Vertical distribution of microphysical properties of Arctic springtime low-level mixed-phase clouds over the Greenland and Norwegian seas
This study aims to characterize the microphysical and optical properties of ice crystals and supercooled liquid droplets within low-level Arctic mixed-phase clouds (MPCs). We compiled and analyzed cloud in situ measurements from four airborne spring campaigns (representing 18 flights and 71 vertical...
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:acp57146 2023-05-15T15:03:40+02:00 Vertical distribution of microphysical properties of Arctic springtime low-level mixed-phase clouds over the Greenland and Norwegian seas Mioche, Guillaume Jourdan, Olivier Delanoë, Julien Gourbeyre, Christophe Febvre, Guy Dupuy, Régis Monier, Marie Szczap, Frédéric Schwarzenboeck, Alfons Gayet, Jean-François 2018-09-09 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12845-2017 https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/12845/2017/ eng eng doi:10.5194/acp-17-12845-2017 https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/12845/2017/ eISSN: 1680-7324 Text 2018 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12845-2017 2019-12-24T09:50:55Z This study aims to characterize the microphysical and optical properties of ice crystals and supercooled liquid droplets within low-level Arctic mixed-phase clouds (MPCs). We compiled and analyzed cloud in situ measurements from four airborne spring campaigns (representing 18 flights and 71 vertical profiles in MPCs) over the Greenland and Norwegian seas mainly in the vicinity of the Svalbard archipelago. Cloud phase discrimination and representative vertical profiles of the number, size, mass and shape of ice crystals and liquid droplets are established. The results show that the liquid phase dominates the upper part of the MPCs. High concentrations (120 cm −3 on average) of small droplets (mean values of 15 µm), with an averaged liquid water content (LWC) of 0.2 g m −3 are measured at cloud top. The ice phase dominates the microphysical properties in the lower part of the cloud and beneath it in the precipitation region (mean values of 100 µm, 3 L −1 and 0.025 g m −3 for diameter, particle concentration and ice water content (IWC), respectively). The analysis of the ice crystal morphology shows that the majority of ice particles are irregularly shaped or rimed particles; the prevailing regular habits found are stellars and plates. We hypothesize that riming and diffusional growth processes, including the Wegener–Bergeron–Findeisen (WBF) mechanism, are the main growth mechanisms involved in the observed MPCs. The impact of larger-scale meteorological conditions on the vertical profiles of MPC properties was also investigated. Large values of LWC and high concentration of smaller droplets are possibly linked to polluted situations and air mass origins from the south, which can lead to very low values of ice crystal size and IWC. On the contrary, clean situations with low temperatures exhibit larger values of ice crystal size and IWC. Several parameterizations relevant for remote sensing or modeling studies are also determined, such as IWC (and LWC) – extinction relationship, ice and liquid integrated water paths, ice concentration and liquid water fraction according to temperature. Text Arctic Greenland Svalbard Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Arctic Greenland Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 17 20 12845 12869 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
op_collection_id |
ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
This study aims to characterize the microphysical and optical properties of ice crystals and supercooled liquid droplets within low-level Arctic mixed-phase clouds (MPCs). We compiled and analyzed cloud in situ measurements from four airborne spring campaigns (representing 18 flights and 71 vertical profiles in MPCs) over the Greenland and Norwegian seas mainly in the vicinity of the Svalbard archipelago. Cloud phase discrimination and representative vertical profiles of the number, size, mass and shape of ice crystals and liquid droplets are established. The results show that the liquid phase dominates the upper part of the MPCs. High concentrations (120 cm −3 on average) of small droplets (mean values of 15 µm), with an averaged liquid water content (LWC) of 0.2 g m −3 are measured at cloud top. The ice phase dominates the microphysical properties in the lower part of the cloud and beneath it in the precipitation region (mean values of 100 µm, 3 L −1 and 0.025 g m −3 for diameter, particle concentration and ice water content (IWC), respectively). The analysis of the ice crystal morphology shows that the majority of ice particles are irregularly shaped or rimed particles; the prevailing regular habits found are stellars and plates. We hypothesize that riming and diffusional growth processes, including the Wegener–Bergeron–Findeisen (WBF) mechanism, are the main growth mechanisms involved in the observed MPCs. The impact of larger-scale meteorological conditions on the vertical profiles of MPC properties was also investigated. Large values of LWC and high concentration of smaller droplets are possibly linked to polluted situations and air mass origins from the south, which can lead to very low values of ice crystal size and IWC. On the contrary, clean situations with low temperatures exhibit larger values of ice crystal size and IWC. Several parameterizations relevant for remote sensing or modeling studies are also determined, such as IWC (and LWC) – extinction relationship, ice and liquid integrated water paths, ice concentration and liquid water fraction according to temperature. |
format |
Text |
author |
Mioche, Guillaume Jourdan, Olivier Delanoë, Julien Gourbeyre, Christophe Febvre, Guy Dupuy, Régis Monier, Marie Szczap, Frédéric Schwarzenboeck, Alfons Gayet, Jean-François |
spellingShingle |
Mioche, Guillaume Jourdan, Olivier Delanoë, Julien Gourbeyre, Christophe Febvre, Guy Dupuy, Régis Monier, Marie Szczap, Frédéric Schwarzenboeck, Alfons Gayet, Jean-François Vertical distribution of microphysical properties of Arctic springtime low-level mixed-phase clouds over the Greenland and Norwegian seas |
author_facet |
Mioche, Guillaume Jourdan, Olivier Delanoë, Julien Gourbeyre, Christophe Febvre, Guy Dupuy, Régis Monier, Marie Szczap, Frédéric Schwarzenboeck, Alfons Gayet, Jean-François |
author_sort |
Mioche, Guillaume |
title |
Vertical distribution of microphysical properties of Arctic springtime low-level mixed-phase clouds over the Greenland and Norwegian seas |
title_short |
Vertical distribution of microphysical properties of Arctic springtime low-level mixed-phase clouds over the Greenland and Norwegian seas |
title_full |
Vertical distribution of microphysical properties of Arctic springtime low-level mixed-phase clouds over the Greenland and Norwegian seas |
title_fullStr |
Vertical distribution of microphysical properties of Arctic springtime low-level mixed-phase clouds over the Greenland and Norwegian seas |
title_full_unstemmed |
Vertical distribution of microphysical properties of Arctic springtime low-level mixed-phase clouds over the Greenland and Norwegian seas |
title_sort |
vertical distribution of microphysical properties of arctic springtime low-level mixed-phase clouds over the greenland and norwegian seas |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12845-2017 https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/12845/2017/ |
geographic |
Arctic Greenland Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Greenland Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago |
genre |
Arctic Greenland Svalbard |
genre_facet |
Arctic Greenland Svalbard |
op_source |
eISSN: 1680-7324 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/acp-17-12845-2017 https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/12845/2017/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12845-2017 |
container_title |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
container_volume |
17 |
container_issue |
20 |
container_start_page |
12845 |
op_container_end_page |
12869 |
_version_ |
1766335514786398208 |