In Situ Observations of the Microphysical Properties of Wave, Cirrus, and Anvil Clouds. Part II: Cirrus Clouds

Abstract

A Learjet research aircraft was used to collect microphysical data, including cloud particle imager (CPI) measurements of ice particle size and shape, in 22 midlatitude cirrus clouds. The dataset was collected while the aircraft flew 104 horizontal legs, totaling over 15 000 km in clouds. Cloud temperatures ranged from −28° to −61°C. The measurements show that cirrus particle size distributions are mostly bimodal, displaying a maximum in number concentration, area, and mass near 30 μm and another smaller maximum near 200–300 μm. CPI images show that particles with rosette shapes, which include mixed-habit rosettes and platelike polycrystals, constitute over 50% of the surface area and mass of ice particles >50 μm in cirrus clouds. Approximately 40% of the remaining mass of ice particles >50 μm are found in irregular shapes, with a few percent each in columns and spheroidal shapes. Plates account for <1% of the total mass. Particles <50 μm account for 99% of the total number concentration, 69% of the shortwave extinction, and 40% of the mass in midlatitude cirrus. Plots and average equations for area versus particle size are shown for various particle habits, and can be used in studies involving radiative transfer. The average particle concentration in midlatitude cirrus is on the order of 1 cm−3 with occasional 10-km averages exceeding 5 cm−3. There is a strong similarity of microphysical properties of ice particles between wave clouds and cirrus clouds, suggesting that, like wave clouds, cirrus ice particles first experience conversion to liquid water and/or solution drops before freezing.