An improved representation of rimed snow and conversion to graupel in a multicomponent bin microphysics scheme

This paper describes the development of a new multicomponent detailed bin ice microphysics scheme that predicts the number concentration of ice as well as the rime mass mixing ratio in each mass bin. This allows for local prediction of the rime mass fraction. In this approach, the ice particle mass size, projected area size, and terminal velocity–size relationships vary as a function of particle mass and rimed mass fraction, based on a simple conceptual model of rime accumulation in the crystal interstices that leads to an increase in particle mass, but not in its maximum size, until a complete “filling in” with rime and conversion to graupel occurs. This approach allows a natural representation of the gradual transition from unrimed crystals to rimed crystals and graupel during riming. The new ice scheme is coupled with a detailed bin representation of the liquid hydrometeors and applied in an idealized 2D kinematic flow model representing the evolution of a mixed-phase precipitating cumulus. Results using the bin scheme are compared with simulations using a two-moment bulk scheme employing the same approach (i.e., separate prediction of bulk ice mixing ratio from vapor deposition and riming, allowing for local prediction of bulk rime mass fraction). The bin and bulk schemes produce similar results in terms of ice and liquid water paths and optical depths, as well as the timing of the onset and peak surface precipitation rate. However, the peak domain-average surface precipitation rate produced by the bulk scheme is about 4 times that in the bin simulation. The bin scheme is also compared with simulations that assume the ice particles consist entirely of either unrimed snow or graupel. While overall results are fairly similar, the onset and timing of the peak domain-average surface precipitation rate are substantially delayed in the simulations that treat the ice particles as either unrimed snow or graupel. These results suggest the importance of representing different ice types, including partially rimed crystals, for this case.