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Global identification of warm cloud microphysical processes with combined use of A‐Train observations
Author(s) -
Suzuki Kentaroh,
Stephens Graeme L.
Publication year - 2008
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 - 10.1029/2008gl033590
Subject(s) - shortwave , radius , environmental science , radar , atmospheric sciences , particle (ecology) , meteorology , effective radius , physics , computational physics , astrophysics , geology , optics , computer science , telecommunications , oceanography , computer security , galaxy , radiative transfer
The layer‐mean radar reflectivity e observed by CloudSat and the columnar effective particle radius R e obtained from a combined microwave‐shortwave analysis are combined to investigate the joint relationships between e and R e for warm clouds. Global statistics for seasonally averaged data reveals that radar reflectivities e less than about −10 dBZ tend to relate to the effective radius via a sixth‐power dependency, corresponding to a constant number concentration implying that the condensation particle growth process mainly takes place within the cloud layer for e < −10 dBZ. For e > −10 dBZ, e depends on R e through a cubic relation, corresponding to a constant mass concentration implying coagulation as the dominant particle growth process. These microphysical regimes so identified are shown to be consistent with CloudSat‐inferred rainfall rate.