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Cirrus Cloud and Upper Tropospheric Turbulence Properties Derived from MMCR Doppler Moments

Mace, G. G., University of Utah
Ninth Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Science Team Meeting

We are developing an algorithm that uses the radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity and Doppler spectral width observed in cirrus cloud layers to derive the microphysical properties of the cloud and information regarding the mean vertical air motion and turbulence. This approach assumes that the cirrus particle size distribution conforms to a single mode modified gamma function and that resolution volumes with similar characteristics (radar reflectivity, temperature, depth within the cloud) have similar particle size distributions. With these assumptions we will show that a reasonable retrieval of the cirrus cloud particle size distribution can be calculated in certain circumstances. We will also explore the capacity of this approach to retrieve the turbulent characteristics of the resolution volumes.

Note: This is the poster abstract presented at the meeting; an extended version was not provided by the author(s).