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Characterizing Vertical Particle Structure of Precipitating Cloud System From Multiplatform Measurements of A‐Train Constellation
Author(s) -
Kikuchi M.,
Suzuki K.
Publication year - 2019
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 - 10.1029/2018gl081244
Subject(s) - convection , convective storm detection , snow , particle (ecology) , geology , precipitation , meteorology , ice crystals , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , physics , oceanography
Abstract Multiplatform measurements of the active and passive instruments from A‐Train were employed to observationally characterize particle structures over a spectrum of precipitating clouds from shallow cumulus to deep convection. Radar reflectivity profiles were composited as a function of temperature, with particle type superimposed to depict how storm regimes exert different particle habit structures. The deep convective system was found to have a relatively simple structure, which is dominated by randomly oriented ice, followed by snow and rain at the bottom, whereas the shallow cold system consisting high cloud tops with precipitation far below contains various hydrometeors, such as ice plates and drizzles. The deep convective system was further analyzed to demonstrate how the vertical microphysical structure tends to systematically transition from nonprecipitating to precipitating characteristics with differing cloud top buoyancies indicative of the “life stage” of convective development. The analysis offers a link between dynamical characteristics of convective systems and their inner hydrometeors structures.