0000000000285929
AUTHOR
J.d. Klett
Cloud Particle Interactions
In Chapter 10, we discussed the behavior of isolated cloud particles in sorne detai1. Now we shall consider their hydrodynamic interactions, with a view to providing a quantitative assessment of the processes of particle growth by collision and coalescence, and of collisional breakup. We shall first treat the collision problem for drops of radii less than about 500 μm which, in accordance with our previous description of drop distortion in Section 10.3.2, may be regarded as rigid spheres (at least when falling in isolation). This will be followed by a discussion of the phenomena of drop coalescence and breakup. Finally, we shall consider water drop-ice crystal and ice crystal-ice crystal in…
Growth of Cloud Drops by Collision, Coalescence and Breakup
As we have already learned from our brief historical review in Chapter 1, it has long been established that the presence of ice is not always necessary for precipitation formation in clouds. In more recent times, radar observations have confirmed this early conclusion. In such cases, the flow of water up the spectrum from small droplets to rain must occur by the process of collision and coalescence of drops. This is often referred to as the collection process, and sometimes erroneously as the ‘warm rain’ process. The latter designation is somewhat inappropriate, since collection growth also occurs in clouds colder than 0°C (Braham, 1964).
Growth of Ice Particles by Accretion and Ice Particle Melting
In Chapter 13, we discussed the growth of snow crystals by vapor diffusion, and in Chapter 14, we described the manner with which snow crystals interact with other snow crystals and with drops. In this chapter, we shalllook closer at the growth of ice particles by the accretion of supercooled drops, at the formation of snow flakes by the collision of snow crystals, and also consider the physics of melting of individual ice particles.
The Atmospheric Aerosol and Trace Gases
From Chapter 6, it is evident that an understanding of the cloud forming processes in the atmosphere requires knowledge of the physical and chemical characteristics of the atmospheric aerosol. In dicussing this gaseous suspension of solid and liquid particles, it is customary to include all gases except water vapor, and all solid and liquid particles except hydrometeors, i.e., cloud and raindrops, and ice particles.