Identification

Title

Mixed-phase direct numerical simulation: ice growth in cloud-top generating cells

Abstract

In this study, a state-of-the-art microphysical model using a Lagrangian-particle-based direct numerical simulation framework is presented to examine the growth of ice particles in turbulent mixed-phase clouds. By tracking the interactions between individual ice, droplets, and turbulence at the native scales, the model offers new insights into the microphysical processes taking place in mixed-phase clouds at sub-meter-length scales.This paper examines the conditions that favor effective ice growth in the cloud-top generating cells (GCs), which are small regions of enhanced radar reflectivity near cloud tops. GCs are commonly observed in many types of mixed-phase clouds and play a critical role in producing precipitation from rain or snow. Investigations over a range of environmental (macrophysical and turbulent) and microphysical conditions (ice number concentrations) that distinguish GCs from their surrounding cloudy air were conducted.Results show that high liquid water content (LWC) or high relative humidity (RH) is critical for effective ice growth and the maintenance of mixed-phase conditions. As a result, GCs with high LWC and high RH provide favorable conditions for rapid ice growth. When the ice number concentration is below 1 cm-3, which is typical in mixed-phase clouds, a high LWC is needed for the formation of large ice particles. The study also found that supersaturation fluctuations induced by small-scale turbulent mixing have a negligible effect on the mean particle radius, but they can substantially broaden the size spectra, affecting the subsequent collection process.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d70c50rp

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

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South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2023-05-09T00:00:00Z

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