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Relationships between CCN and cloud microphysics variations in clean maritime air
Author(s) -
Hudson James G.,
Mishra Subhashree
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2007gl030044
Subject(s) - drizzle , cloud condensation nuclei , aerosol , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , precipitation , meteorology , cloud physics , climatology , physics , cloud computing , geology , computer science , operating system
Flight‐averaged CCN concentrations during the Rain in Cumulus over the Ocean (RICO) field project varied by a factor of four. This was sufficient to provide correlations with flight‐averaged total cloud droplet concentrations (N c ) and mean diameters (MD) that showed greater influence of CCN than updraft velocity (w) on N c and especially MD. The product of CCN and w produced even stronger correlations with N c and MD. An earlier RICO study had shown an inverse relationship of N c and giant nuclei (GN) with large cloud droplet concentrations (N LD ). These two RICO studies now show that the aerosol with the most influence on N LD (MD) is CCN. The results of the present study are similar to earlier studies in more polluted clouds that also showed more influence of CCN than GN on MD/N LD /drizzle. The present study indicates that variations in CCN concentrations even within maritime air masses modulate precipitation.