Above-cloud concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei help to sustain some Arctic low-level clouds
Previous studies have found that low-level Arctic clouds often persist for long periods even in the face of very low surface cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations. Here, we investigate whether these conditions could occur due to continuous entrainment of aerosol particles from the free trop...
Published in: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2024
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3529-2024 https://noa.gwlb.de/receive/cop_mods_00072443 https://noa.gwlb.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/cop_derivate_00070657/acp-24-3529-2024.pdf https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/3529/2024/acp-24-3529-2024.pdf |
id |
ftnonlinearchiv:oai:noa.gwlb.de:cop_mods_00072443 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftnonlinearchiv:oai:noa.gwlb.de:cop_mods_00072443 2024-04-14T08:07:21+00:00 Above-cloud concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei help to sustain some Arctic low-level clouds Sterzinger, Lucas J. Igel, Adele L. 2024-03 electronic https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3529-2024 https://noa.gwlb.de/receive/cop_mods_00072443 https://noa.gwlb.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/cop_derivate_00070657/acp-24-3529-2024.pdf https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/3529/2024/acp-24-3529-2024.pdf eng eng Copernicus Publications Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics -- http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/volumes_and_issues.html -- http://www.bibliothek.uni-regensburg.de/ezeit/?2069847 -- 1680-7324 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3529-2024 https://noa.gwlb.de/receive/cop_mods_00072443 https://noa.gwlb.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/cop_derivate_00070657/acp-24-3529-2024.pdf https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/3529/2024/acp-24-3529-2024.pdf https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ uneingeschränkt info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess article Verlagsveröffentlichung article Text doc-type:article 2024 ftnonlinearchiv https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3529-2024 2024-03-26T15:13:22Z Previous studies have found that low-level Arctic clouds often persist for long periods even in the face of very low surface cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations. Here, we investigate whether these conditions could occur due to continuous entrainment of aerosol particles from the free troposphere (FT). We use an idealized large eddy simulation (LES) modeling framework, where aerosol concentrations are low in the boundary layer (BL) but increased up to 50× in the free troposphere. We find that the tests with higher tropospheric aerosol concentrations simulated clouds, which persisted for longer and maintained higher liquid water paths (LWPs). This is due to direct entrainment of the tropospheric aerosol into the cloud layer, which results in a precipitation suppression from the increase in cloud droplet number and in stronger cloud-top radiative cooling, which causes stronger circulations maintaining the cloud in the absence of surface forcing. Together, these two responses result in a more well-mixed boundary layer with a top that remains in contact with the tropospheric aerosol reservoir and can maintain entrainment of those aerosol particles. The surface aerosol concentrations, however, remained low in all simulations. The free-tropospheric aerosol concentration necessary to maintain the clouds is consistent with concentrations that are frequently seen in observations. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Niedersächsisches Online-Archiv NOA Arctic Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 24 6 3529 3540 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Niedersächsisches Online-Archiv NOA |
op_collection_id |
ftnonlinearchiv |
language |
English |
topic |
article Verlagsveröffentlichung |
spellingShingle |
article Verlagsveröffentlichung Sterzinger, Lucas J. Igel, Adele L. Above-cloud concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei help to sustain some Arctic low-level clouds |
topic_facet |
article Verlagsveröffentlichung |
description |
Previous studies have found that low-level Arctic clouds often persist for long periods even in the face of very low surface cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations. Here, we investigate whether these conditions could occur due to continuous entrainment of aerosol particles from the free troposphere (FT). We use an idealized large eddy simulation (LES) modeling framework, where aerosol concentrations are low in the boundary layer (BL) but increased up to 50× in the free troposphere. We find that the tests with higher tropospheric aerosol concentrations simulated clouds, which persisted for longer and maintained higher liquid water paths (LWPs). This is due to direct entrainment of the tropospheric aerosol into the cloud layer, which results in a precipitation suppression from the increase in cloud droplet number and in stronger cloud-top radiative cooling, which causes stronger circulations maintaining the cloud in the absence of surface forcing. Together, these two responses result in a more well-mixed boundary layer with a top that remains in contact with the tropospheric aerosol reservoir and can maintain entrainment of those aerosol particles. The surface aerosol concentrations, however, remained low in all simulations. The free-tropospheric aerosol concentration necessary to maintain the clouds is consistent with concentrations that are frequently seen in observations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Sterzinger, Lucas J. Igel, Adele L. |
author_facet |
Sterzinger, Lucas J. Igel, Adele L. |
author_sort |
Sterzinger, Lucas J. |
title |
Above-cloud concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei help to sustain some Arctic low-level clouds |
title_short |
Above-cloud concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei help to sustain some Arctic low-level clouds |
title_full |
Above-cloud concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei help to sustain some Arctic low-level clouds |
title_fullStr |
Above-cloud concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei help to sustain some Arctic low-level clouds |
title_full_unstemmed |
Above-cloud concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei help to sustain some Arctic low-level clouds |
title_sort |
above-cloud concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei help to sustain some arctic low-level clouds |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3529-2024 https://noa.gwlb.de/receive/cop_mods_00072443 https://noa.gwlb.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/cop_derivate_00070657/acp-24-3529-2024.pdf https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/3529/2024/acp-24-3529-2024.pdf |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_relation |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics -- http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/volumes_and_issues.html -- http://www.bibliothek.uni-regensburg.de/ezeit/?2069847 -- 1680-7324 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3529-2024 https://noa.gwlb.de/receive/cop_mods_00072443 https://noa.gwlb.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/cop_derivate_00070657/acp-24-3529-2024.pdf https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/3529/2024/acp-24-3529-2024.pdf |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ uneingeschränkt info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3529-2024 |
container_title |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
container_volume |
24 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
3529 |
op_container_end_page |
3540 |
_version_ |
1796304624778477568 |