Stratiform Mixed-phase Clouds Research Articles

RaFSIP: Parameterizing Ice Multiplication in Models Using a Machine Learning Approach

AbstractAccurately representing mixed‐phase clouds (MPCs) in global climate models (GCMs) is critical for capturing climate sensitivity and Arctic amplification. Secondary ice production (SIP), can significantly increase ice crystal number concentration (ICNC) in MPCs, affecting cloud properties and processes. Here, we introduce a machine‐learning (ML) approach, called Random Forest SIP (RaFSIP), to parameterize SIP in stratiform MPCs. RaFSIP is trained on 16 grid points with 10‐km horizontal spacing derived from a 2‐year simulation with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, including explicit SIP microphysics. Designed for a temperature range of 0 to −25°C, RaFSIP simplifies the description of rime splintering, ice‐ice collisional break‐up, and droplet‐shattering using only a limited set of inputs. RaFSIP was evaluated offline before being integrated into WRF, demonstrating its stable online performance in a 1‐year simulation keeping the same model setup as during training. Even when coupled with the 50‐km grid spacing domain of WRF, RaFSIP reproduces ICNC predictions within a factor of 3 when compared to simulations with explicit SIP microphysics. The coupled WRF‐RaFSIP scheme replicates regions of enhanced SIP and accurately maps ICNCs and liquid water content, particularly at temperatures above −10°C. Uncertainties in RaFSIP minimally impact surface cloud radiative forcing in the Arctic, resulting in radiative biases under 3 Wm−2 compared to simulations with detailed microphysics. Although the performance of RaFSIP in convective clouds remains untested, its adaptable nature allows for data set augmentation to address this aspect. This framework opens possibilities for GCM simplification and process description through physics‐guided ML algorithms.

Simulations of the impact of cloud condensation nuclei and ice-nucleating particles perturbations on the microphysics and radar reflectivity factor of stratiform mixed-phase clouds

Abstract. In this research, we delve into the influence of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentrations on the morphology and abundance of ice particles in mixed-phase clouds, emphasizing the consequential impact of ice particle shape, number, and size on cloud dynamics and microphysics. Leveraging the synergy of the Advanced Microphysics Prediction System (AMPS) and the Kinematic Driver (KiD) model, we conducted simulations to capture cloud microphysics across diverse CCN and INP concentrations. The Passive and Active Microwave radiative TRAnsfer (PAMTRA) radar forward simulator further augmented our study, offering insights into how the concentrations of CCN and INPs affect radar reflectivities. Our experimental framework encompassed CCN concentrations ranging from 10 to 5000 cm−3 and INP concentrations from 0.001 to 10 L−1. Central to our findings is the observation that higher INP concentrations yield smaller ice particles, while an increase in CCN concentrations leads to a subtle growth in their dimensions. Consistent with existing literature, our results spotlight oblate-like crystals as dominant between temperatures of −20 and −16 °C. Notably, high-INP scenarios unveiled a significant prevalence of irregular polycrystals. The aspect ratio (AR) of ice particles exhibited a decline with the rise in both CCN and INP concentrations, highlighting the nuanced interrelation between CCN levels and ice particle shape, especially its ramifications on the riming mechanism. The forward-simulated radar reflectivities, spanning from −11.83 dBZ (low INP, 0.001 L−1) to 4.65 dBZ (high INP, 10 L−1), elucidate the complex dynamics between CCN and INPs in determining mixed-phase cloud characteristics. Comparable differences in radar reflectivity were also reported from observational studies of stratiform mixed-phase clouds in contrasting aerosol environments. Our meticulous analysis of KiD-AMPS simulation outputs, coupled with insights into aerosol-driven microphysical changes, thus underscores the significance of this study in refining our ability to understand and interpret observations and climate projections.

