Convective Activities Within the Stratocumulus-Topped Boundary Layer

Abstract

This study utilizes aircraft measurements obtained off the California coast to analyze the geometric, thermodynamic, and micro physical characteristics of convective updrafts and down drafts in the stratocumulus-topped boundary layer (BL). The vertical structure of thermodynamic and micro physical properties is consistent. The difference in peak droplet concentration between updrafts, down drafts, and the defined environment increases near the cloud top. We observe larger mean droplet diameters in down drafts near the cloud top, as the number of small droplets in cloud top down drafts appears to decrease. The horizontal variability seen in the cloud droplet spectra and micro physics properties is likely due to aerosol activation and growth in updrafts, cloud top entrainment, and penetrating cumulus. We compute the mass flux, using a mass flux parameterization. Several measured variables produce consistent results and agree with mass flux calculations from other stratocumulus datasets.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1999
Accession Number
ADA374281

Entities

People

  • Michelle K. Whisenhant

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boundaries
  • Boundary Layer
  • Convection
  • Data Analysis
  • Diameters
  • Entrainment
  • Environment
  • Heat Energy
  • Latent Heat
  • Layers
  • Measurement
  • Meteorology
  • Physical Properties
  • Specific Heat
  • Surface Properties
  • Thermodynamic Properties
  • Turbulent Mixing

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Aerosol Science/Aerosol Physics
  • Atmospheric Remote Sensing.
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers