Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A two-moment cloud microphysics parameterization for mixed-phase clouds. Part 1: Model description

  • Published:
Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

A two-moment microphysical parameterization for mixed-phase clouds was developed to improve the explicit representation of clouds and precipitation in mesoscale atmospheric models. The scheme predicts the evolution of mass as well as number densities of the five hydrometeor types cloud droplets, raindrops, cloud ice, snow and graupel. Since the number concentrations of all these hydrometeors are calculated explicitly, all relevant homogenous and heterogenous nucleation processes have been parameterized including the activation of cloud condensation nuclei, which is not predicted in most state-of-the-art cloud resolving models. Therefore the new scheme can discriminate between continental and maritime conditions and can be used for investigations of aerosol effects on the precipitation formation in mixed-phase clouds. In addition, the scheme includes turbulence effects on droplet coalescence, collisional breakup of raindrops and size-dependent collision efficiencies. A new general approximation of the collection kernels and the corresponding collision integrals is introduced.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AN auf der Maur (2001) ArticleTitleStatistical tools for drop size distributions: Moments and generalized gamma. J Atmos Sci 58 407–418

    Google Scholar 

  • KV Beard HT Ochs (1995) ArticleTitleCollisions between small precipitation drops. Part II: Formulas for coalescence, temporary coalescence, and satellites. J Atmos Sci 52 3977–3996 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1995)052<3977:CBSPDP>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • KD Beheng (1981) ArticleTitleStochastic riming of plate-like and columnar ice crystals. Pure Appl Geophys 119 820–830 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01131259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • KD Beheng (1982) ArticleTitleA numerical study on the combined action of droplet coagulation, ice particle riming and the splintering process concerning maritime cumuli. Contrib Atmos Phys 55 201–214

    Google Scholar 

  • KD Beheng (1994) ArticleTitleA parameterization of warm cloud microphysical conversion processes. Atmos Res 33 193–206

    Google Scholar 

  • KD Beheng G Doms (1986) ArticleTitleA general formulation of collection rates of cloud and raindrops using the kinetic equation and comparison with parameterizations. Contrib Atmos Phys 59 66–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Berry EX (1968) Modification of the warm rain process. In: Proc. 1st Natl. Conf. Wea. Modification, Boston, pp 81–85. Amer Meteor Soc

  • I Bertram A Seifert KD Beheng (2004) ArticleTitleThe evolution of liquid/ice content of a mid-latitude convective storm derived from radar data and results from a cloud-resolving model. Meteorol Zeitschr 13 221–232

    Google Scholar 

  • EK Bigg (1953) ArticleTitleThe formation of atmospheric ice crystals by the freezing of droplets. Quart J Roy Meteor Soc 79 510–519

    Google Scholar 

  • J-M Cohard J-P Pinty (2000a) ArticleTitleA comprehensive two-moment warm microphysical bulk scheme. I: Description and tests. Quart J Roy Meteor Soc 126 1815–1842

    Google Scholar 

  • J-M Cohard J-P Pinty (2000b) ArticleTitleA comprehensive two-moment warm microphysical bulk scheme. II: 2D experiments with a non-hydrostatic model. Quart J Roy Meteor Soc 126 1843–1859

    Google Scholar 

  • J-M Cohard J-P Pinty C Bedos (1998) ArticleTitleExtending Twomey’s analytical estimate of nucleated cloud droplet concentrations from CCN spectra. J Atmos Sci 55 3348–3357 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1998)055<3348:ETSAEO>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J-M Cohard J-P Pinty K Suhre (2000) ArticleTitleOn the parameterization of activation spectra from cloud condensation nuclei microphysical properties. J Geophys Res 105 11753–11766 Occurrence Handle10.1029/1999JD901195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G Considine JA Curry (1996) ArticleTitleA statistical model of drop-size spectra for stratocumulus clouds. Quart J Roy Meteor Soc 122 611–634 Occurrence Handle10.1256/smsqj.53103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Cotton P Field (2002) ArticleTitleIce nucleation characteristics of an isolated wave cloud. Quart J Roy Meteor Soc 128 2417–2437 Occurrence Handle10.1256/qj.01.150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • W Cotton R Pielke R Walko G Liston C Tremback H Jiang R McAnelly J Harrington M Nicholls C Carrio J McFadden (2003) ArticleTitleRAMS 2001: Current status and future directions. Meteorol Atmos Phys 82 5–29 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00703-001-0584-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WR Cotton MA Stephens T Nehrkorn GJ Tripoli (1982) ArticleTitleThe Colorado State University three-dimensional cloud/mesoscale model – 1982. Part II: An ice-phase parameterization. J Rech Atmos 16 295–320

    Google Scholar 

  • WR Cotton GJ Tripoli RM Rauber EA Mulvihill (1986) ArticleTitleNumerical simulation of the effects of varying ice crystal nucleation rates and aggregation processes on orographic snowfall. J Clim Appl Meteor 25 1658–1680 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0450(1986)025<1658:NSOTEO>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G Doms KD Beheng (1986) ArticleTitleMathematical formulation of self-collection, autoconversion and accretion rates of cloud and raindrops. Meteorol Rdsch 39 98–102

