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Investigation of the effects of high atmospheric aerosol pollution on the development of the high-depth cumulonimbus cloud

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Abstract

Considered is a case of the development of the cumulonimbus cloud (Cb) in the southwestern part of Saudi Arabia under the conditions of heavy pollution of atmosphere with natural aerosol. Using the ground-based radar and satellite radiometric instruments, the characteristics of the Cb are obtained for the cloud top height of more than 14 km and maximum reflectivity of 58 dBZ. To measure the precipitation rate using the radar data, the Z-I ratio obtained for the area under study was applied. To compute the precipitation rate, the results of the sounding with the SEVERI radiometer installed on the Meteosat-8 satellite were also used. Carried out are numerical experiments on the simulation of aerosol effects on the evolution of the cloud under study. The development of the cloud at the presence of background aerosol was simulated as well as at high aerosol concentration. Three cases are considered: aerosol is a passive admixture; aerosol has hygroscopic properties; aerosol has ice-forming properties. It is demonstrated that the most considerable effects on the cloud evolution are caused by the intensification of ice formation under the influence of aerosol; not only the time distribution of precipitation rate changes but also the amount of precipitation increases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory, ul. Karbysheva 7, St. Petersburg, 194021, Russia

    A. A. Sinkevich, N. E. Veremei, Yu. A. Dovgalyuk & A. B. Kurov

  2. Krauss Weather Services Inc., 79 Irving Crescent, Red Deer, Alberta, T4R 3S3, Canada

    T. W. Krauss

  3. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune, 411008, India

    S. D. Pavar & V. Gopalakrishnan

Authors
  1. A. A. Sinkevich
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  2. T. W. Krauss
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  3. S. D. Pavar
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  4. N. E. Veremei
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  5. Yu. A. Dovgalyuk
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  6. A. B. Kurov
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  7. V. Gopalakrishnan
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Correspondence to A. A. Sinkevich.

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Original Russian Text © A.A. Sinkevich, T. W. Krauss, S.D. Pavar, N.E. Veremei, Yu.A. Dovgalyuk, A.B. Kurov, V. Gopalakrishnan, 2014, published in Meteorologiya i Gidrologiya, 2014, No. 9, pp. 16–33.

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Sinkevich, A.A., Krauss, T.W., Pavar, S.D. et al. Investigation of the effects of high atmospheric aerosol pollution on the development of the high-depth cumulonimbus cloud. Russ. Meteorol. Hydrol. 39, 577–589 (2014). https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068373914090027

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