Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
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10.5194/acpd-8-11755-2008
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/11755/2008/
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/11755/2008/acpd-8-11755-2008.html
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/11755/2008/acpd-8-11755-2008.pdf
11755
11819
2008-06-13
Simulating mixed-phase Arctic stratus clouds: sensitivity to ice initiation mechanisms
I. Sednev
isednev@lbl.gov
S. Menon
G. McFarquhar
Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
The importance of Arctic mixed-phase clouds on radiation and the Arctic climate is well known.
However, the development of mixed-phase cloud parameterization for use in large scale models is
limited by lack of both related observations and numerical studies using multidimensional
models with advanced microphysics that provide the basis for understanding the relative
importance of different microphysical processes that take place in mixed-phase clouds.
To improve the representation of mixed-phase cloud processes in the GISS GCM we use the
GISS single-column model coupled to a bin resolved microphysics (BRM) scheme that was
specially designed to simulate mixed-phase clouds and aerosol-cloud interactions. Using
this model with the microphysical measurements obtained from the DOE ARM Mixed-Phase
Arctic Cloud Experiment (MPACE) campaign in October 2004 at the North Slope of Alaska,
we investigate the effect of ice initiation processes and Bergeron-Findeisen
process (BFP) on glaciation time and longevity of single-layer stratiform mixed-phase clouds.
We focus on observations taken during 9th–10th October, which indicated the presence
of a single-layer mixed-phase clouds. We performed several sets of 12-h simulations
to examine model sensitivity to different ice initiation mechanisms and evaluate model
output (hydrometeors' concentrations, contents, effective radii, precipitation fluxes,
and radar reflectivity) against measurements from the MPACE Intensive Observing Period.
Overall, the model qualitatively simulates ice crystal concentration and hydrometeors
content, but it fails to predict quantitatively the effective radii of ice particles and
their vertical profiles. In particular, the ice effective radii are overestimated by at
least 50%. However, using the same definition as used for observations, the effective radii
simulated and that observed were more comparable. We find that for the single-layer
stratiform mixed-phase clouds simulated, process of ice phase initiation due to freezing
of supercooled water in both saturated and undersaturated (w.r.t. water) environments is
as important as primary ice crystal origination from water vapor. We also find that the BFP
is a process mainly responsible for the rates of glaciation of simulated clouds. These glaciation
rates cannot be adequately represented by a water-ice saturation adjustment scheme that only
depends on temperature and liquid and solid hydrometeors' contents as is widely used in bulk
microphysics schemes and are better represented by processes that also account for supersaturation
changes as the hydrometeors grow.
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