GLORIA

GEOMAR Library Ocean Research Information Access

X

Your email was sent successfully. Check your inbox.

An error occurred while sending the email. Please try again.

Proceed reservation?

Export
  • 1
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Influence of low-level blocking and turbulence on the microphysics of a mixed-phase cloud in an inner-Alpine valley
    Copernicus GmbH ; 2021
    In:  Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Vol. 21, No. 6 ( 2021-04-01), p. 5151-5172
    Details
    In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Copernicus GmbH, Vol. 21, No. 6 ( 2021-04-01), p. 5151-5172
    Abstract: Abstract. Previous studies that investigated orographic precipitation have primarily focused on isolated mountain barriers. Here we investigate the influence of low-level blocking and shear-induced turbulence on the cloud microphysics and precipitation formation in a complex inner-Alpine valley. The analysis focuses on a mid-level cloud in a post-frontal environment and a low-level feeder cloud induced by an in-valley circulation. Observations were obtained from an extensive set of instruments including ground-based remote sensing instrumentation, in situ instrumentation on a tethered-balloon system and ground-based precipitation measurements. During this event, the boundary layer was characterized by a blocked low-level flow and enhanced turbulence in the region of strong vertical wind shear at the boundary between the blocked layer in the valley and the stronger cross-barrier flow aloft. Cloud radar observations indicated changes in the microphysical cloud properties within the turbulent shear layer including enhanced linear depolarization ratio (i.e., change in particle shape or density) and increased radar reflectivity (i.e., enhanced ice growth). Based on the ice particle habits observed at the surface, we suggest that riming, aggregation and needle growth occurred within the turbulent layer. Collisions of fragile ice crystals (e.g., dendrites, needles) and the Hallett–Mossop process might have contributed to secondary ice production. Additionally, in situ instrumentation on the tethered-balloon system observed the presence of a low-level feeder cloud above a small-scale topographic feature, which dissipated when the low-level flow turned from a blocked to an unblocked state. Our observations indicate that the low-level blocking (due to the downstream mountain barrier) created an in-valley circulation, which led to the production of local updrafts and the formation of a low-level feeder cloud. Although the feeder cloud did not enhance precipitation in this particular case (since the majority of the precipitation sublimated when falling through a subsaturated layer above), we propose that local flow effects such as low-level blocking can induce the formation of feeder clouds in mountain valleys and on the leeward slope of foothills upstream of the main mountain barrier, where they can act to enhance orographic precipitation through the seeder–feeder mechanism.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1680-7324
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.5194/acp-21-5151-2021
    Language: English
    Publisher: Copernicus GmbH
    Publication Date: 2021
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2092549-9
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2069847-1
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    Online Resource
  • 2
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Seeding of supercooled low stratus clouds with a UAV to study microphysical ice processes - An introduction to the CLOUDLAB project
    American Meteorological Society ; 2023
    In:  Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society ( 2023-09-25)
    Details
    In: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, American Meteorological Society, ( 2023-09-25)
    Abstract: Ice formation and growth processes play a crucial role in the evolution of cloud systems and the formation of precipitation. However, the initial formation and growth of ice crystals are challenging to study in the real atmosphere resulting in uncertainties in weather forecasts and climate projections. The CLOUDLAB project tackles this problem by using supercooled stratus clouds as a natural laboratory for targeted glaciogenic cloud seeding to advance the understanding of ice processes: Ice nucleating particles are injected from an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) into supercooled stratus clouds to induce ice crystal formation and subsequent growth processes. Microphysical changes induced by seeding are measured 3 - 15 minutes downstream of the seeding location using in situ and ground-based remote sensing instrumentation. The novel application of seeding with a multirotor UAV combined with the persistent nature of stratus clouds enables repeated seeding experiments under similar and well-constrained initial conditions. This article describes the scientific goals, experimental design, and first results of CLOUDLAB. First, the seeding plume is characterized by using measurements of a UAV equipped with an optical particle counter. Second, the seeding-induced microphysical changes observed by cloud radars and a tethered balloon system are presented. The seeding signatures were detected by regions of increased radar reflectivity ( 〉 -20 dBZ), which were 10 to 20 dBZ higher than the natural background. Simultaneously, high concentrations of seeding particles and ice crystals (up to 2000 L −1 ) were observed. A cloud seeding case was simulated with the numerical weather model ICON to contextualize the findings.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 0003-0007 , 1520-0477
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.1175/BAMS-D-22-0178.1
    Language: Unknown
    Publisher: American Meteorological Society
    Publication Date: 2023
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2029396-3
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 419957-1
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    Online Resource
  • 3
