Radar reflectivity as a proxy for convective mass transport

Mullendore, G. L.; Homann, A. J.; Bevers, K.; Schumacher, Courtney

doi:10.1029/2008jd011431

Cited by 25 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…The data used in this study comes from the TES Global Survey operating mode in which TES makes nadir observations with a 5.3 × 8.3 km footprint, providing near-global coverage approximately every 16 days. TES ozone and CO profiles are provided on 67 vertical levels from the surface to 0.1 hPa and have been extensively validated against in-situ observations Nassar et al, 2008;Osterman et al, 2008;Richards et al, 2008;Lopez et al, 2008). In order to correctly compare TES and model profiles one must account for the limited vertical resolution and the effects of a priori information inherent in the retrieved TES profiles.…”

Section: Observational Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These two model categories are also clearly marked for SA, with outflow heights at 190-200 hPa and 300 hPa respectively. Radar reflectivity data was used by Mullendore et al (2009) to investigate the level of detrainment in a convective storm observed over Brazil during January 1999. For this particular event, the maximum detrainment was found to be at around 11 km, or approximately 220 hPa, which is not greatly different than either of the sets of models.…”

Section: Tropical Concentration Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Representation of tropical deep convection in atmospheric models – Part 2: Tracer transport

et al. 2011

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Abstract. The tropical transport processes of 14 different models or model versions were compared, within the framework of the SCOUT-O3 (Stratospheric-Climate Links with Emphasis on the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere) project. The tested models range from the regional to the global scale, and include numerical weather prediction (NWP), chemical transport, and chemistry-climate models. Idealised tracers were used in order to prevent the model's chemistry schemes from influencing the results substantially, so that the effects of modelled transport could be isolated. We find large differences in the vertical transport of very short-lived tracers (with a lifetime of 6 h) within the tropical troposphere. Peak convective outflow altitudes rangeCorrespondence to: C. R. Hoyle (christopher.hoyle@env.ethz.ch) from around 300 hPa to almost 100 hPa among the different models, and the upper tropospheric tracer mixing ratios differ by up to an order of magnitude. The timing of convective events is found to be different between the models, even among those which source their forcing data from the same NWP model (ECMWF). The differences are less pronounced for longer lived tracers, however they could have implications for modelling the halogen burden of the lowermost stratosphere through transport of species such as bromoform, or short-lived hydrocarbons into the lowermost stratosphere. The modelled tracer profiles are strongly influenced by the convective transport parameterisations, and different boundary layer mixing parameterisations also have a large impact on the modelled tracer profiles. Preferential locations for rapid transport from the surface into the upper troposphere are similar in all models, and are mostly concentrated over the western Pacific, the Maritime Continent and the Indian Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. Ocean. In contrast, models do not indicate that upward transport is highest over western Africa.

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Section: Observational Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Tropical Concentration Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Representation of tropical deep convection in atmospheric models – Part 2: Tracer transport

et al. 2011

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“…In summary, to understand the potential for deep convective transport in certain storm regimes, we need to understand the relationship between the LNB and the observed level of maximum detrainment (LMD, Mullendore et al, 2009). This relationship was analyzed for tropical convection in a recent study by Takahashi and Luo (2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between level of neutral buoyancy and dual-Doppler observed mass detrainment levels in deep convection

et al. 2013

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Abstract.Although it is generally accepted that the level of neutral buoyancy (LNB) is only a coarse estimate of updraft depth, the LNB is still used to understand and predict storm structure in both observations and modeling. This study uses case studies to quantify the variability associated with using environmental soundings to predict detrainment levels. Nine dual-Doppler convective cases were used to determine the observed level of maximum detrainment (LMD) to compare with the LNB. The LNB for each case was calculated with a variety of methods and with a variety of sources (including both observed and simulated soundings). The most representative LNB was chosen as the proximity sounding from NARR using the most unstable parcel and including ice processes.The observed cases were a mix of storm morphologies, including both supercell and multicell storms. As expected, the LMD was generally below the LNB, the mean offset for all cases being 2.2 km. However, there was a marked difference between the supercell and non-supercell cases. The two supercell cases had LMDs of 0.3 km and 0.0 km below the LNB. The remaining cases had LMDs that ranged from 4.0 km below to 1.6 km below the LNB, with a mean offset of 2.8 km below. Observations also showed that evolution of the LMD over the lifetime of the storm can be significant (e.g., >2 km altitude change in 30 min), and this time evolution is lacking from models with coarse time steps, missing significant changes in detrainment levels that may strongly impact the amount of boundary layer mass transported to the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere.

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“…This loss of buoyancy leads to vertical convergence of IWC, which is balanced by horizontal divergence. The convective detrainment layer is therefore linked to a local increase in IWC [Mullendore et al, 2009]. We estimate the rate of change of CloudSat IWC with respect to height ( IWC∕ z) and define the base of the detrainment layer as the peak in positive IWC∕ z and the top of the detrainment layer as the peak in negative IWC∕ z.…”

Section: Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…NCCs are identified by their high reflectivities caused by heavy rainfall. Observations of ice water content (IWC) data from CloudSat are used to infer the height of the detrainment layer (HDL) [Mullendore et al, 2009]. CloudSat also provides an estimate of cloud top height (CTH); however, CloudSat is primarily sensitive to larger hydrometeors and cannot detect the relatively small ice particles in cirrus anvils near the top of tropical convective storms.…”

Section: Identification and Description Of Clouds And Aerosol Layersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships between convective structure and transport of aerosols to the upper troposphere deduced from satellite observations

Chakraborty

Wright

et al. 2015

JGR Atmospheres

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We estimate the extent of upper tropospheric aerosol layers (UT ALs) surrounding mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) and explore the relationships between UT AL extent and the morphology, location, and developmental stage of collocated MCSs in the tropics. Our analysis is based on satellite data collected over equatorial Africa, South Asia, and the Amazon basin between June 2006 and June 2008. We identify substantial variations in the relationships between convective properties and aerosol transport by region and stage of convective development. The most extensive UT ALs over equatorial Africa are associated with mature MCSs, while the most extensive UT ALs over South Asia and the Amazon are associated with growing MCSs. Convective aerosol transport over the Amazon is weaker than that observed over the other two regions despite similar transport frequencies, likely due to the smaller sizes and shorter mean lifetimes of MCSs over the Amazon. Variations in UT ALs in the vicinity of tropical MCSs are primarily explained by variations in the horizontal sizes of the associated MCSs and are largely unrelated to aerosol loading in the lower troposphere. We also identify potentially important relationships with the number of convective cores, vertical wind shear, and convective fraction during the growing and mature stages of MCS development. Relationships between convective properties and aerosol transport are relatively weak during the decaying stage of convective development. Our results provide an interpretive framework for devising and evaluating numerical model experiments that examine relationships between convective properties and ALs in the upper troposphere.

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Radar reflectivity as a proxy for convective mass transport

Cited by 25 publications

References 30 publications

Representation of tropical deep convection in atmospheric models – Part 2: Tracer transport

Representation of tropical deep convection in atmospheric models – Part 2: Tracer transport

Relationship between level of neutral buoyancy and dual-Doppler observed mass detrainment levels in deep convection

Relationships between convective structure and transport of aerosols to the upper troposphere deduced from satellite observations

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