Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

In Situ Observations of the Microphysical Properties of Young Cirrus Clouds**

J. Ström Department of Meteorology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

Search for other papers by J. Ström in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
B. Strauss Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfhart, Institute für Physik der Atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany

Search for other papers by B. Strauss in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
T. Anderson Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean University of Washington, Seattle, Seattle, Washington

Search for other papers by T. Anderson in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
F. Schröder Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfhart, Institute für Physik der Atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany

Search for other papers by F. Schröder in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
J. Heintzenberg Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany

Search for other papers by J. Heintzenberg in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
P. Wendling Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean University of Washington, Seattle, Seattle, Washington

Search for other papers by P. Wendling in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Print Publication:
01 Nov 1997
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1997)054<2542:ISOOTM>2.0.CO;2
Page(s):
2542–2553
Restricted access

Abstract

In situ measurements made in cold (−35° to −60°C) cirrus clouds over southern Germany in March 1994 are presented. The clouds appeared to be in an early stage of their life cycle and their properties in many ways resemble those reported for ice fogs. Crystal concentrations were high (median 2.5 cm−3, STP) and sizes small with a diameter of mean mass of typically 16 μm. The cloud on 18 March presents an interesting case for modeling studies of cirrus formation. On that particular day, the bulk properties of the cloud appeared to be connected to wave structures in the vertical wind field consistent with the Brunt–Väisälä frequency, which gave a corresponding wavelength of 40–50 km. Furthermore, analyses of potential temperature and vertical wind suggested that the vertical displacement producing these clouds was less than 100 m. Size distribution measurements of interstitial particles and crystal residues (particles remaining after evaporation of the crystals) show that small aerosol particles (diameters <0.5 μm) participate in the nucleation of cirrus crystals at low temperatures. Because the aerosol in this small size range is readily perturbed by anthropogenic activity, it is important to study the link between upper tropospheric aerosol properties and cirrus cloud microphysics. While the observations presented here are not adequate to quantify this link, they pave the way for modeling studies and would be interesting to compare to cirrus observations from cleaner regions.

** Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and OceanContribution Number 395.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Johan Ström, Department of Meteorology, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.

Abstract

In situ measurements made in cold (−35° to −60°C) cirrus clouds over southern Germany in March 1994 are presented. The clouds appeared to be in an early stage of their life cycle and their properties in many ways resemble those reported for ice fogs. Crystal concentrations were high (median 2.5 cm−3, STP) and sizes small with a diameter of mean mass of typically 16 μm. The cloud on 18 March presents an interesting case for modeling studies of cirrus formation. On that particular day, the bulk properties of the cloud appeared to be connected to wave structures in the vertical wind field consistent with the Brunt–Väisälä frequency, which gave a corresponding wavelength of 40–50 km. Furthermore, analyses of potential temperature and vertical wind suggested that the vertical displacement producing these clouds was less than 100 m. Size distribution measurements of interstitial particles and crystal residues (particles remaining after evaporation of the crystals) show that small aerosol particles (diameters <0.5 μm) participate in the nucleation of cirrus crystals at low temperatures. Because the aerosol in this small size range is readily perturbed by anthropogenic activity, it is important to study the link between upper tropospheric aerosol properties and cirrus cloud microphysics. While the observations presented here are not adequate to quantify this link, they pave the way for modeling studies and would be interesting to compare to cirrus observations from cleaner regions.

** Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and OceanContribution Number 395.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Johan Ström, Department of Meteorology, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.

Save
Cover Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences

  • Anderson, T. L., R. J. Charlson, and D. S. Covert, 1993: Calibration of a counterflow virtual impactor at aerodynamic diameters from 1 to 15μm. Aerosol Sci. Technol.,19, 317–329.

  • ——, D. S. Covert, and R. J. Charlson, 1994: Cloud droplet number studies with a counterflow virtual impactor. J. Geophys. Res.,99, 8249–8256.

