Cirrus Particle Distribution Study. Part 7.
Abstract
Particle data obtained during C-130 cirrus sampling flights on 28 and 29 January and 2 February 1979 over the southwestern United States are described. The first flight sampled cirriform clouds ahead of a developing storm; the second flight obtained data in the tops of the cirriform clouds of a fully developed storm; and the third examined cirrus formed by a weak polar front and strong upper level winds. All flights sampled a variety of densities of cirrus; however, those sampled on 29 January, were the most complex and also at the lowest altitude. This flight provided numerous samples having as many as 350,000 particles per cubic meter in the 47 to 4700 micrometer size range. The largest particle sizes were generally less than 1100 micrometer, but some cirrus particles as large as 2.5/mm were detected at altitudes between 5.9 and 7.7 km. Generally, the calculated ice waster content (IWS) values were 0.04 g/m or less, with a maximum of 0.10 g/m in the active storm situation. On the other two days, the cirrus was of varying density with most particles less than 1400 micrometer and IWCs of 0.03 g/m or less. Particles as large as 2.5 mm were detected in the cirrus on all three flights. The in-flight meteorologist's characterization of heavy or thin clouds is better correlated with total particle number than particle size. Several atmospheric and particle spectral properties are tabulated for consecutive 15-sec data samples for the 3 flights.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 16, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA100269
Entities
People
- Arnold A. Barnes
- Donald J. Varley
- Ian D. Cohen
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory