A Detailed Microphysical Model Within a Two-Dimensional Dynamic Framework: Model Description and Preliminary Results

Abstract

A two-dimensional anelastic cloud model which incorporates detailed treatments of the water and ice phase is presented. The liquid phase processes considered include condensation, quasi-stochastic coalescence, fallout and breakup, while the ice phase processes include diffusional and accretional growth of ice particles. Results of two cloud simulations are presented. The first case assumes an atmosphere with maritime cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation characteristics and considers the warm rain processes only. It was found that with the appearance of precipitation, the model-predicted supersaturations within updraft regions often reach values larger than 5% with respect to water. The second case assumes an atmosphere with continental CCN characteristics and includes the ice phase processes leading to the formation of graupel. The results of the second case illustrate the importance of cloud vertical motions in transporting ice particles from preferential nucleation regions in the upper portions of the cloud to preferential accretional growth regions of larger liquid water content. Discrepancies between model results and observations are discussed briefly and future research applications of this model are mentioned.