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CO Signatures in Subtropical Convective Clouds and Anvils During CRYSTAL-FACE: An Analysis of Convective Transport and Entertainment Using Observations and a Cloud-Resolving ModelConvective systems are an important mechanism in the transport of boundary layer air into the upper troposphere. The Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers-Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) campaign, in July 2002, was developed as a comprehensive atmospheric mission to improve knowledge of subtropical cirrus systems and their roles in regional and global climate. In situ measurements of carbon monoxide (CO), water vapor (H20v), and total water (H20t) aboard NASA's . WB-57F aircraft and CO aboard the U.S. Navy's Twin Otter aircraft were obtained to study the role of convective transport. Three flights sampled convective outflow on 11, 16 and 29 July found varying degrees of CO enhancement relative to the fiee troposphere. A cloud-resolving model used the in situ observations and meteorological fields to study these three systems. Several methods of filtering the observations were devised here using ice water content, relative humidity with respect to ice, and particle number concentration as a means to statistically sample the model results to represent the flight tracks. A weighted histogram based on ice water content observations was then used to sample the simulations for the three flights. In addition, because the observations occurred in the convective outflow cirrus and not in the storm cores, the model was used to estimate the maximum CO within the convective systems. In general, anvil-level air parcels contained an estimated 20-40% boundary layer air in the analyzed storms.
Document ID
20090001834
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Lopez, Jimena P.
(Bay Area Environmental Research Inst. Sonoma , CA, United States)
Fridlind, Ann M.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Jost, Hans-Jurg
(Bay Area Environmental Research Inst. Sonoma , CA, United States)
Loewenstein, Max
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Ackerman, Andrew S.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Campos, Teresa L.
(National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, CO, United States)
Weinstock, Elliot M.
(Harvard Univ. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Sayres, David S.
(Harvard Univ. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Smith, Jessica B.
(Harvard Univ. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Pittman, Jasna V.
(Harvard Univ. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Hallar, A. Gannet
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Avallone, Linnea M.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO, United States)
Davis, Sean M.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO, United States)
Herman, Robert L.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
May 6, 2006
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
Volume: 111
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNA05CS27A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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