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IAAR annual meeting, TAU, May 2013

Aerosol effects on rain and hail formation and their representation using polarimetric radar signatures Eyal Ilotovich , Nir Benmoshe and Alexander Khain The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. IAAR annual meeting, TAU, May 2013. Layout.

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IAAR annual meeting, TAU, May 2013

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  1. Aerosol effects on rain and hail formation and their representation using polarimetric radar signatures EyalIlotovich, NirBenmoshe and Alexander KhainThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel • IAAR annual meeting, TAU, May 2013

  2. Layout • Introduction: New implementations in HUCM, goals of simulations • The meaning of “ZDR columns” • Results of simulations: microphysics vs polarimetric signatures • Conclusions: combining cloud microphysical model and polarimetric signatures is a power tool to investigate cloud microphysical processes and aerosol effects.

  3. Hebrew University Cloud Model (HUCM) HUCM is a spectral bin microphysics mixed-phase cloud model. It includes 8 types of hydrometeors (water drops, 3 types of crystals, snow, freezing drops, graupel and hail). To describe cloud-aerosol interaction a CCN size distribution is included. All distributions are represented on a mass grid containing 43 mass bins. • Detailed description of time dependent freezing and wet growth of hail. • Implementation of liquid water fraction in snow, graupel and hail. Liquid water is advected, diffused and sediment together with size distributions of ice particles. • Calculation of all polarimetric radar parameters New implementations: Simulations: Deep convective clouds (storms) were simulated under mid-latitude (Oklahoma) conditions and tropical environmental conditions In each case two CCN concentrations were applied: 100 cm-3 (clean) and 3000 cm-3 (polluted)

  4. GOALS: To test new algorithms of time depending freezing 2. To investigate aerosol effects on formation and growth of rain and hail 3. To investigate mechanisms leading to formation of Zdr Columns

  5. Differential reflectivity ZDR - Horizontal Power Returned - Vertical Power Returned

  6. Differential reflectivity ZDR Spherical dB 0= ZDRPV ~ PH (droplets, hail, graupel) Horizontally oriented dB 0< ZDRPV < PH (rain drops, melting hail) Vertically oriented dB 0> ZDRPV > PH (some ice crystals)

  7. Beginning of rain formation: warm rain

  8. Fields of mass contents. Raindrops produce freezing drops which freeze producing graupel and hail.

  9. Time dependent freezing:Freezing drops freeze quite fast producing hail. Significant liquid water faction may exist within a column of 500-800m

  10. Radar reflectivity from different hydrometeors. Reflectivity spreads down because of precipitating fall, mainly raindrops Fall of raindrops along cloud edges

  11. Formation of Zdr column in warm rain: Total Zdr consists of raindrops and freezing drops.

  12. Zdr columns arise at the edge of updraft, where falling raindrops collect ascending cloud droplets

  13. Mature stage: hail growth G H

  14. Wet growth of hail takes place when hail falls through a deep zone of large CWC. Wet growth

  15. In case of tilt of vertical updraft wet growth is replaced by dry growth Low Zdr column: melting of hail

  16. MAXIMUM VALUES OF FREEZING DROP CONTENTS: different aerosols and different soundings: MID-Oklahoma; T-tropical clouds Maximum masses of freezing drops: MID (latitude) at low CCN concentration In Tropics the mass of freezing drops is small

  17. Mass contents of hail are maximum in polluted mid latitude storms, Minimum: in Tropics with low aerosol concentration.

  18. Mass contents of hail are maximum in polluted mid latitude storms, Minimum: in Tropics with low aerosol concentration. Size of hail is maximum in polluted clouds.

  19. Conclusions 1. Warm rain: ZDR columns develop from above, where rain forms. It means that the thickness of Zdr columns increases with the increase in the aerosol concentration 2. During storm evolution dry growth and wet growth of hail alternate. Wet growth takes place at high W and coincide of hail and high cloud water content. These conditions lead to formation of big hail as well as of high Zdr columns. It means that formation of high Zdr columns is a predictor of big hail. 3. High CWC is the result of instability and high aerosol concentration. Thus aerosols favor the formation of big hail.

  20. THANK YOU!

  21. Zdr is maximum in Mid-latitude clouds, and minimum in clean tropical clouds.

  22. Conclusions • The ZDR column is closely associated with the area of intense updraft where new cloud cell forms. • In the updraft, collisions of cloud drops and small raindrops with ice particles lead to formation of graupel and small hail, which fall down from the titled updraft.

  23. In case of tilt of vertical updraft wet growth is replaced by dry growth Low Zdr column: melting of hail

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