Quantifying the spatial inhomogeneity of ice concentration in mixed-phase stratiform cloud using airborne observation

The distribution of ice particles strongly affects the microphysical processes in mixed-phase clouds, but the inhomogeneity of ice distribution is not well understood. In this paper, based on airborne in-situ measurements from three flights on May 31, 2021 in Hulun Buir, China, the inhomogeneity and clustering of ice distribution in a stratiform cloud is quantitatively analyzed using the pair correlation function (PCF). The results show that ice clusters on scales of a few kilometers dominate the inhomogeneity of the ice distribution. Due to the cumulative impact of ice clusters on different scales, the probability of finding relative high ice concentration within a lag of 80 m can be enhanced by 0.1 to 3.5 times. On average, the scale of ice cluster is ∼100 m for a sampling distance of 1 km, and increases to 3.2 km for a sampling distance of 20 km. It is also found that the ice growth is not fast enough to cluster the ice water content (IWC), and the inhomogeneity of IWC is strongly influenced by ice generation in addition to ice growth in the observed cloud. The results are helpful to better understand the distribution of ice in mixed-phase cloud, and provide potentially important information to improve the parameterizations of microphysics in models.

Evaluating EAMv2 Simulated High Latitude Clouds Using ARM Measurements in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

AbstractThis study evaluates high latitude stratiform mixed‐phase clouds (SMPC) in the atmosphere model of the Energy Exascale Earth System Model version 2 (EAMv2) by utilizing one‐year‐long ground‐based remote sensing measurements from the Atmospheric Radiation and Measurement (ARM) program. A nudging approach is applied to model simulations for a constrained comparison with the ARM observations. Observed and modeled SMPCs are sampled and collocated to address the difference in data resolution, so that we can consistently evaluate their macrophysical properties at the North Slope of Alaska (NSA) site in the Arctic and the McMurdo (AWR) site in the Antarctic. We found that EAMv2 overestimates SMPC frequency of occurrence at both sites. However, the model captures the observed larger cloud frequency of occurrence at the NSA site. For collocated SMPCs, the annual statistics of observed cloud macrophysics are generally reproduced at the NSA site, while at the AWR site, there are larger biases. Compared to the AWR site, the lower cloud top and cloud base and the warmer cloud top temperature observed at NSA are well simulated. On the other hand, simulated cloud phase is substantially biased. The model largely overestimates liquid water path, and the ice water path is underestimated at NSA, but at AWR, the liquid water path is frequently underestimated due to the dominance of snow in Antarctic SMPCs. As a result, the observed hemispheric difference in cloud phase partitioning is misrepresented in EAMv2. This study implies that additional model development is needed for high latitude mixed‐phase clouds.

High small ice concentration in stratiform clouds over Eastern China based on aircraft observations: Habit properties and potential roles of secondary ice production

The microphysical properties of supercooled liquid droplets (SLDs) and ice particles of stratiform mixed-phase clouds over Eastern China are characterized using carefully post-processed airborne data. The majority of sampled clouds were precipitating with ice particles and were frequently mixed with SLDs at cold temperature. While the concentration of large ice crystal (> 600 μm in diameter, the same below) was low (up to 3 L−1), the concentration of smaller ice particle (> 50 μm) was high (up to 300 L−1). Such particles with high concentration cannot be a result of the recirculation of pre-existing aged ice and thus secondary ice production (SIP) was likely occurring over the stratiform clouds at temperatures between −16.9 °C and −6.4 °C. The statistical analyses show that concentrations of tiny, hexagonal and irregular ice crystals were significantly greater in updraft than those in downdraft regions, suggesting that updrafts not only provide a favorable environment for the growth of cloud particles, but also promote the multiplication of the above young-age small ice (50–100 μm) where SIP is commonly occurring. Since the criteria for the other SIP mechanisms are difficult to meet for this light-riming stratiform without deep convections, this analysis indicates that shattering during droplet freezing might thus be an important SIP source at temperatures between −15 °C and −9 °C. This study should provide a precise opportunity for parameterizations of mixed-phase stratiform clouds associated with the SIP processes and effects of updraft and temperature.

