The Interaction Among Mesoscale Dynamics, Microphysical Properties and Radiative Effects of Mid-latitude Cirrus Clouds

卷云是在各种动力学和热力学条件下形成的，对地球的辐射能量平衡有着深远的影响。 卷云的辐射特性和辐射影响受其微物理和宏观物理特性的内在控制。 然而，卷云的形成，微物理演化和生命周期的物理和动力学机制，并影响其中尺度的变化不是很好的理解，这反过来又阻碍了在各种条件下的卷云的辐射影响的信心量化。 这项研究的主要目标是显着提高我们的中纬度卷云的微物理和宏观物理特性之间的联系，并在其中形成的空气质量的动力学和物理学特性的理解。 我们试图提供一个详细的和基于过程的理解之间的联系大尺度和中尺度动力强迫，卷云的微物理和宏观物理特性及其辐射特性。 本研究所采用的方法结合了（1）数值模拟与云分辨区域模式，（2）一种新的动力状态分类技术，根据大尺度和中尺度动力强迫对卷云事件进行聚类;（3）模拟卷云特性与飞机和遥感器观测的比较。云分辨区域模式模拟允许详细和过程-基于卷云的微物理和宏观物理特性的研究，以及提供更深入的了解影响卷云的演化和生命周期的物理和动力机制，以及由卷云的存在引起的中尺度动力反馈。 大气状态分类技术使我们能够在统计上将大气动力学状态与卷云的微物理和宏观物理特征联系起来，使我们能够得出关于卷云特性如何受到不同大尺度和中尺度动力强迫影响的物理和统计结论。 分类的结果是至关重要的评估和改进卷云微物理参数化的制度依赖的方法。 模式模拟与观测的比较利用了中纬度卷云新的微物理观测的前所未有的数据集。知识价值将大大提高对卷云微物理和动力学控制的认识，并更好地了解这些控制如何影响中纬度卷云的宏观物理和辐射特性。 这方面的知识将是非常宝贵的，以改善微物理参数化，并导致一个更物理为基础的表示卷云微物理，宏观物理和辐射特性在不同尺度的数值模型。 更广泛的影响研究生教育和培训、与其他科学家的合作、改进微物理参数化和在云分辨区域模式中的卷云表示以及参与国际模式的相互比较都是这项工作的计划。 新获得的数据集和结果将存档，并与更广泛的研究界分享。 我们的研究成果将记录在同行评审的出版物中，并通过我们在国家和国际研讨会和会议上的参与和演讲进行传播。 此外，我们将在我们的研究和使用的数据分析在本科和高中学生的课程开发的元素，参与代表性不足的少数民族学生。

Cirrus clouds form under a variety of dynamical and thermodynamical conditions, and have a profound impact on the radiative energy balance of the Earth. The radiative properties and the radiative impact of cirrus clouds are inherently controlled by their microphysical and macrophysical properties. However, the physical and dynamical mechanisms that govern the formation, microphysical evolution, and the life cycle of cirrus clouds and influence their mesoscale variability are not very well understood, which in turn hinders confident quantification of the radiative impact of cirrus under various conditions. The primary goal of this research is to significantly improve our understanding of the linkages between the microphysical and macrophysical properties of mid-latitude cirrus clouds and the dynamical and thermodynamical properties of the air masses in which they form. We seek to provide a detailed and process-based understanding of the links between the large scale and mesoscale dynamical forcing, the microphysical and macrophysical properties of cirrus clouds and their radiative properties. The methodology used in this study combines (1) numerical simulations with a cloud-resolving regional model; with (2) a novel dynamical state classification technique to cluster cirrus cloud events according to large scale and mesoscale dynamical forcing; and (3) comparison of simulated cirrus cloud properties with observations from aircraft and remote sensors.The cloud-resolving regional model simulations allow for a detailed and process-based investigation of the microphysical and macrophysical properties of cirrus clouds, as well as provide deeper insight into the physical and dynamical mechanisms that affect the evolution and life cycle of cirrus and the mesoscale dynamical feedbacks that are caused by the presence of cirrus. The atmospheric state classification technique enables us to statistically link atmospheric dynamical states with the microphysical and macrophysical characteristics of cirrus clouds, allowing us to draw physically and statistically based conclusions regarding how cirrus cloud properties are affected by different large scale and mesoscale dynamical forcings. The results of the classification are crucial for evaluating and improving cirrus microphysical parameterizations in a regime dependent approach. Comparison of model simulations with observations makes use of an unprecedented data set of new microphysical observations in mid-latitude cirrus clouds.Intellectual merit Substantially improved understanding of the microphysical and dynamical controls of cirrus clouds and a better understanding of how these controls affect the macrophysical and radiative properties of mid-latitude cirrus will be obtained. This knowledge will be invaluable for improving microphysical parameterizations and lead to a more physically based representation of cirrus microphysical, macrophysical, and radiative properties in numerical models on various scales. The improved representation of cirrus cloud properties will then help to better quantify the radiative impact of mid-latitude cirrus.Broader impacts Graduate education and training, collaboration with other scientists, improvement of microphysical parameterization and representation of cirrus clouds in cloud-resolving regional models, and participation in international model inter-comparisons are all planned in this work. Newly acquired data sets and results will be archived and shared with the broader research community. Our research results will be documented in peer-reviewed publications and disseminated through our participation in and presentations at national and international workshops and conferences. In addition we will engage underrepresented minority students in our research and use elements of the data analysis in curriculum development for undergraduate and high school students.