Cloud and precipitation studies using millimeter-wavelength radars

探索奖助金计划的这一奖项将帮助PI建立他的研究计划，并帮助学生和博士后使用麦吉尔大学大气和海洋科学系新的云和降水实验室。该奖项资助的学生将使用最先进的仪器和技术进行观测，并将参与云和降水观测以及简单模型的分析和解释。这类仪器是毫米波长(3毫米和8.6毫米，对应于94-GHz和35-GHz频率)雷达和其他辅助仪器(如微波辐射计、激光雷达)。我们的科学目标是：1)加深我们对混合相云微物理和动力学结构的了解；2)描述层状雨中小尺度垂直速度和雨滴尺寸分布的垂直结构，并研究融化水平动力学对从降水层状结构中观测到的最终雨滴尺寸分布的作用。从长远来看，目标是在大规模和全球气候模型中为改善云及其相关过程和反馈的处理做出贡献。这可以减少云在气候变化中的作用及其反馈的不确定性，从而在本地和全球范围内更好地制定政策和进行经济规划。该奖项将为PI的研究实验室工作提供稳定性和连续性，并使更有经验的实验室成员能够顺利过渡和指导。国际和平研究所也是麦吉尔大学新的地球系统科学计划的成员，因此，该奖项将支持将提高我们对地球水文循环中大气组成部分的理解的研究。水循环是一个关键的跨学科物理过程，它连接着地球系统的所有领域，因此，学生将获得地球系统的观点。

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.