Does small-scale turbulence matter for ice growth in mixed-phase clouds?

Fuente: arXiv
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Hauptverfasser: Sarnitsky, G., Sardina, G., Svensson, G., Pumir, A., Hoffmann, F., Mehlig, B.
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2024
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author Sarnitsky, G.
Sardina, G.
Svensson, G.
Pumir, A.
Hoffmann, F.
Mehlig, B.
author_facet Sarnitsky, G.
Sardina, G.
Svensson, G.
Pumir, A.
Hoffmann, F.
Mehlig, B.
contents Representing the glaciation of mixed-phase clouds in terms of the Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen process is a challenge for many weather and climate models, which tend to overestimate this process because cloud dynamics and microphysics are not accurately represented. As turbulence is essential for the transport of water vapour from evaporating liquid droplets to ice crystals, we developed a statistical model using established closures to assess the role of small-scale turbulence. The model successfully captures results of direct numerical simulations, and we use it to assess the role of small-scale turbulence. We find that small-scale turbulence broadens the droplet-size distribution somewhat, but it does not significantly affect the glaciation time on submetre scales. However, our analysis indicates that turbulence on larger spatial scales is likely to affect ice growth. While the model must be amended to describe larger scales, the present work facilitates a path forward to understanding the role of turbulence in the Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen process.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2410_06724
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Does small-scale turbulence matter for ice growth in mixed-phase clouds?
Sarnitsky, G.
Sardina, G.
Svensson, G.
Pumir, A.
Hoffmann, F.
Mehlig, B.
Fluid Dynamics
Representing the glaciation of mixed-phase clouds in terms of the Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen process is a challenge for many weather and climate models, which tend to overestimate this process because cloud dynamics and microphysics are not accurately represented. As turbulence is essential for the transport of water vapour from evaporating liquid droplets to ice crystals, we developed a statistical model using established closures to assess the role of small-scale turbulence. The model successfully captures results of direct numerical simulations, and we use it to assess the role of small-scale turbulence. We find that small-scale turbulence broadens the droplet-size distribution somewhat, but it does not significantly affect the glaciation time on submetre scales. However, our analysis indicates that turbulence on larger spatial scales is likely to affect ice growth. While the model must be amended to describe larger scales, the present work facilitates a path forward to understanding the role of turbulence in the Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen process.
title Does small-scale turbulence matter for ice growth in mixed-phase clouds?
topic Fluid Dynamics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.06724