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Comparison of Macro- and Microphysical Properties in Precipitating and Non-Precipitating Clouds over Central-Eastern China during Warm Season

Authors :
Xiaoyi Zheng
Yuanjian Yang
Ye Yuan
Yanan Cao
Jinlan Gao
Source :
Remote Sensing, Vol 14, Iss 1, p 152 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2021.

Abstract

The macro- and microphysical properties of clouds can reflect their vertical physical structure and evolution and are important indications of the formation and development of precipitation. We used four-year merged CloudSat-CALIPSO-MODIS products to distinguish the macro- and microphysical properties of precipitating and non-precipitating clouds over central-eastern China during the warm season (May–September). Our results showed that the clouds were dominated by single- and double-layer forms with occurrence frequencies > 85%. Clouds with a low probability of precipitation (POP) were usually geometrically thin. The POP showed an increasing trend with increases in the cloud optical depth, liquid water path, and ice water path, reaching maxima of 50%, 60%, and 75%, respectively. However, as cloud effective radius (CER) increased, the POP changed from an increasing to a decreasing trend for a CER > 22 μm, in contrast with our perception that large particles fall more easily against updrafts, but this shift can be attributed to the transition of the cloud phase from mixed clouds to ice clouds. A high POP > 60% usually occurred in mixed clouds with vigorous ice-phase processes. There were clear differences in the microphysical properties of non-precipitating and precipitating clouds. In contrast with the vertical evolution of non-precipitating clouds with weaker reflectivity, precipitating clouds were present above 0 dBZ with a significant downward increase in reflectivity, suggesting inherent differences in cloud dynamical and microphysical processes. Our findings highlight the differences in the POP of warm and mixed clouds, suggesting that the low frequency of precipitation from water clouds should be the focus of future studies.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20724292
Volume :
14
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Remote Sensing
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.b996e60820874958bb9e245151bea048
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14010152