Optical Properties of Shallow Convective Clouds Diagnosed from a Bulk-Microphysics Large-Eddy Simulation

• Published in: Journal of climate Vol. 21; no. 7; pp. 1639 - 1647
• Main Authors: Slawinska, Joanna, Grabowski, Wojciech W., Pawlowska, Hanna, Wyszogrodzki, Andrzej A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA American Meteorological Society 01.04.2008
• Subjects: Advection; Albedo; Alternative energy sources; Atmospherics; Cloud cover; Cloud droplet concentration; Cloud droplets; Cloud physics; Clouds; Convection; Convection clouds; Convective clouds; Cumulus clouds; Earth, ocean, space; Entrainment; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Heat flux; Heat transfer; Large eddy simulation; Large eddy simulations; Liquid water content; Meteorology; Microphysics; Modeling; Moisture content; Moisture effects; NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE; Oceanic eddies; Optical properties; Optical thickness; Radiation; Radiative cooling; Simulation; Snow; Stratocumulus clouds; Two dimensional models; Water; Water content; Water density; Water pollution; Trade wind; Euler Lagrange equation; Convective cloud; digital simulation; optical properties; Atmospheric convection; Effective radius; Large eddy simulation; Cloud physics; Atmospheric boundary layer; three-dimensional models; Air pollution; Pollutant effect; Optical thickness; Hydrometeor
• ISSN: 0894-8755; 1520-0442
• DOI: 10.1175/2007JCLI1820.1

It is well established from cloud observations (e.g., Stommel 1947; Warner 1955; Blyth 1993; Wang and Albrecht 1994) and cloud modeling (e.g., Brenguier and Grabowski 1993; Carpenter et al. 1998; Siebesma et al. 2003; Chosson et al. 2007) that shallow cumulus and stratocumulus clouds are strongly diluted by entrainment and that such dilution affects not only bulk thermodynamic properties [e.g., the liquid water content (LWC)] but also cloud microphysics (i.e., the spectrum of cloud droplets).