Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-10-2013
Publication Title
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Abstract
Trade wind cumulus clouds often organize in along-wind cloud streets and across-wind mesoscale arcs. We present a benchmark large-eddy simulation which resolves the individual clouds as well as the mesoscale organization on scales of O(10 km). Different methods to quantify organization of cloud fields are applied and discussed. Using perturbed physics large-eddy simulation experiments, the processes leading to the formation of cloud clusters and the mesoscale arcs are revealed. We find that both cold pools as well as the sub-cloud layer moisture field are crucial to understand the organization of precipitating shallow convection. Further sensitivity studies show that microphysical assumptions can have a pronounced impact on the onset of cloud organization.
Repository Citation
Seifert, Axel and Heus, Thijs, "Large-Eddy Simulation of Organized Precipitating Trade Wind Cumulus Clouds" (2013). Physics Faculty Publications. 220.
https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/sciphysics_facpub/220
DOI
10.5194/acp-13-5631-2013
Version
Publisher's PDF
Publisher's Statement
Open Access
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Volume
13
Issue
11
