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Article Type:
Research Article

Meteorological and Aerosol Effects on Marine Stratocumulus

Zhe Li Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China

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Huiwen Xue Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China

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Jen-Ping Chen Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

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Wei-Chyung Wang Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York

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Print Publication:
01 Feb 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-15-0101.1
Page(s):
807–820
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Abstract

This study investigates the effects of meteorological conditions and aerosols on marine stratocumulus in the southeastern Pacific using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. Two regimes with different temperature and moisture conditions in the finest model domain are investigated. The western regime is around 87°–79°W, while the eastern regime is around 79°–71°W. In both regimes, cloud fraction, liquid water path (LWP), cloud thickness, and precipitation show significant diurnal cycles. Cloud fraction can be 0.83 during the night and down to 0.29 during the day in the western regime. The diurnal cycles in the eastern regime have smaller amplitudes but are still very strong. Stratocumulus properties also differ in the two regimes. Compared to the western regime, the eastern regime has lower temperature, higher relative humidity, and a more coupled boundary layer, leading to higher cloud fraction (by 0.11) and lower cloud-base height. The eastern regime also has lower inversion height that causes lower cloud-top height and thinner clouds and, hence, lower LWP and less precipitation.

Cloud microphysical properties are very sensitive to aerosols in both regimes. Increasing aerosols greatly increase cloud number concentration, decrease cloud effective radius, and suppress precipitation. Cloud macrophysical properties (cloud fraction, LWP) are not sensitive to aerosols in either regime, most notably in the eastern regime where precipitation amount is less. The changes in cloud fraction and LWP caused by changes in aerosol concentrations are smaller than the changes in the diurnal cycle and the spatial variability between the two regimes.

Publisher’s Note: This article was revised on 28 April 2016 to correct the affiliation of the first two authors.

Current affiliation: Numerical Weather Prediction Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China.

Corresponding author address: Huiwen Xue, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, North Physics Bldg., Rm. 518, 209 Chengfu Road, Beijing 100871, China. E-mail: hxue@pku.edu.cn

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of meteorological conditions and aerosols on marine stratocumulus in the southeastern Pacific using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. Two regimes with different temperature and moisture conditions in the finest model domain are investigated. The western regime is around 87°–79°W, while the eastern regime is around 79°–71°W. In both regimes, cloud fraction, liquid water path (LWP), cloud thickness, and precipitation show significant diurnal cycles. Cloud fraction can be 0.83 during the night and down to 0.29 during the day in the western regime. The diurnal cycles in the eastern regime have smaller amplitudes but are still very strong. Stratocumulus properties also differ in the two regimes. Compared to the western regime, the eastern regime has lower temperature, higher relative humidity, and a more coupled boundary layer, leading to higher cloud fraction (by 0.11) and lower cloud-base height. The eastern regime also has lower inversion height that causes lower cloud-top height and thinner clouds and, hence, lower LWP and less precipitation.

Cloud microphysical properties are very sensitive to aerosols in both regimes. Increasing aerosols greatly increase cloud number concentration, decrease cloud effective radius, and suppress precipitation. Cloud macrophysical properties (cloud fraction, LWP) are not sensitive to aerosols in either regime, most notably in the eastern regime where precipitation amount is less. The changes in cloud fraction and LWP caused by changes in aerosol concentrations are smaller than the changes in the diurnal cycle and the spatial variability between the two regimes.

Publisher’s Note: This article was revised on 28 April 2016 to correct the affiliation of the first two authors.

Current affiliation: Numerical Weather Prediction Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China.

Corresponding author address: Huiwen Xue, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, North Physics Bldg., Rm. 518, 209 Chengfu Road, Beijing 100871, China. E-mail: hxue@pku.edu.cn
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