Identification

Title

The sensitivity of simulated shallow cumulus convection and cold pools to microphysics

Abstract

The sensitivity of nested WRF simulations of precipitating shallow marine cumuli and cold pools to microphysical parameterization is examined. The simulations differ only in their use of two widely used double-moment rain microphysical schemes: the Thompson and Morrison schemes. Both simulations produce similar mesoscale variability, with the Thompson scheme producing more weak cold pools and the Morrison scheme producing more strong cold pools, which are associated with more intense shallow convection. The most robust difference is that the cloud cover and LWP are significantly larger in the Morrison simulation than in the Thompson simulation. One-dimensional kinematic simulations confirm that dynamical feedbacks do not mask the impact of microphysics. These also help elucidate that a slower autoconversion process along with a stronger accretion process explains the Morrison scheme’s higher cloud fraction for a similar rain mixing ratio. Differences in the raindrop terminal fall speed parameters explain the higher evaporation rate of the Thompson scheme at moderate surface rain rates. Given the implications of the cloud-cover differences for the radiative forcing of the expansive trade wind regime, the microphysical scheme should be considered carefully when simulating precipitating shallow marine cumulus.

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document

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http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7gb258b

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eng

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geoscientificInformation

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publication

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2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

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publication

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2015-09-01T00:00:00Z

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Copyright 2015 American Meteorological Society (AMS). Permission to use figures, tables, and brief excerpts from this work in scientific and educational works is hereby granted provided that the source is acknowledged. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be "fair use" under Section 107 or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law (17 USC, as revised by P.L. 94-553) does not require the Society's permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form on servers, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statements, requires written permission or license from the AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policies, available from the AMS at 617-227-2425 or amspubs@ametsoc.org. Permission to place a copy of this work on this server has been provided by the AMS. The AMS does not guarantee that the copy provided here is an accurate copy of the published work.

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OpenSky Support

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UCAR/NCAR - Library

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PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

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opensky@ucar.edu

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http://opensky.ucar.edu/

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