Comparison of Antarctic and Arctic Single-Layer Stratiform Mixed-Phase Cloud Properties Using Ground-Based Remote Sensing Measurements

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
• Main Authors: Zhang, Damao, Vogelmann, Andrew, Kollias, Pavlos, Luke, Edward, Yang, Fan, Lubin, Dan, Wang, Zhien
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Arctic; Antarctic; McMurdo Station; Antarc*; north slope; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1561243; https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1561243; https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JD030673

Ground-based remote sensing measurements from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) West Antarctic Radiation Experiment (AWARE) campaign at the McMurdo station and the ARM North Slope of Alaska (NSA) $Utqia\dot{g}vik$ site are used to retrieve and analyze single-layer stratiform mixed-phase cloud macro- and microphysical properties for these different polar environments. Single-layer stratiform mixed-phase clouds have annual frequencies of occurrence of ~14.7% at $Utqia\dot{g}vik$ and ~7.3% at McMurdo, with the highest occurrences in early autumn. Compared to $Utqia\dot{g}vik$, stratiform mixed-phase clouds at McMurdo have overall higher and colder cloud-tops, thicker ice layer depth, thinner liquid- dominated layer depth, and smaller liquid water path. These properties reflect clear seasonal variations. Supercooled liquid fraction at McMurdo is greater than at $Utqia\dot{g}vik$ because, at a given temperature, McMurdo clouds have comparable liquid water paths but smaller ice water paths. Assessment of retrieved cloud microphysical properties show that, compared to $Utqia\dot{g}vik$, stratiform mixed-phase clouds at McMurdo have greater liquid droplet number concentration, smaller layer-mean effective radius, and smaller ice water content and ice number concentration at a given cloud-top temperature. These relationships may be related to different aerosol loading and chemical composition, and environment dynamics. Findings introduced in this report can be used as observational constraints for model representations of stratiform mixed-phase clouds.