Demistify: a large-eddy simulation (LES) and single-column model (SCM) intercomparison of radiation fog

An intercomparison between 10 single-column (SCM) and 5 large-eddy simulation (LES) models is presented for a radiation fog case study inspired by the Local and Non-local Fog Experiment (LANFEX) field campaign. Seven of the SCMs represent single-column equivalents of operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, whilst three are research-grade SCMs designed for fog simulation, and the LESs are designed to reproduce in the best manner currently possible the underlying physical processes governing fog formation. The LES model results are of variable quality and do not provide a consistent baseline against which to compare the NWP models, particularly under high aerosol or cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) conditions. The main SCM bias appears to be toward the overdevelopment of fog, i.e. fog which is too thick, although the inter-model variability is large. In reality there is a subtle balance between water lost to the surface and water condensed into fog, and the ability of a model to accurately simulate this process strongly determines the quality of its forecast. Some NWP SCMs do not represent fundamental components of this process (e.g. cloud droplet sedimentation) and therefore are naturally hampered in their ability to deliver accurate simulations. Finally, we show that modelled fog development is as sensitive to the shape of the cloud droplet size distribution, a rarely studied or modified part of the microphysical parameterisation, as it is to the underlying aerosol or CDNC.

Radiation fog viewed by INSAT – 1 D and Kalpana Geo - Stationary satellite

The intense, long-spell and synoptic scale fog over north India has been studied using Very High Resolution Radiometer (V.H.R.R.) visible imageries of INSAT-1D and Kalpana Geo-Stationary satellites. The intensity, coverage and characteristics of fog seen in satellite imageries are found to be in conformity with the ground –based surface meteorological observations. The unusually long spell fog formations have been explained using maximum temperature and relative humidity anomalies of I.G.I Airport, New Delhi, Amousi Airport, Lucknow, Babatpur Airport, Varanasi and Rajasansi Airport, Amritsar. Atmospheric stability of very high order was seen in the lower part of the atmosphere at Delhi creating favourable condition for the formation of intense and long-spell fog. The relation between Wetness Index derived based on Basist study (1998) using 19, 37 and 85 GHz frequency channels of Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) onboard Defense Meteorological Satellite Programme (DMSP) satellite and fog duration were studied.

Radiation fog over north India during winter from 1989-2004

Lkkj & bl 'kks/k-i= esa rsjg gokbZ vM~Mksa ds orZeku ekSle laca/kh vk¡dMksa dk mi;ksx djrs gq, mÙkjh Hkkjr esa fofdj.k ;qDr dksgjs dk v/;;u fd;k x;k gSA gky gh ds o"kksZa esa Hkkjr ds mÙkjh Hkkxksa esa dksgjs dh mRifÙk esa cgqr vf/kd o`f) ik;h xbZ gSA pw¡fd bafnjk xk¡/kh vUrjjk"Vªh; ¼vkbZ- th- vkbZ-½ gokbZ vM~Ms dh o"kZ 1997&1998] 1998&1999] 1999&2000] 2000&2001] 2001&2002] 2002&2003 vkSj 2003&2004 ds nkSjku dqy 900 mM+kuksa ds ekxZ cnys x,A blfy, bl gokbZ vM~Ms ds oSekfudh izpkyuksa ij iM+s dksgjs ds izfrdwy izHkko dk v/;;u fd;k x;k gSA bafnjk xk¡/kh gokbZ vM~Ms ij dSV&I, dSV&II vkSj dSV&III izpkyuksa ds fy, foekuksa dks mrkjus esa lgk;d vR;f/kd l{ke midj.k iz.kkyh vkbZ- ,y- ,l- miyC/k djkbZ xbZ gSA bl 'kks/k&i= esa xr iUnzg o"kksZa ds LdksiksxzkQksa ifjdfyr de n`’;rk okys izpkyuksa ds fy, vko’;d juos dh n`’; jsatksa vkj- oh- vkj- dh mi;ksfxrk ij fopkj&foe’kZ fd;k x;k gSA mixzg }kjk dksgjs ij fd, x, izs{k.kksa dk /kjkryh; izs{k.kksa ds lkFk lgh rkyesy ik;k x;k gSA mixzg ls izkIr gq, fp= bl ckr dk izek.k gSa fd o"kZ 1998&1999 ds nkSjku mŸkjh Hkkjr esa vR;f/kd l?ku dksgjk vjc lkxj esa cus izpaM pØokr ls vR;f/kd ek=k esa vknzZrk ds izokg ds dkj.k cuk FkkA bl 'kks/k-i= esa bafnjk xk¡/kh gokbZ vM~Mk] y[kuÅ gokbZ vM~Mk] okjk.klh gokbZ vM~Mk vkSj ve`rlj gokbZ vM~Mk ij dksgjs ds nkSjku vf/kdre rkieku vkSj lkisf{kd vknzZrk dh folaxfr;ksa ds e/; laca/k dk irk yxkus dk Hkh iz;kl fd;k x;k gSA Radiation fog over north India has been studied using current weather data of thirteen airports. There has been a tremendous increase in the fog formation over northern parts of India in recent years. An attempt has been made to study the adverse impact of fog on aeronautical operations at Indira Gandhi International (I.G.I.) airport as total number of flights diverted during 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04 were about 900. I.G.I. airport is provided with a very efficient Instrument Landing System (ILS) for Cat-I, Cat-II and Cat-III operations. The utility of Runway Visual Ranges (RVRs) required for low visibility operations, calculated from skopographs, for the last fifteen years, has been discussed. Satellite observations on fog have been found to be in fair agreement with the surface observations. Most catastrophic fog formations, which occurred over north India during 1998-99, were found to be due to the enormous amount moisture flow from a severe cyclone formed in the Arabian Sea as evidenced in satellite imagery. An attempt has also been made to establish a relation of maximum temperature and Relative Humidity anomaly with the duration of fog at I.G.I. airport, Lucknow airport, Varanasi airport and Amritsar airport.

