Condensed water in tropical cyclone “Oliver”, 8 February 1993

Abstract

On February 8, 1993, the NASA DC-8 aircraft profiled from 10,000 to 37,000 feet (3.1–11.3 km) pressure altitude in a stratified section of tropical cyclone “Oliver” over the Coral Sea northeast of Australia. Size, shape and phase of cloud and precipitation particles were measured with a 2-D Greyscale probe. Cloud/ precipitation particles changed from liquid to ice as soon as the freezing level was reached near 17,000 feet (5.2 km) pressure altitude. The cloud was completely glaciated at −5°C. There was no correlation between ice particle habit and ambient temperature. In the liquid phase, the precipitation-cloud drop concentration was 4.0 × 10 3 m −3, the geometric mean diameter D g =0.5−0.7 mm, and the liquid water content 0.7−1.9 g m −3. The largest particles anywhere in the cloud, dominated by fused dendrites at concentrations similar to that of raindrops (2.5 × 10 3 m −3) but a higher condensed water content (5.4 g m −3 estimated) were found in the mixed phase; condensed water is removed very effectively from the mixed layer due to high settling velocities of the large mixed particles. The highest number concentration (4.9 × 10 4 m −3), smallest size ( D g =0.3−0.4 mm), largest surface area (up to 2.6 × 10 2 cm 2 m −3 at 0.4−1.0 g m −3 of condensate) existed in the ice phase at the coldest temperature (−40°C) at 35,000 feet (10.7 km). Each cloud contained aerosol (haze particles) in addition to cloud particles. The aerosol total surface area exceeded that of the cirrus particles at the coldest temperature. Thus, aerosols must play a significant role in the upscattering of solar radiation. Light extinction (6.2 km −1) and backscatter (0.8 sr −1 km −1) was highest in the coldest portion of the cirrus cloud at the highest altitude.