Aircraft-based observations of ice concentrations in a midlatitude mixed-phase stratiform cloud system with embedded convection

This study analyzed in situ measurements of a mixed-phase stratiform cloud system observed over northern China (∼40 N, 115 E) on 16 June 2021 during two King-350 aircraft penetrations at temperatures between −4 and − 15 °C. Through a comparison of specific regions of mixed-phase and all ice, we investigated the inhomogeneity of ice particle concentrations and secondary ice production processes associated with rime splintering and collisional fragmentation. A multilayer structure of supercooled liquid water was observed, including extremely low liquid water content at approximately 7.5 km and a relatively higher liquid water content of 0.2 to 0.4 g m−3 at 6 km. The cloud was horizontally inhomogeneous due to the presence of embedded convection. Ice particle concentrations at temperatures between −4 and − 8 °C varied from <10 L−1 to 80 L−1 in stratiform regions, and up to over 200 L−1 in embedded convective regions. There was evidence for the Hallett–Mossop process to account for secondary ice production in column and needle growth regimes. Collisional fragmentation may also occur in column-growth regimes of embedded convection.

The Impacts of Immersion Ice Nucleation Parameterizations on Arctic Mixed-Phase Stratiform Cloud Properties and the Arctic Radiation Budget in GEOS-5

Abstract The influence of four different immersion freezing parameterizations on Arctic clouds and the top-of-the atmosphere (TOA) and surface radiation fluxes is investigated in the fifth version of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS-5) with sea surface temperature, sea ice fraction, and aerosol emissions held fixed. The different parameterizations were derived from a variety of sources, including classical nucleation theory and field and laboratory measurements. Despite the large spread in the ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentrations in the parameterizations, the cloud properties and radiative fluxes had a tendency to form two groups, with the lower INP concentration category producing larger water path and low-level cloud fraction during winter and early spring, whereas the opposite occurred during the summer season. The stability of the lower troposphere was found to strongly correlate with low-cloud fraction and, along with the effect of ice nucleation, ice sedimentation, and melting rates, appears to explain the spring-to-summer reversal pattern in the relative magnitude of the cloud properties between the two categories of simulations. The strong modulation effect of the liquid phase on immersion freezing led to the successful simulation of the characteristic Arctic cloud structure, with a layer rich in supercooled water near cloud top and ice and snow at lower levels. Comparison with satellite retrievals and in situ data suggest that simulations with low INP concentrations more realistically represent Arctic clouds and radiation.

Combined Effect of the Wegener–Bergeron–Findeisen Mechanism and Large Eddies on Microphysics of Mixed-Phase Stratiform Clouds

Abstract The process of glaciation in mixed-phase stratiform clouds was investigated by a novel Lagrangian–Eulerian model (LEM) in which thousands of adjoining Lagrangian parcels moved within a turbulent-like velocity field with statistical parameters typical of the Arctic boundary layer. We used detailed bin microphysics to describe the condensation/evaporation processes in each parcel, in which droplets, aerosols, and ice particles were described using size distributions of 500 mass bins. The model also calculated aerosol mass inside droplets and ice particles. Gravitational sedimentation of droplets and ice particles was also accounted for. Assuming that droplet freezing is the primary source of ice particles, the Arctic clouds observed in Indirect and Semi-Direct Aerosol Campaign (ISDAC) were successfully simulated. The model showed that at a low ice particle concentration typical of ISDAC, large vortices (eddies) led to a quasi-stationary regime, in which mixed-phase St existed for a long time. The large eddies controlled the water partitioning in the mixed-phase clouds. Droplets formed and grew in updrafts, typically reaching the cloud top, and evaporated in downdrafts. Ice particles grew in updrafts and downdrafts. The Wegener–Bergeron–Findeisen (WBF) mechanism was efficient in downdrafts and some parts of updrafts, depending on ice concentration and vertical velocity. At low ice concentrations, the effect of ice on the phase partitioning was negligible. In this regime, liquid droplets were found near the cloud top, whereas ice particles precipitated through the cloud base. When ice concentration exceeded about 10 L−1, the WBF mechanism led to glaciation of almost the entire cloud, with the exception of narrow cloud regions associated with strong updrafts. At ice particle concentrations of a few tens per liter, the oscillatory regime took place due to the ice–liquid interaction. The microphysical structure of mixed-phase St forms as a combined effect of cloud dynamics (large eddies) and the WBF mechanism.

