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Determining stages of cirrus evolution: a cloud classification scheme

Urbanek, Benedikt and Groß, Silke Martha and Schäfler, Andreas and Wirth, Martin (2017) Determining stages of cirrus evolution: a cloud classification scheme. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 10, pp. 1653-1664. Copernicus Publications. doi: 10.5194/amt-10-1653-2017. ISSN 1867-1381.

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Official URL: https://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/10/1653/2017/

Abstract

Cirrus clouds impose high uncertainties on climate prediction, as knowledge on important processes is still incomplete. For instance it remains unclear how cloud microphysical and radiative properties change as the cirrus evolves. Recent studies classify cirrus clouds into categories including in situ, orographic, convective and liquid origin clouds and investigate their specific impact. Following this line, we present a novel scheme for the classification of cirrus clouds that addresses the need to determine specific stages of cirrus evolution. Our classification scheme is based on airborne Differential Absorption and High Spectral Resolution Lidar measurements of atmospheric water vapor, aerosol depolarization, and backscatter, together with model temperature fields and simplified parameterizations of freezing onset conditions. It identifies regions of supersaturation with respect to ice (ice-supersaturated regions, ISSRs), heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation, depositional growth, and ice sublimation and sedimentation with high spatial resolution. Thus, all relevant stages of cirrus evolution can be classified and characterized. In a case study of a gravity lee-wave-influenced cirrus cloud, encountered during the ML-CIRRUS flight campaign, the applicability of our classification is demonstrated. Revealing the structure of cirrus clouds, this valuable tool might help to examine the influence of evolution stages on the cloud's net radiative effect and to investigate the specific variability of optical and microphysical cloud properties in upcoming research.

Item URL in elib:https://elib.dlr.de/108098/
Document Type:Article
Title:Determining stages of cirrus evolution: a cloud classification scheme
Authors:
AuthorsInstitution or Email of AuthorsAuthor's ORCID iDORCID Put Code
Urbanek, BenediktDLR, IPAhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3576-740XUNSPECIFIED
Groß, Silke MarthaDLR, IPAhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7467-9269UNSPECIFIED
Schäfler, AndreasDLR, IPAUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Wirth, MartinDLR, IPAUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Date:2017
Journal or Publication Title:Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Refereed publication:Yes
Open Access:Yes
Gold Open Access:Yes
In SCOPUS:Yes
In ISI Web of Science:Yes
Volume:10
DOI:10.5194/amt-10-1653-2017
Page Range:pp. 1653-1664
Publisher:Copernicus Publications
ISSN:1867-1381
Status:Published
Keywords:cirrus, lidar, classification
HGF - Research field:Aeronautics, Space and Transport
HGF - Program:Space
HGF - Program Themes:Earth Observation
DLR - Research area:Raumfahrt
DLR - Program:R EO - Earth Observation
DLR - Research theme (Project):R - Atmospheric and climate research
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen
Institutes and Institutions:Institute of Atmospheric Physics > Lidar
Deposited By: Groß, Silke Martha
Deposited On:21 Nov 2016 08:17
Last Modified:14 Nov 2023 12:43

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