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Formation of a Tropopause Cirrus Layer Observed over Florida during CRYSTAL-FACEOn July 13, 2002, a widespread, thin tropopause cirrus layer occurred over the Florida region. This cloud was observed in great detail with the CRYSTAL-FACE instrumentation, including in-situ measurements with the WB-57 aircraft. We use this cloud case study to evaluate the physical processes controlling the formation and evolution of tropopause cirrus layers. Microphysics indicate ice crystal diameters in the cloud layer ranged from about 7 to 40 um, and the peak number mode was about 10-25 um. In-situ water vapor and temperature measurements in the cloud indicated supersaturation with respect to ice throughout, with ice saturation ratios as large as 1.8. TRajectory analysis shows that the air sampled near the tropopause on this day generally came from the north and cooled considerable during the previous days.Examination of visible satellite imagery indicates that the cloud layer formation was, in general, not simply left over ice from convectively generated anvil cirrus.
Document ID
20040084307
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Jensen, Eric
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Pfister, Leonhard
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Bui, Thaopaul
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Weinheimer, Andrew
(National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, CO, United States)
Weinstock, Elliot
(Harvard Univ. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Smith, Jessica
(Harvard Univ. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Pittman, Jasna
(Harvard Univ. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Baumgardner, Darrel
(Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Mexico City, Mexico)
McGill, Mathew J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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