Members of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility’s science team are major contributors to radiation and cloud research. Scientists and investigators using ARM publish about 150 peer-reviewed journal articles per year, and ARM data are used in many studies published by other scientific organizations. These documented research efforts represent tangible evidence of ARM’s contribution to advances in almost all areas of atmospheric radiation and cloud research.
Research Highlights
Recent Highlights
New insights into mesoscale convective system updrafts and downdrafts
10 April 2019
Wang, Die; Giangrande, Scott
Supported by:
Research area: Cloud Processes
As among the largest and most intense convective storms, mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) are often recognized for their extreme precipitation potential, as well as their implications for the global-scale water cycle and general circulation. One of the most fundamental properties of these MCSs is the convective vertical air motions, in [...]
Impacts of observational error sources on multi Doppler radar vertical air motion retrievals
6 April 2019
Oue, Mariko
Supported by:
Research area: Vertical Velocity
The vertical motions in deep convective clouds regulate precipitation amount, intensity, and associated cloudiness. Multi-Doppler radar networks have been used to probe convection and provide wind retrievals including vertical air motion estimates. While a plethora of studies illustrate the ability of multi-Doppler radar observations to capture wind divergence and circulation, [...]
Precipitation size distributions as an analytical function of updraft velocity and cloud depth
5 April 2019
Garrett, Timothy J.
Supported by:
Research area: Cloud Distributions/Characterizations
A simple explanation that is consistent with observations is provided for what determines how many rain drops fall of varying sizes. A key parameter is the ratio of updraft velocity to how much water is in the cloud.