Observations of the microphysical evolution of convective clouds in the southwest of the United Kingdom

<p>The COnvective Precipitation Experiment (COPE) was designed to investigate the origins of heavy convective precipitation over the southwestern UK, a region that experiences flash flooding due to heavy precipitation from slow-moving convective systems. In this study, the microphysical and...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: R. Jackson, J. R. French, D. C. Leon, D. M. Plummer, S. Lasher-Trapp, A. M. Blyth, A. Korolev
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2018-10-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/15329/2018/acp-18-15329-2018.pdf
_version_ 1811259934029905920
author R. Jackson
R. Jackson
J. R. French
D. C. Leon
D. C. Leon
D. M. Plummer
S. Lasher-Trapp
A. M. Blyth
A. Korolev
author_facet R. Jackson
R. Jackson
J. R. French
D. C. Leon
D. C. Leon
D. M. Plummer
S. Lasher-Trapp
A. M. Blyth
A. Korolev
author_sort R. Jackson
collection DOAJ
description <p>The COnvective Precipitation Experiment (COPE) was designed to investigate the origins of heavy convective precipitation over the southwestern UK, a region that experiences flash flooding due to heavy precipitation from slow-moving convective systems. In this study, the microphysical and dynamical characteristics of developing turrets during 4 days in July and August 2013 are analyzed. In situ cloud microphysical measurements from the University of Wyoming King Air and vertically pointing W-band radar measurements from Wyoming Cloud Radar are examined, together with data from the ground-based NXPol radar.</p><p>The 4 days presented here cover a range of environmental conditions in terms of wind shear and instability, resulting in a similarly wide variability in observed ice crystal concentrations, both across days as well as between clouds on individual days. The highest concentration of ice was observed on the days in which there was an active warm-rain process supplying precipitation-sized liquid drops. The high ice concentrations observed ( &gt; 100&thinsp;L<sup>−1</sup>) are consistent with the production of secondary ice particles through the Hallett–Mossop process. Turrets that ascended through remnant cloud layers above the 0&thinsp;°C level had higher ice particle concentrations, suggesting that entrainment of ice particles from older clouds or previous thermals may have acted to aid in the production of secondary ice through the Hallett–Mossop process. Other mechanisms such as the shattering of frozen drops may be more important for producing ice in more isolated clouds.</p>
first_indexed 2024-04-12T18:40:04Z
format Article
id doaj.art-c95d8de2c5dc474a8c63deb756d0d672
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1680-7316
1680-7324
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T18:40:04Z
publishDate 2018-10-01
publisher Copernicus Publications
record_format Article
series Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
spelling doaj.art-c95d8de2c5dc474a8c63deb756d0d6722022-12-22T03:20:50ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242018-10-0118153291534410.5194/acp-18-15329-2018Observations of the microphysical evolution of convective clouds in the southwest of the United KingdomR. Jackson0R. Jackson1J. R. French2D. C. Leon3D. C. Leon4D. M. Plummer5S. Lasher-Trapp6A. M. Blyth7A. Korolev8University of Wyoming Department of Atmospheric Sciences, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, WY, USAnow at: Argonne National Laboratory, Environmental Sciences Division, 9700 Cass Ave, Argonne, IL, USAUniversity of Wyoming Department of Atmospheric Sciences, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, WY, USAUniversity of Wyoming Department of Atmospheric Sciences, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, WY, USAnow at: Alpenglow Instruments, Laramie, WY, USAUniversity of Wyoming Department of Atmospheric Sciences, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, WY, USAUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Atmospheric Sciences, 105 S. Gregory St., Urbana, IL, USANational Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKEnvironment and Climate Change Canada, Cloud Physics and Severe Weather Section, Downsview, ON, USA<p>The COnvective Precipitation Experiment (COPE) was designed to investigate the origins of heavy convective precipitation over the southwestern UK, a region that experiences flash flooding due to heavy precipitation from slow-moving convective systems. In this study, the microphysical and dynamical characteristics of developing turrets during 4 days in July and August 2013 are analyzed. In situ cloud microphysical measurements from the University of Wyoming King Air and vertically pointing W-band radar measurements from Wyoming Cloud Radar are examined, together with data from the ground-based NXPol radar.</p><p>The 4 days presented here cover a range of environmental conditions in terms of wind shear and instability, resulting in a similarly wide variability in observed ice crystal concentrations, both across days as well as between clouds on individual days. The highest concentration of ice was observed on the days in which there was an active warm-rain process supplying precipitation-sized liquid drops. The high ice concentrations observed ( &gt; 100&thinsp;L<sup>−1</sup>) are consistent with the production of secondary ice particles through the Hallett–Mossop process. Turrets that ascended through remnant cloud layers above the 0&thinsp;°C level had higher ice particle concentrations, suggesting that entrainment of ice particles from older clouds or previous thermals may have acted to aid in the production of secondary ice through the Hallett–Mossop process. Other mechanisms such as the shattering of frozen drops may be more important for producing ice in more isolated clouds.</p>https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/15329/2018/acp-18-15329-2018.pdf
spellingShingle R. Jackson
R. Jackson
J. R. French
D. C. Leon
D. C. Leon
D. M. Plummer
S. Lasher-Trapp
A. M. Blyth
A. Korolev
Observations of the microphysical evolution of convective clouds in the southwest of the United Kingdom
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
title Observations of the microphysical evolution of convective clouds in the southwest of the United Kingdom
title_full Observations of the microphysical evolution of convective clouds in the southwest of the United Kingdom
title_fullStr Observations of the microphysical evolution of convective clouds in the southwest of the United Kingdom
title_full_unstemmed Observations of the microphysical evolution of convective clouds in the southwest of the United Kingdom
title_short Observations of the microphysical evolution of convective clouds in the southwest of the United Kingdom
title_sort observations of the microphysical evolution of convective clouds in the southwest of the united kingdom
url https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/15329/2018/acp-18-15329-2018.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT rjackson observationsofthemicrophysicalevolutionofconvectivecloudsinthesouthwestoftheunitedkingdom
AT rjackson observationsofthemicrophysicalevolutionofconvectivecloudsinthesouthwestoftheunitedkingdom
AT jrfrench observationsofthemicrophysicalevolutionofconvectivecloudsinthesouthwestoftheunitedkingdom
AT dcleon observationsofthemicrophysicalevolutionofconvectivecloudsinthesouthwestoftheunitedkingdom
AT dcleon observationsofthemicrophysicalevolutionofconvectivecloudsinthesouthwestoftheunitedkingdom
AT dmplummer observationsofthemicrophysicalevolutionofconvectivecloudsinthesouthwestoftheunitedkingdom
AT slashertrapp observationsofthemicrophysicalevolutionofconvectivecloudsinthesouthwestoftheunitedkingdom
AT amblyth observationsofthemicrophysicalevolutionofconvectivecloudsinthesouthwestoftheunitedkingdom
AT akorolev observationsofthemicrophysicalevolutionofconvectivecloudsinthesouthwestoftheunitedkingdom