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Case Study Example 29 August 2008 From the Cloud Radar Perspective 1)Low-level mixed- phase stratocumulus (ice falling from liquid cloud layer) 2)Brief.

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Presentation on theme: "Case Study Example 29 August 2008 From the Cloud Radar Perspective 1)Low-level mixed- phase stratocumulus (ice falling from liquid cloud layer) 2)Brief."— Presentation transcript:

1 Case Study Example 29 August 2008 From the Cloud Radar Perspective 1)Low-level mixed- phase stratocumulus (ice falling from liquid cloud layer) 2)Brief mixed-phase strato/alto-cumulus 3)Multiple high cirrus clouds and a suggestion of possible liquid water at times. Cloud Radar Moments

2 Case Study Example 29 August 2008 Stable layer decouples cloud from surface for first ½ of day Strong inversion at about 800 m which limits the vertical cloud extent Second ½ of day appears to be well- mixed from the surface up to the cloud at 700- 800m 60-GHz Potential Temperature and Buoyancy Profiles

3 Case Study Example 29 August 2008 Retrieval Results: Multilayer Cloud Effects 1) Upper layers from 11 – 16 inhibit cloud top radiative cooling by lower layer. 2) As a result, shallow convection, turbulence, ice production, and (probably) liquid production all decrease in lower cloud layer. 3) Circulations and turbulence are significant in upper layer because it can radiatively cool to space.

4 Case Study Example 29 August 2008 Retrieval Results: BL-Cloud Interactions During first ½ of day (decoupled cloud and surface): 1)Relatively more ice than liquid production. 2)Thinner liquid layer. 3)Turbulence decreases towards surface. During second ½ of day (well-mixed): 1)Less ice production and more liquid water 2)Thicker liquid layer. 3)Turbulence constant towards surface

5 Case Study Example 29 August 2008 Examine Profiles at 3 times 1)Decoupled 2)Multi-layer 3)Well-mixed 123

6 Case Study Example 29 August 2008 Average profiles 2) Multi-layer Upper layer turbulence shows radiative cooling Lower layer turbulence suggests surface forcing Less ice production in lower layer than upper 3) Well-mixed Turbulence profile suggests contributions from both surface and radiative cooling 1) Decoupled Turbulence profile suggests cloud top radiative cooling Lots of ice

7 Case Study Example 29 August 2008 2) Multilayer, upper Smaller scale motions 2) Multilayer, lower Similar size but weaker 1) Decoupled: 0.5 -2 km scales 3) Well-mixed: 0.5 -2 km, stronger

8 Case Study Example 29 August 2008 Broad updrafts and narrow downdrafts on scales of 1-2 km Focus on Circulations during “Well-Mixed” period Higher turbulence near strong down-drafts Cloud ice forms in updrafts No clear relationship between LWP-IWP or LWP-updraft but the LWP does increase as the liquid layer thickness increases

9 Well-mixed to surface? Decoupled More ice when decoupled? Events on satellite images Transitions

10 60 GHz supports change from “well-mixed” to “decoupled”, but misses an event altogether. And is there a stable layer right at the surface?

11 What does skewness reveal? Suggests forcing from above Suggests forcing from below

12 Questions: What factors determine whether the primary cloud at about 1 km will be effectively coupled with, or decoupled from, the surface? Synoptic forcing Low level clouds and/or thermodynamic profile Strength of radiative cooling Surface turbulent heat fluxes What are the differences that occur in magnitude of circulations, scales-of-variability, phase partitioning, and microphysical properties between these two cases? Timeseries analysis Skewness, variance, range of W How does stratification, of lack thereof, between cloud and surface impact the source of particles for cloud formation? Possible change in ice vs liquid Is surface or free-troposphere source of particles Entrainment intensity?

13 Questions: How are the surface radiation budget and precipitation efficiency impacted by coupling vs. decoupling w/ surface? What leads to periods of decreased ice production when LWP and turbulent intensity do not change significantly?


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