Universität zu Köln

Karrer, Markus ORCID: 0000-0002-1748-7252, Dias Neto, Jose ORCID: 0000-0002-8488-8486, von Terzi, Leonie ORCID: 0000-0002-7054-4164 and Kneifel, Stefan ORCID: 0000-0003-2220-2968 (2022). Melting Behavior of Rimed and Unrimed Snowflakes Investigated With Statistics of Triple-Frequency Doppler Radar Observations. J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 127 (9). WASHINGTON: AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. ISSN 2169-8996

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Abstract

Comparing the reflectivity flux at the top and bottom of the melting layer (ML) reveals the overall effect of the microphysical processes occurring within the ML on the particle population. If melting is the only process taking place and all particles scatter in the Rayleigh regime, the reflectivity flux increases in the ML by a constant factor given by the ratio of the dielectric factors. Deviations from this constant factor can indicate that either growth or shrinking processes (breakup, sublimation, and evaporation) dominate. However, inference of growth or shrinking dominance from the increase in reflectivity flux is only possible if other influences (e.g., vertical wind speed) are negligible or corrected. By analyzing radar Doppler spectra and multi-frequency observations, we correct the reflectivity fluxes for vertical wind and categorize the height profiles by the riming degree at the ML top. We apply this reflectivity flux ratio (ZFR) approach to a multi-month mid-latitude winter data set that contains mostly stratiform clouds. The profiles of radar variables in the ML are found to be surprisingly similar for both unrimed and rimed profiles with slight differences, for example, in the absolute values of the reflectivity flux. Statistical analysis of the ZFR suggests that either microphysical processes other than melting are not important or strongly compensate for each other. The results seem to confirm that at least for moderately precipitating stratiform clouds, the melting-only assumption applied in several retrievals and microphysical schemes is reasonable.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Karrer, Markus UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-1748-7252 UNSPECIFIED Dias Neto, Jose UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-8488-8486 UNSPECIFIED von Terzi, Leonie UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-7054-4164 UNSPECIFIED Kneifel, Stefan UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0003-2220-2968 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-666267
DOI:	10.1029/2021JD035907
Journal or Publication Title:	J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos.
Volume:	127
Number:	9
Date:	2022
Publisher:	AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION
Place of Publication:	WASHINGTON
ISSN:	2169-8996
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language ATMOSPHERIC ICE PARTICLES; COLLISION-INDUCED BREAKUP; MIXED-PHASE CLOUDS; MICROPHYSICAL PROCESSES; BRIGHT BAND; WIND-TUNNEL; PART I; LAYER; PRECIPITATION; SIZE Multiple languages Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences Multiple languages
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/66626