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Vertical Variation of Ice Particle Size in Convective Cloud TopsA novel technique is used to estimate derivatives of ice effective radius with respect to height near convective cloud tops (dr(sub e)/dz) from airborne shortwave reflectance measurements and lidar. Values of dr(sub e)/dz are about −6 micrometer/km for cloud tops below the homogeneous freezing level, increasing to near 0 micrometer/km above the estimated level of neutral buoyancy. Retrieved dr(sub e)/dz compares well with previously documented remote sensing and in situ estimates. Effective radii decrease with increasing cloud top height, while cloud top extinction increases. This is consistent with weaker size sorting in high, dense cloud tops above the level of neutral buoyancy where fewer large particles are present and with stronger size sorting in lower cloud tops that are less dense. The results also confirm that cloud top trends of effective radius can generally be used as surrogates for trends with height within convective cloud tops. These results provide valuable observational targets for model evaluation.
Document ID
20160007356
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Van Diedenhoven, Bastiaan
(Columbia Univ. New York, NY, United States)
Fridlind, Ann M.
(NASA Goddard Inst. for Space Studies New York, NY United States)
Cairns, Brian
(NASA Goddard Inst. for Space Studies New York, NY United States)
Ackerman, Andrew S.
(NASA Goddard Inst. for Space Studies New York, NY United States)
Yorks, John E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
June 8, 2016
Publication Date
May 4, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher: Wiley
Volume: 43
Issue: 9
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Meteorology And Climatology
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN32201
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX15AD44G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX14AB99A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
cloud height indicators
convection
radii
trends
derivation

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