Contrasting effects on deep convective clouds by different types of aerosols.

ABSTRACT: Convective clouds produce a significant proportion of the global precipitation and play an important role in the energy and water cycles. We quantify changes of the convective cloud ice mass-weighted altitude centroid (Z_IWC) as a function of aerosol optical thickness (AOT). Analyses are conducted in smoke, dust and polluted continental aerosol environments over South America, Central Africa and Southeast Asia, using the latest measurements from the CloudSat and CALIPSO satellites. We find aerosols can inhibit or invigorate convection, depending on aerosol type and concentration. On average, smoke tends to suppress convection and results in lower Z_IWC than clean clouds. Polluted continental aerosol tends to invigorate convection and promote higher Z_IWC. The

SUBMITTER: Jiang JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6155150 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature