Dust ice nuclei effects on cirrus clouds

Abstract

In order to study aerosol–cloud interactions in cirrus clouds, we apply a new multiple-mode ice microphysical scheme to the general circulation model ECHAM5-HAM. The multiple-mode ice microphysical scheme allows for analysis of the competition between homogeneous freezing of solution droplets, deposition nucleation of pure dust particles, and immersion freezing of coated dust particles and pre-existing ice. We base the freezing efficiencies of coated and pure dust particles on the most recent laboratory data. The effect of pre-existing ice, which has been neglected in previous ice nucleation parameterizations, is to deplete water vapour by depositional growth and thus prevent homogeneous and heterogeneous freezing from occurring.