Recent Advances in the Study of Convective Clouds and their Interaction with the Environment

Abstract

Recent developments in two main phases of cumulus cloud studies are discussed; first the relations between the clouds and their energy sources in the subcloud layer and second, the interaction between the clouds and their environment in the cloud layer. Under the first heading, the various originating impulses for cumulus formation are mentioned, and how the character of this impulse affects the spacing, scale and temperature structure of the clouds. The possible origins of trade cumuli are considered. The second phase is primarily concerned with the nature of the resistive forces operating against cloud growth, how these arise and how they affect the clouds' life cycle. The resistive forces are shown to be of importance in the transports of momentum, moisture and heat by the cumuli and to serve as controls in the feeding of latent energy into the high tropical troposphere and hence into the general circulation.