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Two-moment bulk stratiform cloud microphysics in the grid-point atmospheric model of IAP LASG (GAMIL)

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Abstract

A two-moment bulk stratiform microphysics scheme, including recently developed physically-based droplet activation/ice nucleation parameterizations has been implemented into the Grid-point Atmospheric Model of IAP LASG (GAMIL) as an effort to enhance the model’s capability to simulate aerosol indirect effects. Unlike the previous one-moment cloud microphysics scheme, the new scheme produces a reasonable representation of cloud particle size and number concentration. This scheme captures the observed spatial variations in cloud droplet number concentrations. Simulated ice crystal number concentrations in cirrus clouds qualitatively agree with in situ observations. The longwave and shortwave cloud forcings are in better agreement with observations. Sensitivity tests show that the column cloud droplet number concentrations calculated from two different droplet activation parameterizations are similar. However, ice crystal number concentration in mixed-phased clouds is sensitive to different heterogeneous ice nucleation formulations. The simulation with high ice crystal number concentration in mixed-phase clouds has less liquid water path and weaker cloud forcing. Furthermore, ice crystal number concentration in cirrus clouds is sensitive to different ice nucleation parameterizations. Sensitivity tests also suggest that the impact of pre-existing ice crystals on homogeneous freezing in old clouds should be taken into account.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China

    Xiangjun Shi  (史湘军) & Bin Wang  (王 斌)

  2. Hebei Key Laboratory for Meteorology and Eco-environment, Shijiazhuang, 050021, China

    Xiangjun Shi  (史湘军)

  3. Hebei Climate Center, Shijiazhuang, 050021, China

    Xiangjun Shi  (史湘军)

  4. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA

    Xiaohong Liu & Minghuai Wang

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  1. Xiangjun Shi  (史湘军)
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  2. Bin Wang  (王 斌)
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  3. Xiaohong Liu
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Correspondence to Xiangjun Shi  (史湘军).

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Shi, X., Wang, B., Liu, X. et al. Two-moment bulk stratiform cloud microphysics in the grid-point atmospheric model of IAP LASG (GAMIL). Adv. Atmos. Sci. 30, 868–883 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-012-2072-1

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