Cloud and precipitation studies using millimeter-wavelength radars

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This award from the Discovery Grants Program will help the PI to establish his research program and the use of the new cloud and precipitation laboratory in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at McGill University by students and post-docs. The students supported by this award will engage in the use of state-of-the-art instruments and techniques for making observations, and will involve with the analysis and interpretation of clouds and precipitation observations and simple models. Such instruments are millimeter-wavelength (3 mm and 8.6 mm, corresponding to frequencies of 94-GHz and 35-GHz) radars and other auxiliary instruments (e.g., microwave radiometers, lidars).Our scientific objectives are 1) to improve our understanding on the microphysical and dynamical structure of mixed-phase clouds and 2) to characterize the vertical structure of the small-scale vertical velocity and drop size distributions in stratiform rain and examine the role of melting level dynamics on the final raindrop size distribution observed in stratifrom precipitation. On the long term, the goal is to contribute toward an improvement of the treatment of cloud and their associated processes and feedbacks in large-scale and global climate models. This can reduce the uncertainty regarding the role of clouds and their feedbacks in a changing climate and thus result to better policy making and economic planning at the local and global scale.The award will provide stability and continuity in the PI's research laboratory efforts and will enable a smooth transition and mentoring from more-experienced to less-experienced lab members. The PI is also member of the new Earth System Science program at McGill University and thus the award will supports research that will improve our understanding on the atmospheric component of Earth's hydrological cycle. The hydrological cycle is a key interdisciplinary physical process that links all spheres of the Earth system and thus, the students will obtain an Earth system perspective.