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The Role of Cloudphysics in Atmospheric Multiphase Systems: Ten Basic Statements

  • Conference paper
Chemistry of Multiphase Atmospheric Systems

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIG,volume 6))

Abstract

The role of cloud physics in atmospheric multiphase systems is summarized below in the form of ten basic statements: 1: In the atmosphere, the phase change of water vapor to water drops is a heterogeneous process involving aerosol particles (AP). 2: The phase change from water vapor to drops involves “preferred” AP of specific characteristics. 3: The water soluble portion of atmospheric aerosol particles, picked up by nucleation or impaction scavenging, goes into solution inside the cloud and rain drops, while the water insoluble portion remains suspended in particulate from inside the drops. 4: Most clouds in the atmosphere evaporate again after they had formed. 5: The phase change in the atmosphere from water vapor to ice crystals is a heterogeneous process involving AP. 6: In the atmosphere, the phase change to ice involves “preferred” AP of specific characteristics. 7: The atmosphere contains aerosol particles of a wide range of sizes and number concentrations which are related to each other in a characteristic manner, analogously for all air masses. 8: Atmospheric clouds and precipitation contain hydrometeors of a wide range of sizes and number concentrations which are related to each other in a manner depending characteristically on: (1) the aerosol of the air mass in which the cloud formed, (2) the dynamics of the cloud, (3) the microphysical processes resulting from interaction between the cloud particles, and (4) on whether the hydrometeors consist of water particles or ice particles. 9: Atmospheric clouds contain hydrometeors of a wide range of shapes. These decisively affect the flow field around them, their fall velocity and their fall mode. 10: The development of precipitation particles is a result of four basic mechanisms: (1) Diffusional growth of ice crystals surrounded by a water saturated atmosphere filled with cloud drops; (2) Stochastic growth of snow crystals colliding with and sticking to other snow crystals to form snow flakes; (3) Semi-continuous growth of snow crystals by collision with supercooled drops to form graupel and hailstones; (4) Stochastic growth of cloud drops colliding and coalescing with other cloud drops to form rain drops.

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  1. Meteorologisches Institut, Johannes Gutenberg Universitaet, 6500, Mainz, Germany

    H. R. Pruppacher

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  1. Center for Environmental Research, University of Frankfurt, Robert-Mayer-Straße 7-9, D-6000, Frankfurt 1, Germany

    Wolfgang Jaeschke

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Pruppacher, H.R. (1986). The Role of Cloudphysics in Atmospheric Multiphase Systems: Ten Basic Statements. In: Jaeschke, W. (eds) Chemistry of Multiphase Atmospheric Systems. NATO ASI Series, vol 6. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70627-1_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70627-1_6

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