Hemispheric contrasts in ice formation in stratiform mixed-phase clouds: disentangling the role of aerosol and dynamics with ground-based remote sensing

Abstract. Multi-year ground-based remote-sensing datasets were acquired with the Leipzig Aerosol and Cloud Remote Observations System (LACROS) at three sites. A highly polluted central European site (Leipzig, Germany), a polluted and strongly dust-influenced eastern Mediterranean site (Limassol, Cyprus), and a clean marine site in the southern midlatitudes (Punta Arenas, Chile) are used to contrast ice formation in shallow stratiform liquid clouds. These unique, long-term datasets in key regions of aerosol–cloud interaction provide a deeper insight into cloud microphysics. The influence of temperature, aerosol load, boundary layer coupling, and gravity wave motion on ice formation is investigated. With respect to previous studies of regional contrasts in the properties of mixed-phase clouds, our study contributes the following new aspects: (1) sampling aerosol optical parameters as a function of temperature, the average backscatter coefficient at supercooled conditions is within a factor of 3 at all three sites. (2) Ice formation was found to be more frequent for cloud layers with cloud top temperatures above -15∘C than indicated by prior lidar-only studies at all sites. A virtual lidar detection threshold of ice water content (IWC) needs to be considered in order to bring radar–lidar-based studies in agreement with lidar-only studies. (3) At similar temperatures, cloud layers which are coupled to the aerosol-laden boundary layer show more intense ice formation than decoupled clouds. (4) Liquid layers formed by gravity waves were found to bias the phase occurrence statistics below -15∘C. By applying a novel gravity wave detection approach using vertical velocity observations within the liquid-dominated cloud top, wave clouds can be classified and excluded from the statistics. After considering boundary layer and gravity wave influences, Punta Arenas shows lower fractions of ice-containing clouds by 0.1 to 0.4 absolute difference at temperatures between −24 and -8∘C. These differences are potentially caused by the contrast in the ice-nucleating particle (INP) reservoir between the different sites.

Detailed dual-Doppler structure of Kelvin-Helmholtz waves from an airborne profiling radar over complex terrain. Part II: Evidence for precipitation enhancement from observations and modeling

AbstractKelvin-Helmholtz (KH) waves are a frequent source of turbulence in stratiform precipitation systems over mountainous terrain. KH waves introduce large eddies into otherwise laminar flow, with updrafts and downdrafts generating small-scale turbulence. When they occur in-cloud, such dynamics influence microphysical processes that impact precipitation growth and fallout. Part I of this paper used dual-Doppler, 2D wind and reflectivity measurements from an airborne cloud radar to demonstrate the occurrence of KH waves in stratiform orographic precipitation systems and identified four mechanisms for triggering KH waves. In Part II, we use similar observations to explore the effects of KH wave updrafts and turbulence on cloud microphysics. Measurements within KH wave updrafts reveal the production of liquid water in otherwise ice-dominated clouds, which can contribute to snow generation or enhancement via depositional and accretional growth. Fallstreaks beneath KH waves contain higher ice water content, composed of larger and more numerous ice particles, suggesting that KH waves and associated turbulence may also increase ice nucleation.A Large-Eddy Simulation (LES), designed to model the microphysical response to the KH wave eddies in mixed phase cloud, shows that depositional and accretional growth can be enhanced in KH waves, resulting in more precipitation when compared to a baseline simulation. While sublimation and evaporation occur in KH downdrafts, persistent supersaturation with respect to ice allows for net increase in ice mass. These modeling results and observations suggest that KH waves embedded in mixed-phase stratiform clouds may increase precipitation, although the quantitative impact remains uncertain.

Aircraft Measurements of the Microphysical Properties of Stratiform Clouds with Embedded Convection

The presence of embedded convection in stratiform clouds strongly affects ice microphysical properties and precipitation formation. In situ aircraft measurements, including upward and downward spirals and horizontal penetrations, were performed within both embedded convective cells and stratiform regions of a mixed-phase stratiform cloud system on 22 May 2017. Supercooled liquid water measurements, particle size distributions, and particle habits in different cloud regions were discussed with the intent of characterizing the riming process and determining how particle size distributions vary from convective to stratiform regions. Significant amounts of supercooled liquid water, with maxima up to 0.6 g m−3, were observed between −3°C and −6°C in the embedded convective cells while the peak liquid water content was generally less than 0.1 g m−3 in the stratiform regions. There are two distinct differences in particle size distributions between convective and stratiform regions. One difference is the significant shift toward larger particles from upper −15°C to lower −10°C in the convective region, with the maximum particle dimensions increasing from less than 6000 μm to over 1 cm. The particles larger than 1 cm at −10°C are composed of dendrites and their aggregates. The other difference is the large concentrations of small particles (25–205 μm) at temperatures between −3°C and −5°C in the convective region, where rimed ice particles and needles coexist. Needle regions are observed from three of the five spirals, but only the cloud conditions within the convective region fit into the Hallett-Mossop criteria.

