| 1. |
- Dimitrelos, Antonios, 1986-
(författare)
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A large-eddy simulation perspective on Arctic airmass transformation and low-level cloud evolution
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The Arctic is currently warming faster than other regions of the Earth. Many processes and feedbacks contribute to the enhanced warming. Among these are the radiative effects of clouds. Arctic mixed-phase clouds, which contain both liquid and ice condensate, have high longevity and can exert significant surface warming since the amount of solar radiation in the region is relatively low and the surface reflectivity often is high. In this thesis, we study these clouds utilizing a large-eddy model coupled with one-dimensional thermodynamic sea ice model. The main aim is to understand the interactions between cloud dynamics, microphysics, radiation, and turbulent processes and how these together govern the life cycle and surface warming of the clouds. By comparing a group of models with observations from the summertime high Arctic, we confirm the hypothesis that when aerosol concentrations are low, a small increase in their number concentration can increase the liquid water content of the cloud and in turn, the surface warming. Idealized simulations of moist intrusions into the Arctic show that the surface temperature may increase by more than 15o C if we allow clouds to form during a moist intrusion compared to if the atmosphere is cloud free. The simulations also show that the large-scale divergence rate strongly impacts the maintenance of the liquid layer at the top of these clouds. A main finding of the thesis is that the temperature of the cloud that forms during a moist intrusion is close to the initial dew point temperature. Thus, the surface warming induced by the clouds depends mostly on the initial humidity of the air mass rather than the initial temperature. In addition, the stability of the initial dew point temperature profile largely controls the turbulent state of the cloud. If the profile is unstable, then the cloud can transform from a thin, stable stratus to a deeper stratocumulus cloud, which also enhances the surface warming. Consequently, both the initial amount and the vertical structure of the initial moisture of the intrusion are important for the warming of the sea ice. A change in the number of cloud condensation nuclei does not affect the cloud evolution considerably provided that there is a continuous supply of these nuclei. However, if cloud condensation nuclei sources are absent then the cloud may remain in its stable state. Furthermore, a decrease in the cloud ice condensate, which may be caused by a lack of ice nucleation particles, may delay the transformation of the cloud into a stratocumulus. These results suggest that any future change in aerosol loading and atmospheric moisture transport into the Arctic may alter the surface longwave cloud radiative effect and cause changes in the sea ice evolution.
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| 2. |
- Dimitrelos, Antonios, et al.
(författare)
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A Sensitivity Study of Arctic Air-Mass Transformation Using Large Eddy Simulation
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres. - 2169-897X .- 2169-8996. ; 125:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Arctic air mass transformation is linked to the evolution of low-level mixed-phase clouds. These clouds can alter the structure of the boundary layer and modify the surface energy budget. In this study, we use three-dimensional large eddy simulation and a bulk sea ice model to examine the lifecycle of clouds formed during wintertime advection of moist and warm air over sea ice, following a Lagrangian perspective. We investigate the stages of cloud formation, evolution, and decay. The results show that radiative cooling at the surface gives rise to fog formation which subsequently rises and transforms into a mixed-phase cloud. In our baseline simulation, the cloud persists for about 5 days and increases the surface temperature by on average 17 degrees C. Sensitivity tests show that the lifetime of the cloud is sensitive to changes in the vapor supply at cloud top. This flux is mainly impacted by changes in the divergence rate; an imposed convergence decreases the lifetime to 2 days while an imposed large-scale divergence increases the lifetime to more than 6 days. The largest difference in cloud radiative properties is found in the experiment with increased ice crystal number concentrations. In this case, the lifetime of the cloud is similar compared to baseline but the amount of liquid water is clearly depleted throughout the whole cloud sequence and the surface temperature is on average 6 degrees C cooler. The cloud condensation nuclei concentration has a weaker effect on the radiative properties and lifetime of the cloud. Plain Language Summary Arctic air mass transformation is a process in which an air mass originating over the open ocean enters the high Arctic and cools. Low-altitude clouds form and are often very persistent. They can exist for several days and warm the surface by emitting infrared radiation towards the surface. In this study, we have investigated the effect of the cloud on the surface energy budget by conducting large eddy simulations. In the model code we have incorporated a module that considers the thermodynamics of the sea ice surface. Knowing the sensitivity of these clouds to different parameters and physical processes will make us capable of predicting the cloud lifetime and radiative properties, and thus the induced warming effect on the sea ice surface. We have found that an increased ice crystal number concentration leads to a tenuous form of the cloud that only weakly warms the surface. An imposed large-scale ascent or descent affects the cloud lifetime by more than a day. Increasing the number of cloud condensation nuclei enhances the warming effect of the cloud.
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| 3. |
- Dimitrelos, Antonios, 1986-, et al.
(författare)
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Controls on surface warming by winter Arctic moist intrusions in idealized large-eddy simulations
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The main energy input to the polar regions in winter is the advection of warm, moist air from lower latitudes. This makes the polar climate sensitive to the temperature and moisture of extra-polar air. Here, we study this sensitivity from an air-mass transformation perspective. We perform simulations of an idealized maritime air mass brought into contact with sea ice employing a three-dimensional large-eddy simulation model coupled to a one-dimensional multilayer sea ice model. We study the response of cloud dynamics and surface warming during the air-mass transformation process to varying initial temperature and humidity conditions of the air mass. We find in all cases that a mixed-phase cloud is formed, initially near the surface but rising continuously with time. Surface warming of the sea ice is driven by downward longwave surface fluxes, which are largerly controlled by the temperature and optical depth of the cloud. Cloud temperature, in turn, is robustly constarined by the initial dewpoint temperature of the air mass. Since dewpoint only depends on moisture, the overall result is that surface warming depends almost exclusively on initial humidity and is largerly independent of initial temperature. We discuss possible climate implications of this result, in particular for polar amplification of surface warming and the role played by atmospheric energy transport.
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| 4. |
- Dimitrelos, Antonios, et al.
(författare)
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Controls on Surface Warming by Winter Arctic Moist Intrusions in Idealized Large-Eddy Simulations
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Climate. - 0894-8755 .- 1520-0442. ; 36:5, s. 1287-1300
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The main energy input to the polar regions in winter is the advection of warm, moist air from lower lati-tudes. This makes the polar climate sensitive to the temperature and moisture of extrapolar air. Here, we study this sensi-tivity from an air-mass transformation perspective. We perform simulations of an idealized maritime air mass brought into contact with sea ice employing a three-dimensional large-eddy simulation model coupled to a one-dimensional multilayer sea ice model. We study the response of cloud dynamics and surface warming during the air-mass transformation process to varying initial temperature and humidity conditions of the air mass. We find in all cases that a mixed-phase cloud is formed, initially near the surface but rising continuously with time. Surface warming of the sea ice is driven by downward longwave surface fluxes, which are largely controlled by the temperature and optical depth of the cloud. Cloud tempera-ture, in turn, is robustly constrained by the initial dewpoint temperature of the air mass. Since dewpoint only depends on moisture, the overall result is that surface warming depends almost exclusively on initial humidity and is largely indepen-dent of initial temperature. We discuss possible climate implications of this result-in particular, for polar amplification of surface warming and the role played by atmospheric energy transports.
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| 5. |
- Dimitrelos, Antonios, 1986-, et al.
(författare)
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The turbulent state of Arctic mixed-phase clouds under different conditions of moisture, aerosols, and ice water content
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Previous studies have shown that low-level mixed-phase clouds (MPCs) that form during moist intrusions into the Arctic can exist in either a stable (stratus) or a convective (stratocumulus) state. Here, we examine the process and conditions that promote a transition between the two states through idealized simulations using a three-dimensional large-eddy simulation model coupled with a one-dimensional multilayer sea ice model. We find that the vertical distribution of the initial dew point temperature (Td) profile has a fundamental influence on whether a transition from stable to convective conditions occurs or not. If the initial moisture content of the advected airmass decreased rapidly with height, i.e. if the Td profile is unstable, then a turbulent transition is likely to occur and a stratocumulus cloud can form. However, the availability and properties of aerosols and the cloud ice content can delay or even prevent stratocumulus formation, regardless if the conditions in terms of the initial Td profile are favorable. If no suitable cloud condensation nuclei are available at the base of the cloud at the time of the transition, then no new droplets form, the buoyancy remains low and the cloud remains in its stable state. Furthermore, a decrease in cloud ice water content results in a more stably stratified cloud layer and a delay in the transition. The transition from the stable to the convective state has a substantial effect on the surface warming induced by the cloud in the model; simulations with a transition generally show larger surface warming than simulations without a transition. Our results suggest that the low-level mixed-phase cloud evolution and the thermodynamic transition of an airmass during a moist intrusion are closely linked to the aerosol processing by the cloud, i.e. a chemical transformation, and that the two processes should be considered simultaneously.
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| 6. |
- Stevens, Robin G., et al.
(författare)
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A model intercomparison of CCN-limited tenuous clouds in the high Arctic
- 2018
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Chemistry And Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 18:15, s. 11041-11071
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We perform a model intercomparison of summertime high Arctic ( > 80 degrees N) clouds observed during the 2008 Arctic Summer Cloud Ocean Study (ASCOS) campaign, when observed cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations fell below 1 cm(-3). Previous analyses have suggested that at these low CCN concentrations the liquid water content (LWC) and radiative properties of the clouds are determined primarily by the CCN concentrations, conditions that have previously been referred to as the tenuous cloud regime. The intercomparison includes results from three large eddy simulation models (UCLALES-SALSA, COSMO-LES, and MIMICA) and three numerical weather prediction models (COSMO-NWP, WRF, and UM-CASIM). We test the sensitivities of the model results to different treatments of cloud droplet activation, including prescribed cloud droplet number concentrations (CDNCs) and diagnostic CCN activation based on either fixed aerosol concentrations or prognostic aerosol with in-cloud processing. There remains considerable diversity even in experiments with prescribed CDNCs and prescribed ice crystal number concentrations (ICNC). The sensitivity of mixed-phase Arctic cloud properties to changes in CDNC depends on the representation of the cloud droplet size distribution within each model, which impacts autoconversion rates. Our results therefore suggest that properly estimating aerosol-cloud interactions requires an appropriate treatment of the cloud droplet size distribution within models, as well as in situ observations of hydrometeor size distributions to constrain them. The results strongly support the hypothesis that the liquid water content of these clouds is CCN limited. For the observed meteorological conditions, the cloud generally did not collapse when the CCN concentration was held constant at the relatively high CCN concentrations measured during the cloudy period, but the cloud thins or collapses as the CCN concentration is reduced. The CCN concentration at which collapse occurs varies substantially between models. Only one model predicts complete dissipation of the cloud due to glaciation, and this occurs only for the largest prescribed ICNC tested in this study. Global and regional models with either prescribed CDNCs or prescribed aerosol concentrations would not reproduce these dissipation events. Additionally, future increases in Arctic aerosol concentrations would be expected to decrease the frequency of occurrence of such cloud dissipation events, with implications for the radiative balance at the surface. Our results also show that cooling of the sea-ice surface following cloud dissipation increases atmospheric stability near the surface, further suppressing cloud formation. Therefore, this suggests that linkages between aerosol and clouds, as well as linkages between clouds, surface temperatures, and atmospheric stability need to be considered for weather and climate predictions in this region.
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