Characterization of Southern Ocean boundary layer clouds using airborne radar, lidar, and in situ cloud data: Results from SOCRATES

Schima, J., McFarquhar, G., Romatschke, U., Vivekanandan, J., D'Alessandro, J., et al. (2022). Characterization of Southern Ocean boundary layer clouds using airborne radar, lidar, and in situ cloud data: Results from SOCRATES. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, doi:https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JD037277

Title Characterization of Southern Ocean boundary layer clouds using airborne radar, lidar, and in situ cloud data: Results from SOCRATES
Genre Article
Author(s) J. Schima, G. McFarquhar, Ulrike Romatschke, Jothiram Vivekanandan, J. D'Alessandro, Julie A. Haggerty, Cory Wolff, E. Schaefer, E. Järvinen, M. Schnaiter
Abstract Climate and numerical weather prediction models struggle to accurately predict radiative forcing over the Southern Ocean (SO), as the amount of clouds and their phases are poorly represented in such models due to a lack of observations upon which to base parameterizations. To address this, a novel particle identification (PID) scheme, based upon airborne radar and lidar data, was applied to data collected during the Southern Ocean Clouds, Aerosol, Radiation Transport Experimental Study (SOCRATES) to assess the vertical structure of SO boundary layer clouds. A comparison between the PID scheme and in situ phase data from SOCRATES showed relatively good agreement between the two data types. The convectivity of the clouds sampled during SOCRATES was determined using the novel Echo Classification from COnvectivity for Vertically pointing radars product. The PID and in situ data were then used synergistically to identify the following features of cloud vertical structure: (a) Supercooled liquid water was very common (Probability, P similar to 80%) at cloud top for convective and stratiform clouds; (b) Supercooled large drops with maximum dimensions >95 mu m frequently appear within a hundred meters below cloud top, particularly within convective clouds (Max P 35%-45%), but also within stratiform clouds (Max P 20%-30%); (c) Ice production was associated with convective activity, with P similar to 20% at cloud top, increasing to 50%-70% 200 m below top, compared to P < 30% everywhere in stratiform clouds; (d) Convective clouds were found to be more vertically heterogeneous than stratiform clouds.
Publication Title Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
Publication Date Nov 16, 2022
Publisher's Version of Record https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JD037277
OpenSky Citable URL https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7fr01gf
OpenSky Listing View on OpenSky
EOL Affiliations RSF, RAF, APO

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