Premium
A numerical model of the cloud‐topped planetary boundary‐layer: Radiation, turbulence and spectral microphysics in marine stratus
Author(s) -
Bott A.,
Trautmann T.,
Zdunkowski W.
Publication year - 1996
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.49712253105
Subject(s) - turbulence , planetary boundary layer , boundary layer , radiation , physics , cloud physics , cloud computing , meteorology , atmospheric sciences , mechanics , environmental science , optics , computer science , operating system
A numerical model of the cloud‐topped planetary boundary‐layer is presented. The model is one‐dimensional with special emphasis on a detailed description of cloud microphysical processes. Aerosols and cloud droplets are treated in a two‐dimensional particle‐distribution whereby the activation of aerosols is calculated explicitly by solving the droplet‐growth equation at all relative humidities. Atmospheric radiation is determined with a δ‐two‐stream radiation scheme. Turbulent fluxes are parametrized as a function of the turbulent kinetic energy. Numerical results are presented which are obtained by utilizing measurements made over the North Sea. The interaction between radiation, turbulence and cloud processes for maintaining the quasi‐steady state of stratiform cloud fields is emphasized.