  • Busen, R., and A. L. Buck, 1993: A high performance hygrometer for aircraft use: Description, installation, and flight data. Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre Rep. 10, 29 pp. [Available from Institut für Physik der atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofen, D-82234 Weβling, Germany.].

  • DeMott, P. J., M. P. Meyers, and W. R. Cotton, 1994: Parameterization and impact of ice initiation processes relevant to numerical model simulations of cirrus clouds. J. Atmos. Sci.,51, 77–90.

  • Donner, L. J., J. Warren, and J. Ström, 1995: Implementing microphysics at physically appropriatescales in GCMs. Proc. Workshop on Cloud Microphysics Parameterizations in Global Atmospheric Circulation Models, Alberta, Canada, World Meteor. Org., 133–140.

  • Dye, J. E., and D. Baumgardner, 1984: Evaluation of the forward scattering spectrometer probe. Part I: Electronic and optical studies. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol.,1, 329–344.

  • Hallett, J., 1976: Measurements of size, concentration and structure of atmospheric particulates by the airborne continous replicator. Air Force Geophysics Laboratory, Final Rep., Contract AFGL-TR-76-0149, 92 pp. [Available from B. Strauss, DLR, Institute für Physik der Atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofer D-82234 Weßling, Germany.].

  • Heintzenberg, J., K. Okada, and J. Ström, 1996: On the composition of non-volatile material in upper tropospheric aerosols and cirrus crystals. Atmos. Res.,41, 81–88.

  • Heymsfield, A. J., and R. M. Sabin, 1989: Cirrus crystal nucleation by homogeneous freezing of solution droplets. J. Atmos Sci.,46, 2252–2264.

  • ——, and L. M. Miloshevich, 1993: Homogeneous ice nucleation and supercooled liquid water in orographic wave clouds. J. Atmos. Sci.,50, 2335–2353.

  • ——, and ——, 1995: Relative humidity and temperature influences on cirrus formation and evolution: Observations from wave clouds and FIRE II J. Atmos. Sci.,52, 4302–4326.

  • Jensen, E. J., and O. B. Toon, 1994: Ice nucleation in the upper troposphere: Sensitivity to aerosol number density, temperature, and cooling rate. Geophys. Res. Lett.,21, 2019–2022.

  • ——, ——, D. L. Westphal, S. Kinne, and A. J. Heymsfield, 1994: Microphysical modeling of cirrus 1. Comparison with 1986 FIRE IFO measurements. J. Geophys. Res.,99, 10421–10442.

  • Knollenberg, R. G., 1970: The optical array: An alternative to scattering or extinction for airborne particle size determination. J. Appl. Meteor.,9, 86–103.

  • Kinne, S., T. P. Ackerman, A. J. Heymsfield, F. P. J. Valero, K. Sassen, and J. D. Spinhirne, 1992: Cirrus microphysical and radiative transfer: Cloud field study on 28 October 1986. Mon. Wea. Rev.,120, 661–684.

  • Lin, H., and J. Heintzenberg, 1995: A theoretical study of the counterflow virtual impactor. J. Aerosol Sci.,26, 903–914.

  • Lin, X., and J. A. Coakley, 1993: Retrieval of properties for semitransparent clouds from multispectral infrared imagenary data. J. Geophys. Res.,98, 18501–18514.

  • Minnis, P., P. W. Heck, and D. F. Young, 1993: Inference of cirrus cloud properties using satellite-observed visible and infrared radiances. Part II: Verification of theoretical cirrus radiative properties. J. Atmos. Sci.,50, 1305–1322.

  • Moss, S. J., 1994: Calculation of the effective radius of ice particles in cirrus clouds using the C-130 microphysical measurements from EUCREX’93. Proc. Seventh Workshop, European Cloud Radiation Experiment, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France, European Union, 22–26.

  • Noone, K. J., J. A. Ogren, J. Heintzenberg, R. J. Charlson, and D. S. Covert, 1988: Design and calibration of a counterflow virtual impactor for sampling of atmospheric fog and cloud droplets. Aerosol Sci. Technol.,8, 235–244.