The importance of Aitken mode aerosol particles for cloud sustenance in the summertime high Arctic – a simulation study supported by observational data

Abstract. The potential importance of Aitken mode particles (diameters ∼ 25–80 nm) for stratiform mixed-phase clouds in the summertime high Arctic (&gt;80∘ N) has been investigated using two large-eddy simulation models. We find that, in both models, Aitken mode particles significantly affect the simulated microphysical and radiative properties of the cloud and can help sustain the cloud when accumulation mode concentrations are low (&lt; 10–20 cm−3), even when the particles have low hygroscopicity (hygroscopicity parameter – κ=0.1). However, the influence of the Aitken mode decreases if the overall liquid water content of the cloud is low, either due to a higher ice fraction or due to low radiative cooling rates. An analysis of the simulated supersaturation (ss) statistics shows that the ss frequently reaches 0.5 % and sometimes even exceeds 1 %, which confirms that Aitken mode particles can be activated. The modelling results are in qualitative agreement with observations of the Hoppel minimum obtained from four different expeditions in the high Arctic. Our findings highlight the importance of better understanding Aitken mode particle formation, chemical properties and emissions, particularly in clean environments such as the high Arctic.

High ice concentration observed in tropical maritime stratiform mixed-phase clouds with top temperatures warmer than −8 °C

Abstract In this study, airborne in situ measurements of ice concentrations in mixed-phase clouds over the tropical ocean sampled during the Ice in Clouds Experiment (ICE-T) project are analyzed. High concentrations of ice larger than 250 μm in diameter (0.05–10 L−1) were observed in three shallow stratiform clouds whose top temperatures were warmer than −8 °C. The observed ice particles were mostly needles and columns, which are preferred ice crystal shapes between −3 °C and − 8 °C. Drizzle size drops (>100 μm in diameter) were also observed. Biological particles are a potential source of ice nucleating particles (INPs), however, any direct connection to the high ice concentrations observed in the stratiform clouds at temperatures warmer than −8 °C could not be shown, because the observed INP concentrations were 3 orders of magnitude lower than the ice concentrations. Simulations using a parcel model suggest that secondary ice mechanisms, such as the Hallett-Mossop process and fragmentation of freezing drops, which were often assumed previously to be the explanation for observed high ice concentration, cannot fully explain the observed high ice concentration in these shallow stratiform clouds either. The Hallett-Mossop process and fragmentation of freezing drops are important to the strong ice production only in clouds with relatively high concentration of large drops and rimed graupel observed, such as convective clouds. Therefore, other potential ice generation mechanisms, such as droplet collisional freezing and pre-activated INPs, which are still poorly understood, could play significant roles in tropical stratiform and convective mixed-phase clouds.

Ice particle production in mid-level stratiform mixed-phase clouds observed with collocated A-Train measurements

Abstract. Collocated A-Train CloudSat radar and CALIPSO lidar measurements between 2006 and 2010 are analyzed to study primary ice particle production characteristics in mid-level stratiform mixed-phase clouds on a global scale. For similar clouds in terms of cloud top temperature and liquid water path, Northern Hemisphere latitude bands have layer-maximum radar reflectivity (ZL) that is ∼ 1 to 8 dBZ larger than their counterparts in the Southern Hemisphere. The systematically larger ZL under similar cloud conditions suggests larger ice number concentrations in mid-level stratiform mixed-phase clouds over the Northern Hemisphere, which is possibly related to higher background aerosol loadings. Furthermore, we show that springtime northern mid- and high latitudes have ZL that is larger by up to 6 dBZ (a factor of 4 higher ice number concentration) than other seasons, which might be related to more dust events that provide effective ice nucleating particles. Our study suggests that aerosol-dependent ice number concentration parameterizations are required in climate models to improve mixed-phase cloud simulations, especially over the Northern Hemisphere.

