The impact of aerosol on cloud water: a heuristic perspective

Hoffmann, Fabian; Glassmeier, Franziska; Feingold, Graham (2024): The impact of aerosol on cloud water: a heuristic perspective. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 24 (23). pp. 13403-13412. ISSN 1680-7324

Abstract

Aerosol–cloud interactions modulate the role of clouds in Earth's climate. We derive, evaluate, and apply a simple model to understand aerosol-mediated cloud water adjustments in stratocumulus based on only two prognostic equations for the integrated cloud water L and droplet number concentration N. The model is solved numerically and analytically and agrees well with documented large-eddy-simulation data and satellite retrievals. A tight relationship between adjustments at low and high N is found, revealing the influence of non-precipitation processes (primarily entrainment) on adjustments in precipitating clouds. Furthermore, it is shown that adjustments in non-precipitating clouds tend to be positively biased by external L or N perturbations, while adjustments in precipitating clouds are barely susceptible. By deliberately reducing the complexity of the underlying system, this study constitutes a way forward to facilitate process-level understanding of cloud water adjustments.

• Dokumententyp: Artikel (LMU)
• Organisationseinheit (Fakultäten): 17 Physik
• DFG-Fachsystematik der Wissenschaftsbereiche: Naturwissenschaften
• DFG: Gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - 435878013
• DFG: Gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - 491502892