Cover Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 445 162 9
PDF Downloads 209 56 13
Article Type:
Research Article

The Origin and Concentration of Ice Crystals in Clouds

S. C. MossopCloud Physics Laboratory, Division of Atmospheric Research, CSIRO, Sydney, Australia

Search for other papers by S. C. Mossop in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMedClose
Online Publication:
01 Mar 1985
Print Publication:
01 Mar 1985
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0477(1985)066<0264:TOACOI>2.0.CO;2
Page(s):
264–273
Full access

Ice crystals in supercooled clouds may form upon ice nuclei, or they may arise through secondary processes. Two of these secondary ice “multiplication” mechanisms are discussed in some detail: the rime-splintering process and the mechanical fracture of ice particles. The nature of the water-drop size distribution has an important bearing on secondary ice production. Confident predictions of ice particle concentration can only be made in a few limited cloud situations. This is a serious handicap in assessing the feasibility of artificial rainmaking through the ice crystal process.

Ice crystals in supercooled clouds may form upon ice nuclei, or they may arise through secondary processes. Two of these secondary ice “multiplication” mechanisms are discussed in some detail: the rime-splintering process and the mechanical fracture of ice particles. The nature of the water-drop size distribution has an important bearing on secondary ice production. Confident predictions of ice particle concentration can only be made in a few limited cloud situations. This is a serious handicap in assessing the feasibility of artificial rainmaking through the ice crystal process.

Save