Investigation of aerosol indirect effects on monsoon clouds using ground-based measurements over a high-altitude site in Western Ghats

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Abstract

The effect of aerosols on cloud droplet number concentration and droplet effective radius is investigated from ground-based measurements over a high-altitude site where clouds pass over the surface. First aerosol indirect effect (AIE) estimates were made using (i) relative changes in cloud droplet number concentration (AIEn/and (ii) relative changes in droplet effective radius (AIEs/with relative changes in aerosol for different cloud liquid water contents (LWCs). AIE estimates from two different methods reveal that there is systematic overestimation in AIEn as compared to that of AIEs. Aerosol indirect effects (AIEn and AIEs/and dispersion effect (DE) at different LWC regimes ranging from 0.05 to 0.50 gm-3 were estimated. The analysis demonstrates that there is overestimation of AIEn as compared to AIEs, which is mainly due to DE. Aerosol effects on spectral dispersion in droplet size distribution play an important role in altering Twomey's cooling effect and thereby changes in climate. This study shows that the higher DE in the medium LWC regime offsets the AIE by 30 %.

Figures

  • Table 1. Data sampling dates/periods used in this study during which no precipitation was recorded.
  • Figure 1. Variation of cloud microphysical parameters (droplet number concentration and effective diameter) with CCN number concentration.
  • Figure 2. The contour plot shows the relationship between cloud microphysical parameters, cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC), droplet effective diameter (ED), and LWC. ED decreases with increase in CDNC for all LWCs.
  • Figure 3. Scatter plot showing relation between cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentration measured at 0.6 % supersaturation and cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) and CCN concentration versus cloud effective radius (Reff) for three LWC bins (0.20, 0.21, and 0.22 g m−3).
  • Figure 4. Frequency distribution plot of the measured LWC.
  • Figure 5. Aerosol indirect effect estimates using AIEn, AIEs, and the dispersion factor for the LWC ranges are represented. Green, black, and blue lines correspond to AIEs, AIEn, and dispersion factor respectively.
  • Figure 6. Scatter plots showing the changes in relative dispersion (ε) and spectral width of cloud droplet (σ)with CCN number concentration.
  • Figure 8. Aerosol indirect effect estimated after considering dispersion effect in AIEn: left axis represents AIE; right axis represents dispersion offset in percentage.

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APA

Anil Kumar, V., Pandithurai, G., Parambil Leena, P., Dani, K. K., Murugavel, P., Sonbawne, S. M., … Sukumaran Maheskumar, R. (2016). Investigation of aerosol indirect effects on monsoon clouds using ground-based measurements over a high-altitude site in Western Ghats. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 16(13), 8423–8430. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-8423-2016

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