Identification

Title

The life cycle of a stationary cloud cluster during the Indian summer monsoon: A microphysical investigation using polarimetric C-band radar

Abstract

Multiplatform observations of the life cycle of a tropical continental mesoscale cloud cluster (CC) during the Indian summer monsoon, which contributed more than similar to 70mm of rainfall over the arid peninsular Indian region, are presented in this study. The CC was characterized by a deep warm cloud layer with isolated convective cells in the initiation phase, merging of several deep cumulus clouds (similar to 6 km) during the mature phase, growing up to similar to 15 km with mixed-phase and ice-phase cloud microphysical processes. Throughout the life cycle of the CC, polarimetric radar analyses revealed size sorting of falling raindrops, growth of dendritic particles, riming, aggregation, the occurrence of a saggy bright band, etc. The formation of big raindrops is observed during the initial convective rain, associated with the melting of hail. The stratiform counterpart is primarily associated with aggregates, ice crystals, and melting snow, resulting in surface rainfall. Aggregates are found to be the spatially dominant hydrometeor followed by ice crystals. The presence of vertically oriented ice crystals indicates active cloud electrification processes during the spatial aggregation of convective clouds. The dominant microphysical processes and precipitation pathways are illustrated. The study forms a benchmark case for model intercomparisons and evaluations.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d77s7sbw

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2021-11-01T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact