On numerical broadening of particle size spectra: a condensational growth study using PyMPDATA

2020

This work discusses the numerical aspects of representing the diffusional (condensational) growth in particulate systems such as atmospheric clouds. It focuses on the Eulerian modeling approach, in which the evolution of the particle size spectrum is carried out using a fixed-bin discretization associated with inherent numerical diffusion. Focus is on the applications of MPDATA numerical schemes (variants explored include: infinite-gauge, non-oscillatory, third-order-terms and recursive antidiffusive correction). Methodology for handling coordinate transformations associated with both particle size distribution variable choice and numerical grid layout are expounded. Analysis of the perform…