ◽  
Cloud Physics

scholarly journals The Plant–Craig Stochastic Convection Scheme in ICON and Its Scale Adaptivity

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (9) ◽  
pp. 3404-3415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Keane ◽  
George C. Craig ◽  
Christian Keil ◽  
Günther Zängl
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Numerical Weather Prediction ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Precipitation Variability ◽  
Convection Scheme ◽  
Numerical Weather ◽  
Multiple Resolutions ◽  
Input Variables

Abstract The emergence of numerical weather prediction and climate models with multiple or variable resolutions requires that their parameterizations adapt correctly, with consistent increases in variability as resolution increases. In this study, the stochastic convection scheme of Plant and Craig is tested in the Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic GCM (ICON), which is planned to be used with multiple resolutions. The model is run in an aquaplanet configuration with horizontal resolutions of 160, 80, and 40 km, and frequency histograms of 6-h accumulated precipitation amount are compared. Precipitation variability is found to increase substantially at high resolution, in contrast to results using two reference deterministic schemes in which the distribution is approximately independent of resolution. The consistent scaling of the stochastic scheme with changing resolution is demonstrated by averaging the precipitation fields from the 40- and 80-km runs to the 160-km grid, showing that the variability is then the same as that obtained from the 160-km model run. It is shown that upscale averaging of the input variables for the convective closure is important for producing consistent variability at high resolution.

scholarly journals Large-Eddy Simulation of Post-Cold-Frontal Continental Stratocumulus

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (12) ◽  
pp. 3835-3853 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Mechem ◽  
Yefim L. Kogan ◽  
David M. Schultz
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Vertical Motion ◽  
Surface Fluxes ◽  
Synoptic Scale ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Turbulent Statistics ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Stratocumulus Clouds

Abstract Previous large-eddy simulations (LES) of stratocumulus-topped boundary layers have been exclusively set in marine environments. Boundary layer stratocumulus clouds are also prevalent over the continent but have not been simulated previously. A suite of LES runs was performed for a case of continental post-cold-frontal stratocumulus observed by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) Climate Research Facility (ACRF), located in northern Oklahoma. Comparison with fixed, ground-based sensors necessitated an Eulerian approach in which it was necessary to supply to the model estimates of synoptic-scale advection and vertical motion, particularly given the quickly evolving, baroclinic nature of the synoptic environment. Initial analyses from the Rapid Update Cycle model supplied estimates for these forcing terms. Turbulent statistics calculated from the LES results are consistent with large-eddy observations obtained from millimeter-wave cloud radar. The magnitude of turbulence is weaker than in typical marine stratocumulus, a result attributed to highly decoupled cloud and subcloud circulations associated with a deep layer of negative buoyancy flux arising from the entrainment of warm, free-tropospheric air. Model results are highly sensitive to variations in advection of temperature and moisture and much less sensitive to changes in synoptic-scale vertical velocity and surface fluxes. For this case, moisture and temperature advection, rather than entrainment, tend to be the governing factors in the analyzed cloud system maintenance and decay. Typical boundary layer entrainment scalings applied to this case do not perform very well, a result attributed to the highly decoupled nature of the circulation. Shear production is an important part of the turbulent kinetic energy budget. The dominance of advection provides an optimistic outlook for mesoscale, numerical weather prediction, and climate models because these classes of models represent these grid-scale processes better than they do subgrid-scale processes such as entrainment.

scholarly journals Hemispheric contrasts in ice formation in stratiform mixed-phase clouds: disentangling the role of aerosol and dynamics with ground-based remote sensing

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (23) ◽  
pp. 17969-17994
Author(s):  
Martin Radenz ◽  
Johannes Bühl ◽  
Patric Seifert ◽  
Holger Baars ◽  
Ronny Engelmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Detection Threshold ◽  
Cloud Microphysics ◽  
Mixed Phase ◽  
Ice Formation ◽  
Absolute Difference ◽  
Optical Parameters ◽  
Mixed Phase Clouds

Abstract. Multi-year ground-based remote-sensing datasets were acquired with the Leipzig Aerosol and Cloud Remote Observations System (LACROS) at three sites. A highly polluted central European site (Leipzig, Germany), a polluted and strongly dust-influenced eastern Mediterranean site (Limassol, Cyprus), and a clean marine site in the southern midlatitudes (Punta Arenas, Chile) are used to contrast ice formation in shallow stratiform liquid clouds. These unique, long-term datasets in key regions of aerosol–cloud interaction provide a deeper insight into cloud microphysics. The influence of temperature, aerosol load, boundary layer coupling, and gravity wave motion on ice formation is investigated. With respect to previous studies of regional contrasts in the properties of mixed-phase clouds, our study contributes the following new aspects: (1) sampling aerosol optical parameters as a function of temperature, the average backscatter coefficient at supercooled conditions is within a factor of 3 at all three sites. (2) Ice formation was found to be more frequent for cloud layers with cloud top temperatures above -15∘C than indicated by prior lidar-only studies at all sites. A virtual lidar detection threshold of ice water content (IWC) needs to be considered in order to bring radar–lidar-based studies in agreement with lidar-only studies. (3) At similar temperatures, cloud layers which are coupled to the aerosol-laden boundary layer show more intense ice formation than decoupled clouds. (4) Liquid layers formed by gravity waves were found to bias the phase occurrence statistics below -15∘C. By applying a novel gravity wave detection approach using vertical velocity observations within the liquid-dominated cloud top, wave clouds can be classified and excluded from the statistics. After considering boundary layer and gravity wave influences, Punta Arenas shows lower fractions of ice-containing clouds by 0.1 to 0.4 absolute difference at temperatures between −24 and -8∘C. These differences are potentially caused by the contrast in the ice-nucleating particle (INP) reservoir between the different sites.

scholarly journals Observations of clouds, aerosols, precipitation, and surface radiation over the Southern Ocean: An overview of CAPRICORN, MARCUS, MICRE and SOCRATES

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg M. McFarquhar ◽  
Chris Bretherton ◽  
Roger Marchand ◽  
Alain Protat ◽  
Paul J. DeMott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Polar Front ◽  
Mixed Phase ◽  
Surface Radiation ◽  
Energy Budgets ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Radiative Processes

AbstractWeather and climate models are challenged by uncertainties and biases in simulating Southern Ocean (SO) radiative fluxes that trace to a poor understanding of cloud, aerosol, precipitation and radiative processes, and their interactions. Projects between 2016 and 2018 used in-situ probes, radar, lidar and other instruments to make comprehensive measurements of thermodynamics, surface radiation, cloud, precipitation, aerosol, cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and ice nucleating particles over the SO cold waters, and in ubiquitous liquid and mixed-phase cloudsnucleating particles over the SO cold waters, and in ubiquitous liquid and mixed-phase clouds common to this pristine environment. Data including soundings were collected from the NSF/NCAR G-V aircraft flying north-south gradients south of Tasmania, at Macquarie Island, and on the RV Investigator and RSV Aurora Australis. Synergistically these data characterize boundary layer and free troposphere environmental properties, and represent the most comprehensive data of this type available south of the oceanic polar front, in the cold sector of SO cyclones, and across seasons.Results show a largely pristine environments with numerous small and few large aerosols above cloud, suggesting new particle formation and limited long-range transport from continents, high variability in CCN and cloud droplet concentrations, and ubiquitous supercooled water in thin, multi-layered clouds, often with small-scale generating cells near cloud top. These observations demonstrate how cloud properties depend on aerosols while highlighting the importance of confirmed low clouds were responsible for radiation biases. The combination of models and observations is examining how aerosols and meteorology couple to control SO water and energy budgets.

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