The effects of cloud–aerosol interaction complexity on simulations of presummer rainfall over southern China
<p>Convection-permitting simulations are used to understand the effects of cloud–aerosol interactions in a case of heavy rainfall over southern China. The simulations are evaluated using radar observations from the Southern China Monsoon Rainfall Experiment (SCMREX) and remotely sensed estimat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/20/5093/2020/acp-20-5093-2020.pdf |
| _version_ | 1828888491659886592 |
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| author | K. Furtado P. Field Y. Luo T. Zhou A. Hill |
| author_facet | K. Furtado P. Field Y. Luo T. Zhou A. Hill |
| author_sort | K. Furtado |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Convection-permitting simulations are used to understand
the effects of cloud–aerosol interactions in a case of
heavy rainfall over southern China.
The simulations are evaluated using radar observations from the Southern China Monsoon Rainfall Experiment (SCMREX) and
remotely sensed estimates of precipitation, clouds and radiation.
We focus on the effects of complexity in cloud–aerosol interactions,
especially the depletion and transport of aerosol material by clouds.
In particular, simulations with
aerosol concentrations held constant
are compared with a fully
cloud–aerosol-interacting system to investigate
the effects of two-way coupling between aerosols and clouds
on a line of organised deep convection.
It is shown that the cloud processing of aerosols can
change the vertical structure of the storm by using up
aerosols within the core of line, thereby maintaining a
relatively clean environment which propagates with the heaviest rainfall.
This induces changes in the statistics of surface rainfall, with a cleaner
environment being associated with less-intense but more-frequent rainfall.
These effects are shown to be related to
a shortening of the timescale for converting
cloud droplets to rain as the aerosol number concentration is decreased.
The simulations are compared to satellite-derived estimates of
surface rainfall, a condensed-water path and the outgoing flux of short-wave
radiation. Simulations for fewer aerosol particles outperform
the more polluted simulations for surface rainfall but
give poorer representations of top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiation.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:24:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e38e1f8fe2974f768bcb45b034c7591b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:24:20Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e38e1f8fe2974f768bcb45b034c7591b2022-12-21T23:46:29ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242020-04-01205093511010.5194/acp-20-5093-2020The effects of cloud–aerosol interaction complexity on simulations of presummer rainfall over southern ChinaK. Furtado0P. Field1Y. Luo2T. Zhou3A. Hill4Met Office, Exeter, UKMet Office, Exeter, UKChinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, ChinaInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Beijing, ChinaMet Office, Exeter, UK<p>Convection-permitting simulations are used to understand the effects of cloud–aerosol interactions in a case of heavy rainfall over southern China. The simulations are evaluated using radar observations from the Southern China Monsoon Rainfall Experiment (SCMREX) and remotely sensed estimates of precipitation, clouds and radiation. We focus on the effects of complexity in cloud–aerosol interactions, especially the depletion and transport of aerosol material by clouds. In particular, simulations with aerosol concentrations held constant are compared with a fully cloud–aerosol-interacting system to investigate the effects of two-way coupling between aerosols and clouds on a line of organised deep convection. It is shown that the cloud processing of aerosols can change the vertical structure of the storm by using up aerosols within the core of line, thereby maintaining a relatively clean environment which propagates with the heaviest rainfall. This induces changes in the statistics of surface rainfall, with a cleaner environment being associated with less-intense but more-frequent rainfall. These effects are shown to be related to a shortening of the timescale for converting cloud droplets to rain as the aerosol number concentration is decreased. The simulations are compared to satellite-derived estimates of surface rainfall, a condensed-water path and the outgoing flux of short-wave radiation. Simulations for fewer aerosol particles outperform the more polluted simulations for surface rainfall but give poorer representations of top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiation.</p>https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/20/5093/2020/acp-20-5093-2020.pdf |
| spellingShingle | K. Furtado P. Field Y. Luo T. Zhou A. Hill The effects of cloud–aerosol interaction complexity on simulations of presummer rainfall over southern China Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | The effects of cloud–aerosol interaction complexity on simulations of presummer rainfall over southern China |
| title_full | The effects of cloud–aerosol interaction complexity on simulations of presummer rainfall over southern China |
| title_fullStr | The effects of cloud–aerosol interaction complexity on simulations of presummer rainfall over southern China |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effects of cloud–aerosol interaction complexity on simulations of presummer rainfall over southern China |
| title_short | The effects of cloud–aerosol interaction complexity on simulations of presummer rainfall over southern China |
| title_sort | effects of cloud aerosol interaction complexity on simulations of presummer rainfall over southern china |
| url | https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/20/5093/2020/acp-20-5093-2020.pdf |
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