scholarly journals On the Occurrence of Hollow Bullet Rosette– and Column-Shaped Ice Crystals in Midlatitude Cirrus

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (12) ◽  
pp. 4514-4519 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. G. Schmitt ◽  
A. J. Heymsfield
Keyword(s):  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Cirrus Cloud ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Polyvinyl Formal ◽  
Ice Particles ◽  
Cloud Ice ◽  
Parameter Values

Abstract Cirrus clouds in mid- and high latitudes are frequently composed of bullet rosette– and column-shaped ice crystals, which can have hollow ends. Bullet rosette–shaped ice crystals are composed of a number of bullets radiating from a central point. Research has shown that the light-scattering properties of ice particles with hollow ends are different from the scattering properties of solid ice particles. Knowledge of the frequency of occurrence of hollow particles is important to more accurately calculate the radiative properties of cirrus clouds. This note presents the results of a survey of cirrus cloud ice crystal replicas imaged from balloon-borne Formvar (polyvinyl formal) replicators. Fifty percent to 80% of the replicated bullet rosette– and column-shaped particles had hollow ends. In bullets longer than 150 μm in length, the length of the hollows of the bullets averaged 88% of the total length of the bullet. The combined length of both hollow portions of column-shaped ice crystals varied from 50% of the length of the column for 30-μm-long columns to 80% of the length of the columns longer than 200 μm. Asymmetry parameter values estimated from cirrus cloud aircraft particle size distributions are higher by 0.014 when hollow crystals are considered. This difference leads to a 2.5 W m−2 increase for hollow crystals at the surface for a 0.5 optical depth cloud, demonstrating the importance of the incorporation of hollow particle scattering characteristics into radiative transfer calculations.

scholarly journals Thin and subvisible cirrus and contrails in a subsaturated environment

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 5853-5865 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kübbeler ◽  
M. Hildebrandt ◽  
J. Meyer ◽  
C. Schiller ◽  
Th. Hamburger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Size ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Size Spectra ◽  
Ice Clouds ◽  
Frontal Systems ◽  
Ice Crystal Size

Abstract. The frequency of occurrence of cirrus clouds and contrails, their life time, ice crystal size spectra and thus their radiative properties depend strongly on the ambient distribution of the relative humidity with respect to ice (RHice). Ice clouds do not form below a certain supersaturation and both cirrus and contrails need at least saturation conditions to persist over a longer period. Under subsaturated conditions, cirrus and contrails should dissipate. During the mid-latitude aircraft experiment CONCERT 2008 (CONtrail and Cirrus ExpeRimenT), RHice and ice crystals were measured in cirrus and contrails. Here, we present results from 2.3/1.7 h of observation in cirrus/contrails during 6 flights. Thin and subvisible cirrus with contrails embedded therein have been detected frequently in a subsaturated environment. Nevertheless, ice crystals up to radii of 50 μm and larger, but with low number densities were often observed inside the contrails as well as in the cirrus. Analysis of the meteorological situation indicates that the crystals in the contrails were entrained from the thin/subvisible cirrus clouds, which emerged in frontal systems with low updrafts. From model simulations of cirrus evaporation times it follows that such thin/subvisible cirrus can exist for time periods of a couple of hours and longer in a subsaturated environment and thus may represent a considerable part of the cirrus coverage.

scholarly journals Thin and subvisible cirrus and contrails in a subsaturated environment

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 31153-31186 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kübbeler ◽  
M. Hildebrandt ◽  
J. Meyer ◽  
C. Schiller ◽  
T. Hamburger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Size ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Size Spectra ◽  
Ice Clouds ◽  
Frontal Systems ◽  
Ice Crystal Size

Abstract. The frequency of occurrence of cirrus clouds and contrails, their life time, ice crystal size spectra and thus their radiative properties depend strongly on the ambient distribution of the relative humidity with respect to ice (RHice). Ice clouds do not form below a certain supersaturation and both cirrus and contrails need at least saturation conditions to persist over a longer period. Under subsaturated conditions, cirrus and contrails should dissipate. During the mid-latitude aircraft experiment CONCERT 2008 (CONtrail and Cirrus ExpeRimenT), RHice and ice crystals were measured in cirrus and contrails. Here, we present results from 2.3/1.7 h of observation in cirrus/contrails during 6 flights. Thin and subvisible cirrus with contrails embedded therein have been detected frequently in a subsaturated environment. Nevertheless, ice crystals up to radii of 50 μm and larger, but with low number densities were often observed inside the contrails as well as in the cirrus. Analysis of the meteorological situation indicates that the crystals in the contrails were entrained from the thin/subvisible cirrus clouds, which emerged in frontal systems with low updrafts. From model simulations of cirrus evaporation times it follows that such thin/subvisible cirrus can exist for time periods of a couple of hours and longer in a subsaturated environment and thus may represent a considerable part of the cirrus coverage.

Supersaturation Fluctuations in Cirrus Clouds Driven by Colored Noise

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 435-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Kärcher
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Probability Distributions ◽  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Atmospheric Models ◽  
Fundamental Properties ◽  
Cloud Ice ◽  
Weak Damping ◽  
Size Spreading

Abstract Fundamental properties of ice supersaturation variability in cirrus clouds are studied by means of an idealized probabilistic model. Damped supersaturation fluctuations are assumed to be exponentially correlated in time, statistically stationary, and normally distributed. The damping process is tied to the ability of the ice crystals to scavenge water vapor. The temporal evolution of supersaturation separates into an early ballistic and a late asymptotic regime. The latter allows for a stationary solution for the probability distribution of supersaturation in the presence of cloud ice and corresponds to a diffusive solution in cloud-free conditions. Low ice crystal number densities, small ice crystal sizes, short supersaturation correlation times, and large fluctuation intensities favor the spreading of cirrus ice crystal sizes, especially in conditions conducive to sublimation. Otherwise, size spreading of ice crystals is hampered by ice-induced damping of supersaturation fluctuations. The spreading of the probability distributions of ice supersaturation for very weak damping may lead to an increase of cirrus fractional coverage, as parameterized in large-scale atmospheric models, even for small mean supersaturations.

scholarly journals The accommodation coefficient of water molecules on ice-cirrus cloud studies at the AIDA simulation chamber

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 24351-24393 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Skrotzki ◽  
P. Connolly ◽  
M. Schnaiter ◽  
H. Saathoff ◽  
O. Möhler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Models ◽  
Interaction Model ◽  
Particle Growth ◽  
Accommodation Coefficient ◽  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Water Molecules ◽  
Cirrus Cloud ◽  
Cloud Data ◽  
Ice Particles

Abstract. Cirrus clouds and their impact on the Earth's radiative budget are subjects of current research. The processes governing the growth of cirrus ice particles are central to the radiative properties of cirrus clouds. At temperatures relevant to cirrus clouds, the growth of ice crystals smaller than a few microns in size is strongly influenced by the accommodation coefficient of water molecules on ice, αice, making this parameter relevant for cirrus cloud modeling. However, the experimentally determined magnitude of αice for cirrus temperatures is afflicted with uncertainties of almost three orders of magnitude and values for αice derived from cirrus cloud data lack significance so far. This has motivated dedicated experiments at the cloud chamber AIDA (Aerosol Interactions and Dynamics in the Atmosphere) to determine αice in the cirrus-relevant temperature interval between 190 K and 235 K under realistic cirrus ice particle growth conditions. The experimental data sets have been evaluated independently with two model approaches: the first relying on the newly developed model SIGMA (Simple Ice Growth Model for determining Alpha), the second one on an established model, ACPIM (Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation Interaction Model). Within both approaches, a careful uncertainty analysis of the obtained αice values has been carried out for each AIDA experiment. The results show no significant dependence of αice on temperature between 190 K and 235 K. In addition, we find no evidence for a dependence of αice on ice particle size or on water vapor supersaturation for ice particles smaller than 20 μm and supersaturations of up to 70%. The temperature averaged and combined result from both models is αice=0.6−0.4+0.4 which implies that αice may only exert a minor impact on cirrus clouds and their characteristics when compared to the assumption of αice=1. Impact on prior calculations of cirrus cloud properties, e.g. in climate models, with αice typically chosen in the range 0.2–1 is thus expected to be negligible. In any case, we provide a well constrained αice which future cirrus model studies can rely on.

scholarly journals The origin of midlatitude ice clouds and the resulting influence on their microphysical properties

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (23) ◽  
pp. 34243-34281 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. E. Luebke ◽  
A. Afchine ◽  
A. Costa ◽  
J. Meyer ◽  
C. Rolf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bimodal Distribution ◽  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Ice Clouds ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal Size ◽  
Ice Water

Abstract. The radiative role of ice clouds in the atmosphere is known to be important, but uncertainties remain concerning the magnitude and net effects. However, through measurements of the microphysical properties of cirrus clouds, we can better characterize them, which can ultimately allow for their radiative properties to be more accurately ascertained. It has recently been proposed that there are two types of cirrus clouds – in situ and liquid origin. In this study, we present observational evidence to show that two distinct types of cirrus do exist. Airborne, in situ measurements of cloud ice water content (IWC), ice crystal concentration (Nice), and ice crystal size from the 2014 ML-CIRRUS campaign provide cloud samples that have been divided according to their origin type. The key features that set liquid origin cirrus apart from the in situ origin cirrus are a higher frequency of high IWC (> 100 ppmv), higher Nice values, and larger ice crystals. A vertical distribution of Nice shows that the in situ origin cirrus clouds exhibit a median value of around 0.1 cm−3, while the liquid origin concentrations are slightly, but notably higher. The median sizes of the crystals contributing the most mass are less than 200 μm for in situ origin cirrus, with some of the largest crystals reaching 550 μm in size. The liquid origin cirrus, on the other hand, were observed to have median diameters greater than 200 μm, and crystals that were up to 750 μm. An examination of these characteristics in relation to each other and their relationship to temperature provides strong evidence that these differences arise from the dynamics and conditions in which the ice crystals formed. Additionally, the existence of these two groups in cirrus cloud populations may explain why a bimodal distribution in the IWC-temperature relationship has been observed. We hypothesize that the low IWC mode is the result of in situ origin cirrus and the high IWC mode is the result of liquid origin cirrus.

scholarly journals The origin of midlatitude ice clouds and the resulting influence on their microphysical properties

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 5793-5809 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna E. Luebke ◽  
Armin Afchine ◽  
Anja Costa ◽  
Jens-Uwe Grooß ◽  
Jessica Meyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bimodal Distribution ◽  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Ice Clouds ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal Size ◽  
Ice Water

Abstract. The radiative role of ice clouds in the atmosphere is known to be important, but uncertainties remain concerning the magnitude and net effects. However, through measurements of the microphysical properties of cirrus clouds, we can better characterize them, which can ultimately allow for their radiative properties to be more accurately ascertained. Recently, two types of cirrus clouds differing by formation mechanism and microphysical properties have been classified – in situ and liquid origin cirrus. In this study, we present observational evidence to show that two distinct types of cirrus do exist. Airborne, in situ measurements of cloud ice water content (IWC), ice crystal concentration (Nice), and ice crystal size from the 2014 ML-CIRRUS campaign provide cloud samples that have been divided according to their origin type. The key features that set liquid origin cirrus apart from the in situ origin cirrus are higher frequencies of high IWC ( > 100 ppmv), higher Nice values, and larger ice crystals. A vertical distribution of Nice shows that the in situ origin cirrus clouds exhibit a median value of around 0.1 cm−3, while the liquid origin concentrations are slightly, but notably higher. The median sizes of the crystals contributing the most mass are less than 200 µm for in situ origin cirrus, with some of the largest crystals reaching 550 µm in size. The liquid origin cirrus, on the other hand, were observed to have median diameters greater than 200 µm, and crystals that were up to 750 µm. An examination of these characteristics in relation to each other and their relationship to temperature provides strong evidence that these differences arise from the dynamics and conditions in which the ice crystals formed. Additionally, the existence of these two groups in cirrus cloud populations may explain why a bimodal distribution in the IWC-temperature relationship has been observed. We hypothesize that the low IWC mode is the result of in situ origin cirrus and the high IWC mode is the result of liquid origin cirrus.

Radiative Transfer in Cirrus Clouds: Light Scatting and Spectral Information

Cirrus ◽  
2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.N. Liou ◽  
Y. Gu
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Transfer ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Ice Particles ◽  
Ground Based Lidar ◽  
Composition Structure

The importance of cirrus clouds in climate has been recognized in the light of a number of intensive composite field observations: the First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) I in October-November 1986; FIRE II in November-December 1991; the European experiment on cirrus (ICE/EUCREX) in 1989; Subsonic Aircraft: Contrail and Cloud Effect Special Study (SUCCESS) in April 1996. Based on observations from the ground-based lidar and radar, airborne instrumentation, and satellites, cirrus clouds are typically located in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (Liou 1986). The formation, maintenance, and dissipation of cirrus clouds are directly associated with synoptic and mesoscale disturbances as well as related to deep cumulus outflows. Increases of high cloud cover have been reported at a number of urban airports in the United States based on surface observations spanning 40 years (Liou et al. 1990; Frankel et al. 1997). These increases have been attributed to the contrails and water vapor produced by jet airplane traffic. Satellite observations from NOAA polar-orbiting High-Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) using the CO2 slicing method (Wylie et al. 1994) also show that cirrus cloud cover substantially increased between 60° S and 60° N during a 4-year period from June 1989 to September 1993. Understanding the role of cirrus clouds in climate must begin with reliable modeling of their radiative properties for incorporation in climate models as well as determination of the global variability of their composition, structure, and optical properties. Development of the remote sensing methodologies for the detection and retrieval of the ubiquitous visible and subvisual cirrus clouds requires the basic scattering, absorption, and polarization data for ice crystals in conjunction with appropriate radiative transfer models. We present the fundamentals involving radiative transfer in cirrus clouds and review pertinent research. In section 13.1, an overview of the subject of light scattering by ice crystals is presented in which we discuss a unification of the geometric optics approach for large ice particles and the finite-difference time domain numerical solution for small ice particles, referred to as the unified theory. Section 13.2 presents radiative transfer in cirrus clouds involving two unique properties: orientation of nonspherical ice crystals and cloud inhomogeneity.

scholarly journals The accommodation coefficient of water molecules on ice – cirrus cloud studies at the AIDA simulation chamber

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4451-4466 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Skrotzki ◽  
P. Connolly ◽  
M. Schnaiter ◽  
H. Saathoff ◽  
O. Möhler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Models ◽  
Interaction Model ◽  
Particle Growth ◽  
Accommodation Coefficient ◽  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Water Molecules ◽  
Cirrus Cloud ◽  
Cloud Data ◽  
Ice Particles

Abstract. Cirrus clouds and their impact on the Earth's radiative budget are subjects of current research. The processes governing the growth of cirrus ice particles are central to the radiative properties of cirrus clouds. At temperatures relevant to cirrus clouds, the growth of ice crystals smaller than a few microns in size is strongly influenced by the accommodation coefficient of water molecules on ice, αice, making this parameter relevant for cirrus cloud modeling. However, the experimentally determined magnitude of αice for cirrus temperatures is afflicted with uncertainties of almost three orders of magnitude, and values for αice derived from cirrus cloud data lack significance so far. This has motivated dedicated experiments at the cloud chamber AIDA (Aerosol Interactions and Dynamics in the Atmosphere) to determine αice in the cirrus-relevant temperature interval between 190 K and 235 K under realistic cirrus ice particle growth conditions. The experimental data sets have been evaluated independently with two model approaches: the first relying on the newly developed model SIGMA (Simple Ice Growth Model for determining Alpha), the second one on an established model, ACPIM (Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation Interaction Model). Within both approaches a careful uncertainty analysis of the obtained αice values has been carried out for each AIDA experiment. The results show no significant dependence of αice on temperature between 190 K and 235 K. In addition, we find no evidence for a dependence of αice on ice particle size or on water vapor supersaturation for ice particles smaller than 20 μm and supersaturations of up to 70%. The temperature-averaged and combined result from both models is αice = 0.7−0.5+0.3, which implies that αice may only exert a minor impact on cirrus clouds and their characteristics when compared to the assumption of αice =1. Impact on prior calculations of cirrus cloud properties, e.g., in climate models, with αice typically chosen in the range 0.2–1 is thus expected to be negligible. In any case, we provide a well-constrained αice which future cirrus model studies can rely on.

scholarly journals Impact of H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>/H<sub>2</sub>O coating and ice crystal size on radiative properties of sub-visible cirrus

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 4659-4667 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Räisänen ◽  
A. Bogdan ◽  
K. Sassen ◽  
M. Kulmala ◽  
M. J. Molina
Keyword(s):  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Ice Particles ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Tropopause Region ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effects ◽  
Ice Crystal Size ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Recent laboratory experiments showed that at conditions resembling those near the tropopause region, small ice particles can be coated by a liquid H2SO4/H2O over-layer formed after the freezing of diluted sulfuric acid/water aerosol drops. Here, idealized radiative transfer tests are conducted to evaluate the impact that such an over-layer would have on the radiative effects produced by sub-visible cirrus clouds (SVCs). Spherical particle shape is assumed to keep the problem tractable. The calculations show that the over-layer increases both the shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) cloud radiative effects (CRE), but the impact is small: ~0.02 W m−2, or even less, for the total (LW+SW) CRE at the top of the atmosphere. For the smallest ice particles, for which the over-layer is thickest, the fractional change in CRE can, however, reach ~20% for the SW CRE and over 50% for the LW CRE. The dependence of LW and SW CRE on particle size is also studied in the paper. Calculations for spherical and spheroidal uncoated ice particles show that even for high, optically thin cirrus, the total CRE can be negative, if the diameter of the particles is smaller than about 3–4 μm. Apart from the SVCs, this result could be relevant for contrail cirrus clouds, which are believed to consist of large numbers of very small ice particles.

scholarly journals Impact of H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>/H<sub>2</sub>O coating and ice crystal size on radiative properties of sub-visible cirrus

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 5231-5250
Author(s):  
P. Räisänen ◽  
A. Bogdan ◽  
K. Sassen ◽  
M. Kulmala ◽  
M. J. Molina
Keyword(s):  
Cirrus Clouds ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Ice Crystal ◽  
Radiative Effects ◽  
Ice Particles ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Tropopause Region ◽  
Cloud Radiative Effects ◽  
Ice Crystal Size ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Recent laboratory experiments showed that at conditions resembling those near the tropopause region, small quasi-spherical ice particles can be coated by a liquid H2SO4/H2O over-layer formed after the freezing of diluted sulfuric acid/water aerosol drops. Here, idealized radiative transfer tests are conducted to evaluate the impact that such an over-layer would have on the radiative effects produced by sub-visible cirrus clouds (SVCs). The calculations show that the over-layer increases both the shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) cloud radiative effects (CRE), but the impact is small: ~0.02 W m-2, or even less, for the total (LW+SW) CRE at the top of the atmosphere. For the smallest ice particles, for which the over-layer is thickest, the fractional change in CRE can, however, reach ~20% for the SW CRE and over 50% for the LW CRE. The dependence of LW and SW CRE on particle size is also considered in the paper. Calculations for spherical uncoated ice particles show that even for high, optically thin cirrus clouds, the total CRE can be negative, if the diameter of the particles is smaller than about 3–4 µm. Apart from the SVCs, this result could be relevant for contrail cirrus clouds, which are believed to consist of large numbers of very small ice particles.

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