Cloud microphysical properties in tropical convective and stratiform regions

Abstract

Cloud microphysical properties in tropical convective and stratiform regions are examined based on hourly zonal-mean data from a two-dimensional cloud-resolving simulation. The model is integrated for 21 days with the imposed large-scale vertical velocity, zonal wind and horizontal advections obtained from Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean-atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE). Time-mean cloud microphysical budgets are analyzed in raining stratiform regions, convective regions, and non-raining stratiform regions, respectively. In raining stratiform regions, ice water path (IWP) and liquid water path (LWP) have similar magnitudes. The collection process contributes slightly more to the growth of raindrops than the melting processes do, and surface rain rate is higher than the raindrop-related microphysical rate, indicating that the hydrometeor convergence from the convective regions plays a role in surface rainfall processes. In convective regions, IWP is much smaller than LWP, the collection process is dominant in producing raindrops, and surface rain rate is lower than the raindrop-related microphysical rate. In non-raining stratiform regions, IWP is much larger than LWP, and the melting processes are important in maintaining the raindrop budget. The statistical analysis of hourly data suggests that the slopes of linear regression equations between IWP and LWP in three regions are different. Rain producing processes in convective regions are associated with the water cloud processes regardless of convection intensity.