Evidence for a Nimbostratus Uncinus in a Convectively Generated Mixed-Phase Stratiform Cloud Shield

Abstract The structure of a melting layer associated with a mesoconvective system is examined using a combination of in situ aircraft measurements and a unique Doppler radar operated by the U.S. Navy that has a range resolution as fine as 0.5 m. Interest in this case was motivated by ground-based all-sky camera images that captured the transient development of midlevel billow cloud structures within a precipitating trailing stratiform cloud shield associated with a passing deep convective system. A sequence of high-fidelity time–height radar measurements taken of this storm system reveal that the movement of the billow cloud structure over the radar site corresponded with abrupt transitions in the observed low-level precipitation structure. Of particular note is an observed transition from stratiform to more periodic and vertically slanted rain shaft structures that both radar and aircraft measurements indicate have the same temporal periodicity determined to arise visually between successive billow cloud bands. Doppler, balloon, and aircraft measurements reveal these transient bands are associated with a shallow circulation field that resides just above the melting level in a layer of moist neutral stability and strong negative vertical wind shear. The nature of these circulations and their impact on the evolving precipitation field are described in the context of known nimbostratus cloud types.

Understanding Rapid Changes in Phase Partitioning between Cloud Liquid and Ice in Stratiform Mixed-Phase Clouds: An Arctic Case Study

Abstract Understanding phase transitions in mixed-phase clouds is of great importance because the hydrometeor phase controls the lifetime and radiative effects of clouds. In high latitudes, these cloud radiative effects have a crucial impact on the surface energy budget and thus on the evolution of the ice cover. For a springtime low-level mixed-phase stratiform cloud case from Barrow, Alaska, a unique combination of instruments and retrieval methods is combined with multiple modeling perspectives to determine key processes that control cloud phase partitioning. The interplay of local cloud-scale versus large-scale processes is considered. Rapid changes in phase partitioning were found to be caused by several main factors. Major influences were the large-scale advection of different air masses with different aerosol concentrations and humidity content, cloud-scale processes such as a change in the thermodynamical coupling state, and local-scale dynamics influencing the residence time of ice particles. Other factors such as radiative shielding by a cirrus and the influence of the solar cycle were found to only play a minor role for the specific case study (11–12 March 2013). For an even better understanding of cloud phase transitions, observations of key aerosol parameters such as profiles of cloud condensation nucleus and ice nucleus concentration are desirable.

Investigation of riming within mixed-phase stratiform clouds using Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model

In this study, we investigated stratiform precipitation associated with an upper-level westerly trough and a cold front over northern China between 30 Apr. and 1 May 2009. We employed the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model (version 3.4.1) to perform high-resolution numerical simulations of rainfall. We also conducted simulations with two microphysics schemes and sensitivity experiments without riming of snow and changing cloud droplet number concentrations (CDNCs) to determine the effect of snow riming on cloud structure and precipitation. Then we compared our results with CloudSat, Doppler radar and rain gauge observations. The comparison with the Doppler radar observations suggested that the WRF model was quite successful in capturing the timing and location of the stratiform precipitation region. Further comparisons with the CloudSat retrievals suggested that both microphysics schemes overestimated ice and liquid water contents. The sensitivity experiments without riming of snow suggested that the presence or absence of riming significantly influenced the precipitation distribution, but only slightly affected total accumulated precipitation. Without riming of snow, the changes of updrafts from the two microphysics schemes were different due to a different consideration of ice particle capacitance and latent heat effect of riming on deposition. While sensitivity experiments with three different CDNC values of 100, 250 and 1000cm−3 suggested variations in snow riming rates, changing CDNC had little impact on precipitation.

