Modeling of subgrid-scale cloud-clear air turbulent mixing in Large Eddy Simulation of cloud fields

Abstract

This paper presents computational approach to locally predict the homogeneity of subgrid-scale turbulent mixing between a cloud and its environment in large-eddy simulation of warm (ice-free) shallow convective clouds applying a double-moment bulk microphysics scheme. The term homogenity of mixing refers to the change of the mean droplet size associated with evaporation of cloud water due to entrainment. The two contrasting limits are the homogeneous mixing, where the radius of all droplets is reduced and the concentration does not change during microscale homogenization, and the extremely inhomogeneous mixing, where the microscale homogenization leads to complete evaporation of some droplets and does not affect the rest. The novel approach is applied to simulations of shallow convective cloud field. The results show that locally the homogeneity of mixing can vary significantly because of the spatial variability of the intensity of turbulence and the mean droplet radius. On average, however, the mixing becomes more homogeneous with height because of higher turbulence intensities and larger droplet sizes aloft.