Quantifying the Turbulent Entrainment‐Mixing Processes Based on Z‐LWC Relationships of Cloud Droplets
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Turbulent entrainment‐mixing processes profoundly influence the relationship between radar reflectivity factor and liquid water content (Z‐LWC) of cloud droplets. However, quantification of the entrainment‐mixing mechanisms based on the Z‐LWC relationship is still lacking. To address this gap, 12,218 entrainment‐mixing cases are simulated using the Explicit Mixing Parcel Model. We examine the variations of the parameters in the power‐law relationship Z = aLWCb, and the relationship between parameter b and homogeneous mixing degree (ψ), a measure quantifying entrainment‐mixing processes. The results indicate that parameter b distributes within the range of 1–2, with a positive correlation between parameter b and ψ. The b‐ψ relationship is fitted, which connects the Z‐LWC relationship for various entrainment‐mixing types. The results suggest the potential for employing a remote sensing approach to investigate the entrainment‐mixing mechanisms of non‐precipitating small cumulus/stratocumulus clouds, thereby overcoming the limitations of traditional observational studies that rely solely on aircraft observations.
Source: Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2024gl111457
Authors: Shi Luo, Chunsong Lu, Yangang Liu, Haoran Li, Fengwei Zhang, Jingjing Lv, Lei Zhu, Xiaoqi Xu, Junjun Li, Xin He, Ying He, Sinan Gao, Xinlin Yang, Juan Gu, Xuemin Chen, Haining Sun
Institutions: China Meteorological Administration, Civil Aviation Flight University of China, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Institute of Tropical and Marine Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,900
OpenAlex ID: W4405853380