Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Reconciling and Validating the Cloud Thickness and Liquid Water Path Tendencies Proposed by R. Wood and J. J. van der Dussen et al.

Mohamed S. Ghonima Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California

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Joel R. Norris Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California

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Thijs Heus Department of Physics, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio

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Jan Kleissl Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California

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Print Publication:
01 May 2015
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-14-0287.1
Page(s):
2033–2040
Restricted access

Abstract

A detailed derivation of stratocumulus cloud thickness and liquid water path tendencies as a function of the well-mixed boundary layer mass, heat, and moisture budget equations is presented. The derivation corrects an error in the cloud thickness tendency equation derived by R. Wood to make it consistent with the liquid water path tendency equation derived by J. J. van der Dussen et al. The validity of the tendency equations is then tested against the output of large-eddy simulations of a typical stratocumulus-topped boundary layer case and is found to be in good agreement.

Corresponding author address: Mohamed Ghonima, 9500 Gilman Dr., EBUII – 304, La Jolla, CA 92093-0411. E-mail: mgohinma@ucsd.edu

Abstract

A detailed derivation of stratocumulus cloud thickness and liquid water path tendencies as a function of the well-mixed boundary layer mass, heat, and moisture budget equations is presented. The derivation corrects an error in the cloud thickness tendency equation derived by R. Wood to make it consistent with the liquid water path tendency equation derived by J. J. van der Dussen et al. The validity of the tendency equations is then tested against the output of large-eddy simulations of a typical stratocumulus-topped boundary layer case and is found to be in good agreement.

Corresponding author address: Mohamed Ghonima, 9500 Gilman Dr., EBUII – 304, La Jolla, CA 92093-0411. E-mail: mgohinma@ucsd.edu
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