Studies of Continental Stratocumulus Using a 94 GHz Radar

该项目将利用来自毫米波雷达和其他远程和现场仪器的现有数据集调查大陆层积云的动态和物理过程。分析的重点将放在这些云与海洋层积云的结构差异上，人们认为海洋层积云的结构更容易理解。层积云很重要，因为它们分布广泛且频繁发生，可以影响大气中太阳和红外辐射的传输。该项目的核心是使用垂直指向雷达来估计垂直空气运动和云的组成，特别是冷凝水的浓度、水滴的数量密度和平均水滴大小，所有这些都是时间和高度的函数。因此，部分工作将用于发展改进这些估计的方法，即结合使用微波辐射计和激光辐射计以及雷达。该项目的目标是提供评估和改进由云模式和大气边界层大涡模拟产生的数值模拟所需的数据。计划与大涡模拟专家合作，以确保观测结果的形式适合与模型进行比较。

This project will investigate dynamic and physical processes in continental stratocumulus clouds using existing data sets from millimeter-wave radars and other remote and in situ instruments. Emphasis in the analysis will be on differences between the structure of these clouds and maritime stratocumulus clouds, which are thought to be better understood. Stratocumulus clouds are important because they are widespread and frequently occurring and can affect the transfer of solar and infrared radiation in the atmosphere. Central to the project is the use of vertically-pointing radar for estimating vertical air motions and the composition of the clouds, in particular the concentration of condensed water, the number density of drops, and the average drop size, all as functions of time and height. Accordingly, part of the effort will go to developing methods to improve these estimates, by combined use of a microwave radiometer and a laser ceilometer along with the radar. The goal of the project is to provide the data needed to evaluate and improve the numerical simulations produced by cloud models and large eddy simulations of the atmospheric boundary layer. Collaboration is planned with specialists in large eddy simulation to insure that the observations will be in a form suitable for comparison with the models.