Open AccessRelationship between Aerosols, Hail Microphysics, and ZDR Columns
Author(s) -
Eyal Ilotoviz,
А. Хаин,
Alexander V. Ryzhkov,
Jeffrey C. Snyder
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of the atmospheric sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.853
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1520-0469
pISSN - 0022-4928
DOI - 10.1175/jas-d-17-0127.1
Subject(s) - middle latitudes , aerosol , meteorology , atmospheric sciences , bin , environmental science , reflectivity , radar , climatology , geology , physics , optics , mathematics , telecommunications , algorithm , computer science
Mechanisms of formation of differential reflectivity columns are investigated in simulations of a midlatitude summertime hailstorm with hailstones up to several centimeters in diameter. Simulations are performed using a new version of the Hebrew University Cloud Model (HUCM) with spectral bin microphysics. A polarimetric radar forward operator is used to calculate radar reflectivity and differential reflectivity ZDR. It is shown that ZDR columns are associated with raindrops and with hail particles growing in a wet growth regime within convective updrafts. The height and volume of ZDR columns increases with an increase in aerosol concentration. Small hail forming under clean conditions grows in updrafts largely in a dry growth regime corresponding to low ZDR. Characteristics of ZDR columns are highly correlated with vertical velocity, hail size, and aerosol concentration.