8-Year ground-based observational analysis about the seasonal variation of the aerosol-cloud droplet effective radius relationship at SGP site

Abstract

Previous studies have shown the negative or positive relationship between cloud droplet effective radius (re) and aerosol amount based on limited observations, indicative of the uncertainties of this relationship caused by many factors. Using 8-year ground-based cloud and aerosol observations at Southern Great Plain (SGP) site in Oklahoma, US, we here analyze the seasonal variation of aerosol effect on low liquid cloud re. It shows positive instead of negative AOD- re relationship in all seasons except summer. Potential contribution to AOD- re relationship from the precipitable water vapor (PWV) has been analyzed. Results show that the AOD- re relationship is indeed negative in low PWV condition regardless of seasonality, but it turns positive in high PWV condition for all seasons other than summer. The most likely explanation for the positive AOD-re relationship in high PWV condition for spring, fall and winter is that high PWV could promote the growth of cloud droplets by providing sufficient water vapor. The different performance of AOD- re relationship in summer could be related to the much heavier aerosol loading, which makes the PWV not sufficient any more so that the droplets compete water with each other. By limiting the variation of other meteorological conditions such as low tropospheric stability and wind speed near cloud bases, further analysis shows that higher PWVs not only help change AOD- re relationship from negative to positive, but also make cloud depth and cloud top height higher.