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Microphysical investigation of the seeder and feeder region of an Alpine mixed-phase cloud
    Copernicus GmbH ; 2021
    In:  Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Vol. 21, No. 9 ( 2021-05-04), p. 6681-6706
    Details
    In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Copernicus GmbH, Vol. 21, No. 9 ( 2021-05-04), p. 6681-6706
    Abstract: Abstract. The seeder–feeder mechanism has been observed to enhance orographic precipitation in previous studies. However, the microphysical processes active in the seeder and feeder region are still being understood. In this paper, we investigate the seeder and feeder region of a mixed-phase cloud passing over the Swiss Alps, focusing on (1) fallstreaks of enhanced radar reflectivity originating from cloud top generating cells (seeder region) and (2) a persistent low-level feeder cloud produced by the boundary layer circulation (feeder region). Observations were obtained from a multi-dimensional set of instruments including ground-based remote sensing instrumentation (Ka-band polarimetric cloud radar, microwave radiometer, wind profiler), in situ instrumentation on a tethered balloon system, and ground-based aerosol and precipitation measurements. The cloud radar observations suggest that ice formation and growth were enhanced within cloud top generating cells, which is consistent with previous observational studies. However, uncertainties exist regarding the dominant ice formation mechanism within these cells. Here we propose different mechanisms that potentially enhance ice nucleation and growth in cloud top generating cells (convective overshooting, radiative cooling, droplet shattering) and attempt to estimate their potential contribution from an ice nucleating particle perspective. Once ice formation and growth within the seeder region exceeded a threshold value, the mixed-phase cloud became fully glaciated. Local flow effects on the lee side of the mountain barrier induced the formation of a persistent low-level feeder cloud over a small-scale topographic feature in the inner-Alpine valley. In situ measurements within the low-level feeder cloud observed the production of secondary ice particles likely due to the Hallett–Mossop process and ice particle fragmentation upon ice–ice collisions. Therefore, secondary ice production may have been partly responsible for the elevated ice crystal number concentrations that have been previously observed in feeder clouds at mountaintop observatories. Secondary ice production in feeder clouds can potentially enhance orographic precipitation.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1680-7324
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.5194/acp-21-6681-2021
    Language: English
    Publisher: Copernicus GmbH
    Publication Date: 2021
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2092549-9
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2069847-1
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    Online Resource
  • 4
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Retrieving ice-nucleating particle concentration and ice multiplication factors using active remote sensing validated by in situ observations
    Copernicus GmbH ; 2022
    In:  Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Vol. 22, No. 15 ( 2022-08-01), p. 9767-9797
    Details
    In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Copernicus GmbH, Vol. 22, No. 15 ( 2022-08-01), p. 9767-9797
    Abstract: Abstract. Understanding the evolution of the ice phase within mixed-phase clouds (MPCs) is necessary to reduce uncertainties related to the cloud radiative feedback in climate projections and precipitation initiation. Both primary ice formation via ice-nucleating particles (INPs) and secondary ice production (SIP) within MPCs are unconstrained, not least because of the lack of atmospheric observations. In the past decades, advanced remote sensing methods have emerged which provide high-resolution data of aerosol and cloud properties and could be key in understanding microphysical processes on a global scale. In this study, we retrieved INP concentrations and ice multiplication factors (IMFs) in wintertime orographic clouds using active remote sensing and in situ observations obtained during the RACLETS campaign in the Swiss Alps. INP concentrations in air masses dominated by Saharan dust and continental aerosol were retrieved from a polarization Raman lidar and validated with aerosol and INP in situ observations on a mountaintop. A calibration factor of 0.0204 for the global INP parameterization by DeMott et al. (2010) is derived by comparing in situ aerosol and INP measurements, improving the INP concentration retrieval for continental aerosols. Based on combined lidar and radar measurements, the ice crystal number concentration and ice water content were retrieved and validated with balloon-borne in situ observations, which agreed with the balloon-borne in situ observations within an order of magnitude. For seven cloud cases the ice multiplication factors (IMFs), defined as the quotient of the ice crystal number concentration to the INP concentration, were calculated. The median IMF was around 80, and SIP was active (defined as IMFs 〉 1) nearly 85 % of the time. SIP was found to be active at all observed temperatures (−30 to −5 ∘C), with the highest IMFs between −20 and −5 ∘C. The introduced methodology could be extended to larger datasets to better understand the impact of SIP not only over the Alps but also at other locations and for other cloud types.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1680-7324
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.5194/acp-22-9767-2022
    Language: English
    Publisher: Copernicus GmbH
    Publication Date: 2022
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2092549-9
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2069847-1
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    Online Resource
Close ⊗
This website uses cookies and the analysis tool Matomo. More information can be found here...