An A - train satellite based stratiform mixed - phase cloud retrieval algorithm by combining active and passive sensor measurements, British Journal of Environment and Climate Change, Vol

Aims: To develop a new satellite-based mixed-phase cloud retrieval algorithm for improving mixed-phase cloud liquid water path (LWP) retrievals by combining Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), CloudSat, and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) measurements. Study Design: Algorithm development and evaluation by using collocated NASA A-Train and the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility (ACRF) measurements at the North Slope Alaska (NSA) site. Place and Duration of Study: Collocated MODIS and ground-based measurements at NSA site from March 2000 to October 2004, MODIS measurements and retrievals during July 2006 over Eastern Pacific, and MODIS, CloudSat and CALIPSO measurements on April 04, 2007 over the Arctic Region. Methodology: The stratiform mixed-phase cloudswere treated as two adjunct water and ice layers for radiative calculations with the Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer (DISORT) model. The ice-phase properties were provided with the 2C-ICE product, which is produced from CloudSat radar and CALIPSO lidar measurements, and they were used as inputs in DISORT for the calculations. Then, the calculated mixed-phase cloud reflectances at selected wavelengths were compared with MODIS reflectances to retrieve liquid-phase cloud properties. Results: A new algorithm was developed to retrieve LWP in stratiform mixed-phase Original Research Article British Journal of Environment & Climate Change, 3(4): 587-611, 2013 588 clouds by using MODIS radiances and ice cloud properties from active sensor measurements. The algorithm was validated separately by using Operational MODIS retrievals of warm marine stratiform clouds and collocated surface measurements of Arctic stratiform mixed-phase clouds. The results show that the new algorithm reduced the positive LWP biases in the Operational MODIS LWP retrievals for stratiform mixedphase clouds from 35 and 68% to 10 and 22% in the temperature ranges of -5 to -10oC and -10 to -20oC, respectively. Conclusion: The combined A-Train active and MODIS measurements can be used to improve global mixed-phase cloud property retrievals.

Ice Concentration Retrieval in Stratiform Mixed-Phase Clouds Using Cloud Radar Reflectivity Measurements and 1D Ice Growth Model Simulations

Abstract Measurements of ice number concentration in clouds are important but still pose problems. The pattern of ice development in stratiform mixed-phase clouds (SMCs) offers an opportunity to use cloud radar reflectivity (Ze) measurements and other cloud properties to retrieve ice number concentrations. To quantify the strong temperature dependencies of ice crystal habits and growth rates, a one-dimensional (1D) ice growth model has been developed to calculate ice diffusional growth and riming growth along ice particle fallout trajectories in SMCs. The radar reflectivity and fallout velocity profiles of ice crystals calculated from the 1D ice growth model are evaluated with the Atmospheric Radiation Measurements (ARM) Climate Research Facility (ACRF) ground-based high-vertical-resolution radar measurements. A method has been developed to retrieve ice number concentrations in SMCs at a specific cloud-top temperature (CTT) and liquid water path (LWP) by combining Ze measurements and 1D ice growth model simulations. The retrieved ice number concentrations in SMCs are evaluated using integrated airborne in situ and remote sensing measurements and three-dimensional cloud-resolving model simulations with a bin microphysical scheme. The statistical evaluations show that the retrieved ice number concentrations in the SMCs are within an uncertainty of a factor of 2.

A numerical study of aerosol influence on mixed-phase stratiform clouds through modulation of the liquid phase

Abstract. Numerical simulations were carried out in a high-resolution two-dimensional framework to increase our understanding of aerosol indirect effects in mixed-phase stratiform clouds. Aerosol characteristics explored include insoluble particle type, soluble mass fraction, influence of aerosol-induced freezing point depression and influence of aerosol number concentration. Simulations were analyzed with a focus on the processes related to liquid phase microphysics, and ice formation was limited to droplet freezing. Of the aerosol properties investigated, aerosol insoluble mass type and its associated freezing efficiency was found to be most relevant to cloud lifetime. Secondary effects from aerosol soluble mass fraction and number concentration also alter cloud characteristics and lifetime. These alterations occur via various mechanisms, including changes to the amount of nucleated ice, influence on liquid phase precipitation and ice riming rates, and changes to liquid droplet nucleation and growth rates. Alteration of the aerosol properties in simulations with identical initial and boundary conditions results in large variability in simulated cloud thickness and lifetime, ranging from rapid and complete glaciation of liquid to the production of long-lived, thick stratiform mixed-phase cloud.