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Tethered‐balloon observations of the structure of small cumulus clouds
Author(s) -
Kitchen M.,
Caughey S. J.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.49710745407
Subject(s) - turbulence , entrainment (biomusicology) , turbulence kinetic energy , physics , mechanics , cloud base , horizontal plane , dissipation , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , boundary layer , planetary boundary layer , environmental science , geology , cloud computing , geodesy , rhythm , acoustics , computer science , thermodynamics , operating system
The turbulence and microphysical structures of small cumulus clouds have been studied in some detail using three turbulence probes and a droplet spectrometer attached to the tethering cable of a large (1300 m 3 ) balloon. the airflow in and around clouds showed some evidence for a ‘P‐shaped’ circulation in the vertical plane and rotation in the horizontal plane. Power spectra of the vertical component of air motion both in and out of cloud and in the mixed layer below cloud base are described and contrasted. Mean turbulence characteristics (i.e. averaged over a few hours) strongly resemble those from the upper regions of the clear convective boundary layer but in the vicinity of clouds the turbulence field is considerably altered. Observations of the cloud droplet field near cloud top and the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy provide evidence that the entrainment and mixing of dry air proceed essentially inhomogeneously.