  • ——, ——, A. Hallberg, J. Heintzenberg, J. Ström, H.-C. Hansson, B.Svenningsson, A. Wiedensohler, S. Fuzzi, C. Facchini, B. G. Arends, and A. Berner, 1992: Changes in aerosol size- and phase distribution due to physical and chemical processes in fog. Tellus,44B, 489–504.

  • ——, ——, J. Heintzenberg, J. Ström, and J. A. Ogren, 1993: In situ observations of cirrus cloud microphysical properties using the counterflow virtual impactor. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol.,10, 294–303.

  • Ogren, J. A., J. Heintzenberg, and R. J. Charlson, 1985: In-situ sampling of clouds with a droplet to aerosol converter. Geophys. Res. Lett.,12, 121–303.

  • Ohtake, T., 1970: Unusual crystal in ice fog. J. Atmos. Sci.,27, 509–511.

  • ——, 1970: Studies on ice fog. Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Rep. UAG R-211, 177 pp. [Available from J. Ström, Dept. of Meteorology, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.].

  • Platt, C. M. R., and J. D. Spinhirne, 1989: Optical and microphysical properties of cold cirrus cloud: Evidence for regions of small ice particles. J. Geophys. Res.,94, 11151–11164.

  • Sassen, K., 1991: Corona-producing cirrus cloud properties derived from polarization lidar and photographic analyses. Appl. Opt.,30, 3421–3428.

  • ——, D. O’C. Starr, and T. Uttal, 1989: Mesoscale and microscale structures of cirrus clouds: Three case studies. J. Atmos. Sci.,46, 372–396.

  • ——, and Coauthors, 1995: The 5–6 December 1991 FIRE IFO II jet stream cirrus case study: Possible influences of volcanic aerosols. J. Atmos. Sci.,52, 97–123.

  • Schröder, F., and J. Ström, 1997: Aircraft measurements of sub micrometer aerosol particles (<7nm) in the midlatitude free troposphere and tropopause region. Atmos. Res.,44, 333–356.

  • Schumann, U., P. Konopka, R. Baumann, R. Busen, T. Gerz, H. Schlager, P. Schulte, and H. Volkert, 1995: Estimate of diffusion parameters of aircraft exhaust plumes near the tropopause from nitric oxide and turbulence measurements. J. Geophys. Res.,100, 14147–14162.

  • Stephens, G. L., S.-C. Tsay, P. W. Stackhouse Jr., and P. J. Flatau, 1990: The relevance of microphysical and radiative properties of cirrus clouds to climate and climatic feedback. J. Atmos. Sci.,47, 1742–1753.

  • Ström, J., and J. Heintzenberg, 1994: Water vapor, condensed water and crystal concentration in orographically influenced cirrus clouds. J. Atmos. Sci.,51, 2368–2383.

  • ——, R. Busen, M. Quante, B. Guillemet, P. R. A. Brown, and J. Heintzenberg, 1994a: Pre-EUCREX Intercomparison of airborne humidity measuring instruments, J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol.,11, 1392–1399.

  • ——, J. Heintzenberg, K. J. Noone, K. B. Noone, J. A. Ogren, F. Albers, and M. Quante, 1994b: Small crystals in cirrus clouds: Their residue sized distribution, cloud water content and related cloud properties. J. Atmos Res.,32, 125–141.

  • Thuman, W. C., and E. Robinson, 1954: Studies of Alaskan ice-fog particles. J. Meteor.,11, 151–156.

  • Twohy, C. H., A. D., Clarke, S. G. Warren, L. F. Radke, and R. J. Charlson, 1989: Light absorbing material extracted from cloud droplets and its effect on cloud albedo. J. Geophys. Res.,94, 8623–8631.

  • Zuber, A., andG. Witt, 1987: Optical hygrometer using differential absorption of hydrogen Lyman–Alpha radiation. Appl. Opt.,26, 3083–3089.

All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 682 394 28
PDF Downloads 106 24 0