Demistify: an LES and SCM intercomparison of radiation fog

An intercomparison between 10 single-column (SCM) and 5 large-eddy simulation (LES) models is presented for a radiation fog case study inspired by the LANFEX field campaign. 7 of the SCMs represent single-column equivalents of operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, whilst 3 are research-grade SCMs designed for fog simulation, and the LES are designed to reproduce in the best manner currently possible the underlying physical processes governing fog formation. The LES model results are of variable quality, and do not provide a consistent baseline against which to compare the NWP models, particularly under high aerosol or cloud droplet number (CDNC) conditions. The main SCM bias appears to be toward over-development of fog, i.e. fog which is too thick, although the inter-model variability is large. In reality there is a subtle balance between water lost to the surface and water condensed into fog, and the ability of a model to accurately simulate this process strongly determines the quality of its forecast. Some NWP-SCMs do not represent fundamental components of this process (e.g. cloud droplet sedimentation) and therefore are naturally hampered in their ability to deliver accurate simulations. Finally, we show that modelled fog development is as sensitive to the shape of the cloud droplet size distribution, a rarely studied or modified part of the microphysical parametrization, as it is to the underlying aerosol or CDNC.

Fog Measurements with IR Whole Sky Imager and Doppler Lidar, Combined with In Situ Instruments

This study describes comprehensive measurements performed for four consecutive nights during a regional-scale radiation fog event in Israel’s central and southern areas in January 2021. Our data included both in situ measurements of droplets size distribution, visibility range, and meteorological parameters and remote sensing with a thermal IR Whole Sky Imager and a Doppler Lidar. This work is the first extensive field campaign aimed to characterize fog properties in Israel and is a pioneer endeavor that encompasses simultaneous remote sensing measurements and analysis of a fog event with a thermal IR Whole Sky Imager. Radiation fog, as monitored by the sensor’s field of view, reveals three distinctive properties that make it possible to identify it. First, it exhibits an azimuthal symmetrical shape during the buildup phase. Second, the zenith brightness temperature is very close to the ground-level air temperature. Lastly, the rate of increase in cloud cover up to a completely overcast sky is very fast. Additionally, we validated the use of a Doppler Lidar as a tool for monitoring fog by proving that the measured backscatter-attenuation vertical profile agrees with the calculation of the Lidar equation fed with data measured by in situ instruments. It is shown that fog can be monitored by those two, off-the-shelf-stand-off-sensing technologies that were not originally designed for fog purposes. It enables the monitoring of fog properties such as type, evolution with time and vertical depth, and opens the path for future works of studying the different types of fog events.

Influence of nighttime radiation fog on the development of the daily boundary layer: An large eddy simulation study

<p>Apart from hazards associated with deep fog, its presence significantly alters the properties of the nocturnal boundary layer (NBL). <br>The NBL is typically characterized by a stable stratification resulting in weak or sometimes intermittent turbulence. <br>In contrast, the NBL during deep fog is often convective, as for the longwave radiation optical thick fog layer, the net radiative loss takes place at the fog top, destabilizing the atmosphere from above.<br>Therefore, processes as modified longwave cooling, shortwave absorption, turbulent mixing, reduction of the total water content through droplet settling or modified dewfall, is able to induce differences between the stable NBL (SNBL) and foggy NBL. <br>Albeit after sunrise the SNBL is quickly transformed into a convective boundary layer (CBL), properties of the NBL are transferred into the day and affect the CBL. <br>Even though fundamental and applied research have significantly improved fog forecasts and contributed to a broader and deeper understanding at the process-level in the last decades, common numerical weather prediction (NWP) models still miss a significant amount of fog events.<br>A number of complex small-scale processes (such as turbulent mixing, land-atmosphere interactions, aerosol and cloud microphysics and radiation) interacting on different scales have to be correctly resolved or parameterized.<br>Likewise, the prerequisite formation conditions must be presented precisely as they are highly sensitive to slight changes in temperature, humidity or soil moisture, entailing that even small biases in the forcing data could lead to an incorrect representation of subtle supersaturations and might result in failing to predict fog.</p><p>Thus, we will present in this talk results of idealized large eddy simulations pairs (with and without the possibility to form fog) covering the diurnal cycle based on a typical fog event observed in Cabauw considering radiative conditions between February and April. <br>As we performed several parameter studies we will demonstrate, that the CBL in cases without fog is warmer and obtain higher inversion heights than in simulations with fog during night.<br>Further, we show that this temperature deviations are mainly driven by an stronger integrated  longwave cooling during night in the foggy cases.<br>Moreover, we identified the liquid water path as a crucial parameter determining the strength of the fog impact on CBL development. </p>