The Interaction of Water and Aerosols in the Marine Boundary Layer: A Study of Selected Processes Impacting Radiative Transfer and Cloudiness
Abstract
The overarching, long-term goal of the study was to explore the profound effect of aerosol-water interaction both on radiation propagation in, and the thermodynamic structure of, the marine boundary layer. Specific goals as initially conceived were: 1) compile a climatology of aerosol hygroscopicity for use in the NAAPS and COAMPS models, and, further, to develop a model parameterization of hygroscopicity based on aerosol size and composition for such models, 2) explore the relative impacts of cross-inversion mixing and sub-cloud aerosol on cloud thickness and cloud base height, 3) quantify and parameterize the impact of precipitation scavenging on below cloud radiative transfer and cloud liquid water path. However, in the course of obtaining the measurements and analyzing them, our goals evolved as it became clear both that some particular tasks were infeasible with the resources available and other goals would be of more value to the overall objective of the study. The specific goals, or objectives, pursued in the study are given below. The sampling platform utilized throughout the study has been the CIRPAS Twin Otter research aircraft and the venue is the littoral environment off the California coast, representative of areas with high shipping densities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA576944
Entities
People
- David S. Covert
- Dean A. Hegg
Organizations
- University of Washington