    Google Scholar 

  • G Feingold RL Walko B Stevens WR Cotton (1998) ArticleTitleSimulations of marine stratocumulus using a new microphysical parameterization scheme. Atmos Res 47–48 505–528

    Google Scholar 

  • BS Ferrier (1994) ArticleTitleA double-moment multiple-phase four-class bulk ice scheme. Part I: Description. J Atmos Sci 51 249–280

    Google Scholar 

  • Flatau PJ, Tripoli GJ, Verlinde J, Cotton WR (1989) The CSU-RAMS Cloud Microphysics Module: General Theory and Code Documentation. Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Colorado State University

  • WD Hall HR Pruppacher (1976) ArticleTitleThe survival of ice particles falling from cirrus clouds in subsaturated air. J Atmos Sci 33 1995–2006 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1976)033<1995:TSOIPF>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JY Harrington MP Meyers RL Walko WR Cotton (1995) ArticleTitleParameterization of ice crystal conversion processes due to vapor deposition for mesoscale models using double-moment basis functions. Part I: Basic formulation and parcel model results. J Atmos Sci 52 4344–4366

    Google Scholar 

  • AJ Heymsfield M Kajikawa (1987) ArticleTitleAn improved approach to calculating terminal velocities of plate-like crystals and graupel. J Atmos Sci 44 1088–1099 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1987)044<1088:AIATCT>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Z Hu RC Srivastava (1995) ArticleTitleEvolution of raindrop size distribution by coalescence, breakup, and evaporation: Theory and observations. J Atmos Sci 52 1761–1783

    Google Scholar 

  • CA Jeffrey PH Austin (1997) ArticleTitleHomogenous nucleation of supercooled water: Results from a new equation of state. J Geophys Res 102 25269–25279

    Google Scholar 

  • Kessler E (1969) On the distribution and continuity of water substance in atmospheric circulations. Meteor Monogr 32. Boston: Amer Meteor Soc

  • A Khain M Ovtchinnikov M Pinsky A Pokrovsky H Krugliak (2000) ArticleTitleNotes on the state-of-the-art numerical modeling of cloud microphysics. Atmos Res 55 159–224

    Google Scholar 

  • AP Khain D Rosenfeld A Pokrovsky (2001) ArticleTitleSimulating convective clouds with sustained supercooled liquid water down to −37.5 °C using a spectral microphysics model. Geophys Res Lett 28 3887–3890 Occurrence Handle10.1029/2000GL012662

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • YL Kogan WJ Martin (1994) ArticleTitleParameterization of bulk condensation in numerical cloud models. J Atmos Sci 51 1728–1739 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1994)051<1728:POBCIN>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Y-L Lin RD Farley H Orville (1983) ArticleTitleBulk parameterization of the snow field in a cloud model. J Clim Appl Meteorol 22 1065–1092 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0450(1983)022<1065:BPOTSF>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R List (1988) ArticleTitleA linear radar reflectivity-rainrate relationship for steady tropical rain. J Atmos Sci 45 3564–3572 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1988)045<3564:ALRRRF>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Y Liu Y Laiguang Y Weinong L Feng (1995) ArticleTitleOn the size distribution of cloud droplets. Atmos Res 35 201–216

    Google Scholar 

  • JD Locatelli PV Hobbs (1974) ArticleTitleFall speeds and masses of solid precipitation particles. J Geophys Res 79 2185–2197

    Google Scholar 

  • AB Long (1974) ArticleTitleSolutions to the droplet collection equation for polynomial kernels. J Atmos Sci 31 1040–1052

    Google Scholar 

  • TB Low R List (1982) ArticleTitleCollision, coalescence and breakup of raindrops. Part I: Experimentally established coalescence efficiencies and fragment size distributions in breakup. J Atmos Sci 39 1591–1606

    Google Scholar 

  • Manton M, Cotton W (1977) Formulation of approximate equations for modeling moist convection on the mesoscale. Technical report, Colorado State University

  • Mayer F (2000) Numerische Simulation des Zerfallsprozesses von Regentropfen. Diploma thesis, Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung, Universität Karlsruhe/Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe (in German)

  • MP Meyers PJ DeMott WR Cotton (1992) ArticleTitleNew primary ice-nucleation parameterizations in an explicit cloud model. J Appl Meteor 31 708–721 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0450(1992)031<0026:EOTPFW>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MP Meyers RL Walko JY Harrington WR Cotton (1997) ArticleTitleNew RAMS cloud microphysics parameterization. Part II: The two-moment scheme. Atmos Res 45 3–39

    Google Scholar 

  • H Mizuno (1990) ArticleTitleParameterization of the accretion process between different precipitation elements. J Meteor Soc Jap 68 395–398

    Google Scholar 

  • M Murakami (1990) ArticleTitleNumerical modeling of dynamical and microphysical evolution of an isolated convectivecloud – The 19 July 1981 CCOPE cloud. J Meteor Soc Jap 68 107–128

    Google Scholar 

  • M Pinsky A Khain (2002) ArticleTitleEffects of in-cloud nucleation and turbulence on droplet spectrum formation in cumulus clouds. Quart J Roy Meteor Soc 128 501–533 Occurrence Handle10.1256/003590002321042072

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M Pinsky A Khain M Shapiro (2000) ArticleTitleStochastic effects of cloud droplet hydrodynamic interaction in a turbulent flow. Atmos Res 53 131–169

    Google Scholar 

  • M Pinsky A Khain M Shapiro (2001) ArticleTitleCollision efficiency of drops in a wide range of Reynolds numbers: Effect of pressure on spectrum evolution. J Atmos Sci 58 742–764 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(2001)058<0742:CEODIA>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pruppacher HR, Klett JD (1997) Microphysics of clouds and precipitation. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers

  • J Reisner RM Rasmussen RT Bruintjes (1998) ArticleTitleExplicit forecasting of supercooled liquid water in winter storms using the MM5 mesoscale model. Quart J Roy Meteor Soc 124 1071–1107 Occurrence Handle10.1256/smsqj.54803

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • RR Rogers D Baumgardner SA Ethier DA Carter WL Ecklund (1993) ArticleTitleComparison of raindrop size distributions measured by radar wind profiler and by airplane. J Appl Meteor 32 694–699 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0450(1993)032<0694:CORSDM>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D Rosenfeld (2000) ArticleTitleSuppression of rain and snow by urban and industrial air pollution. Science 287 1793–1796 Occurrence Handle10.1126/science.287.5459.1793

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SA Rutledge PV Hobbs (1984) ArticleTitleThe mesoscale and microscale structure and organization of clouds and precipitation in mid latitude cyclones XII: A diagnostic modeling study of precipitation development in narrow cold-frontal rainbands. J Atmos Sci 41 2949–2972 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1984)041<2949:TMAMSA>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seifert A (2002) Parametrisierung wolkenmikrophysikalischer Prozesse und Simulation konvektiver Mischwolken. Ph. D. thesis, Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung, Universität Karlsruhe/Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe (in German)

  • A Seifert KD Beheng (2001) ArticleTitleA double-moment parameterization for simulating autoconversion, accretion and selfcollection. Atmos Res 59–60 265–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Seifert A, Khain A, Pokrovsky A, Beheng KD (2005) A comparison of spectral bin and two-moment bulk mixed phase cloud microphysics. Atmos Res (in print)

  • E Suzuki (1964) ArticleTitleHyper gamma distribution and its fitting to rainfall data. Pap Meteor Geophys 15 31–51

    Google Scholar 

  • W-K Tao J Simpson D Baker S Braun M-D Chou B Ferrier D Johnson A Khain S Lang B Lynn C-L Shie D Starr C-H Sui Y Wang P Wetzel (2003) ArticleTitleMicrophysics, radiation and surface processes in the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) model. Meteorol Atmos Phys 82 97–137 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00703-001-0594-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J Verlinde WR Cotton (1993) ArticleTitleFitting microphysical observations of nonsteady convective clouds to a numerical model: An application of the adjoint technique of data assimilation to a kinematic model. Mon Wea Rev 121 2776–2793

    Google Scholar 

  • O Vohl SK Mitra SC Wurzler HR Pruppacher (1999) ArticleTitleA wind tunnel study of the effects of turbulence on the growth of cloud drops by collision and coalescence. J Atmos Sci 56 4088–4099 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1999)056<4088:AWTSOT>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • U Wacker A Seifert (2001) ArticleTitleEvolution of rain water profiles resulting from pure sedimentation: Spectral vs. parameterized description. Atmos Res 58 19–39

    Google Scholar 

  • ML Weisman JB Klemp (1982) ArticleTitleThe dependency of numerically simulated convective storms on vertical wind shear and bouyancy. Mon Wea Rev 110 504–520

    Google Scholar 

  • C Wisner HD Orville C Myers (1972) ArticleTitleA numerical model of a hail-bearing cloud. J Atmos Sci 29 1160–1181 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1972)029<1160:ANMOAH>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • I Zawadzki de Agostinho AM (1988) ArticleTitleEquilibrium raindrop size distributions in tropical rain. J Atmos Sci 45 3452–3459 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1988)045<3452:ERSDIT>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CL Ziegler (1985) ArticleTitleRetrieval of thermal and microphysical variables in observed convective storms. Part I: Model development and preliminary testing. J Atmos Sci 42 1487–1509 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1985)042<1487:ROTAMV>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung, Universität Karlsruhe/Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany

    A. Seifert & K. D. Beheng

Authors
  1. A. Seifert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. D. Beheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Seifert, A., Beheng, K. A two-moment cloud microphysics parameterization for mixed-phase clouds. Part 1: Model description. Meteorol. Atmos. Phys. 92, 45–66 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-005-0112-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-005-0112-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation