Vertical distribution of the particle phase in tropical deep convective clouds as derived from cloud-side reflected solar radiation measurements

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Jaekel, Evelyn ; Wendisch, Manfred ; Krisna, Trismono C. ; Ewald, Florian ; Koelling, Tobias ; Jurkat, Tina ; Voigt, Christiane ; Cecchini, Micael A. ; Machado, Luiz A. T. ; Afchine, Armin ; Costa, Anja ; Kraemer, Martina ; Andreae, Meinrat O. ; Poeschl, Ulrich ; Rosenfeld, Daniel ; Yuan, Tianle

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics; v. 17, n. 14, p. 9049-9066, JUL 27 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 6

Abstract

Vertical profiles of cloud particle phase in tropical deep convective clouds (DCCs) were investigated using airborne solar spectral radiation data collected by the German High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft (HALO) during the ACRIDICON-CHUVA campaign, which was conducted over the Brazilian rainforest in September 2014. A phase discrimination retrieval based on imaging spectroradiometer measurements of DCC side spectral reflectivity was applied to clouds formed in different aerosol conditions. From the retrieval results the height of the mixedphase layer of the DCCs was determined. The retrieved profiles were compared with in situ measurements and satellite observations. It was found that the depth and vertical position of the mixed-phase layer can vary up to 900m for one single cloud scene. This variability is attributed to the different stages of cloud development in a scene. Clouds of mature or decaying stage are affected by falling ice particles resulting in lower levels of fully glaciated cloud layers compared to growing clouds. Comparing polluted and moderate aerosol conditions revealed a shift of the lower boundary of the mixed-phase layer from 5.6 +/- 0.2 km (269 K; moderate) to 6.2 +/- 0.3 km (267 K; polluted), and of the upper boundary from 6.8 +/- 0.2 km (263 K; moderate) to 7.4 +/- 0.4 km (259 K; polluted), as would be expected from theory. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/05014-0 - GoAmazon: interactions of the urban plume of Manaus with biogenic forest emissions in Amazonia
• Grantee: Paulo Eduardo Artaxo Netto
• Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 09/15235-8 - Cloud processes of the main precipitation systems in Brazil: a contribution to cloud resolving modeling and to the GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement)
• Grantee: Luiz Augusto Toledo Machado
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants