Aerosol-cloud drop concentration closure for clouds sampled during the International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation 2004 campaign
Author
Fountoukis, Christos
Nenes, Athanasios
Meskhidze, Nicholas
Bahreini, Roya
Conant, William C.
Jonsson, Haflidi
Murphy, Shane
Sorooshian, Armin
Varutbangkul, Varuntida
Brechtel, Fred
Flagan, Richard C.
Seinfeld, John H.
Date
2007Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This study analyzes 27 cumuliform and stratiform clouds sampled aboard the CIRPAS
Twin Otter during the 2004 International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on
Transport and Transformation (ICARTT) experiment. The data set was used to
assess cloud droplet closure using (1) a detailed adiabatic cloud parcel model and
(2) a state-of-the-art cloud droplet activation parameterization. A unique feature of the data
set is the sampling of highly polluted clouds within the vicinity of power plant plumes.
Remarkable closure was achieved (much less than the 20% measurement
uncertainty) for both parcel model and parameterization. The highly variable aerosol did
not complicate the cloud droplet closure, since the clouds had low maximum
supersaturation and were not sensitive to aerosol variations (which took place at small
particle sizes). The error in predicted cloud droplet concentration was mostly
sensitive to updraft velocity. Optimal closure is obtained if the water vapor uptake
coefficient is equal to 0.06, but can range between 0.03 and 1.0. The sensitivity of cloud
droplet prediction error to changes in the uptake coefficient, organic solubility and surface
tension depression suggest that organics exhibit limited solubility. These findings
can serve as much needed constraints in modeling of aerosol-cloud interactions in the
North America; future in situ studies will determine the robustness of our findings.
Description
Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 112, D10S30
The article of record as published may be located at http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1029/2006JD007272
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.Collections
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