Two-moment bulk stratiform cloud microphysics in the GFDL AM3 GCM: description, evaluation, and sensitivity tests

Science.gov (United States)

Salzmann, M.; Ming, Y.; Golaz, J.-C.; Ginoux, P. A.; Morrison, H.; Gettelman, A.; Krämer, M.; Donner, L. J.

2010-08-01

A new stratiform cloud scheme including a two-moment bulk microphysics module, a cloud cover parameterization allowing ice supersaturation, and an ice nucleation parameterization has been implemented into the recently developed GFDL AM3 general circulation model (GCM) as part of an effort to treat aerosol-cloud-radiation interactions more realistically. Unlike the original scheme, the new scheme facilitates the study of cloud-ice-aerosol interactions via influences of dust and sulfate on ice nucleation. While liquid and cloud ice water path associated with stratiform clouds are similar for the new and the original scheme, column integrated droplet numbers and global frequency distributions (PDFs) of droplet effective radii differ significantly. This difference is in part due to a difference in the implementation of the Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen (WBF) mechanism, which leads to a larger contribution from super-cooled droplets in the original scheme. Clouds are more likely to be either completely glaciated or liquid due to the WBF mechanism in the new scheme. Super-saturations over ice simulated with the new scheme are in qualitative agreement with observations, and PDFs of ice numbers and effective radii appear reasonable in the light of observations. Especially, the temperature dependence of ice numbers qualitatively agrees with in-situ observations. The global average long-wave cloud forcing decreases in comparison to the original scheme as expected when super-saturation over ice is allowed. Anthropogenic aerosols lead to a larger decrease in short-wave absorption (SWABS) in the new model setup, but outgoing long-wave radiation (OLR) decreases as well, so that the net effect of including anthropogenic aerosols on the net radiation at the top of the atmosphere (netradTOA = SWABS-OLR) is of similar magnitude for the new and the original scheme.

Factors influencing the parameterization of anvil clouds within general circulation models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leone, J.M. Jr.; Chin, H.N.

1994-01-01

The overall goal of this project is to improve the representation of clouds and their effects within global climate models (GCMs). We have concentrated on a small portion of the overall goal, the evolution of convectively generated cirrus clouds and their effects on the large-scale environment. Because of the large range of time and length scales involved, we have been using a multi-scale attack. For the early time generation and development of the cirrus anvil, we are using a cloud-scale model with horizontal resolution of 1 to 2 kilometers; for the larger scale transport by the larger scale flow, we are using a mesoscale model with a horizontal resolution of 20 to 60 kilometers. The eventual goal is to use the information obtained from these simulations, together with available observations, to derive improved cloud parameterizations for use in GCMs. This paper presents a new tool, a cirrus generator, that we have developed to aid in our mesoscale studies

Convective-stratiform rainfall separation of Typhoon Fitow (2013: A 3D WRF modeling study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huiyan Xu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Surface precipitation budget equation in a three-dimensional (3D WRF model framework is derived. By applying the convective-stratiform partition method to the surface precipitation budget equation in the 3D model, this study separated convective and stratiform rainfall of typhoon Fitow (2013. The separations are further verified by examining statistics of vertical velocity, surface precipitation budget, and cloud microphysical budget. Results show that water vapor convergence moistens local atmosphere and offsets hydrometeor divergence, and producing convective rainfall, while hydrometeor convergence primarily supports stratiform rainfall, since water vapor divergence and local atmospheric drying generally cancelled out. Mean ascending motions are prevailing in the entire troposphere in the convective region, whereas mean descending motions occur below 5 km and mean ascending motions occur above in the stratiform region. The frequency distribution of vertical velocity shows vertical velocity has wide distribution with the maximum values up to 13 m s-1 in the convective regions, whereas it has narrow distribution with absolute values confined within 7 m s-1 in the stratiform region. Liquid cloud microphysics is dominant in convective regions and ice cloud microphysics is dominant in stratiform regions. These indicate that the statistics results are generally consistent with the corresponding physical characteristics of the convective-stratiform rainfall structures generalized by previous studies.

Variability of oceanic deep convective system vertical structures observed by CloudSat in Indo-Pacific regions associated with the Madden-Julian oscillation

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Yuan, Jian

2016-09-01

Vertical structures of deep convective systems during the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) are investigated using CloudSat radar measurements in Indo-Pacific oceanic areas. In active phases of the MJO, relatively more large systems and connected mesoscale convective systems (CMCSs) occur. The occurrence frequency of CMCSs peaks in the onset phase, a phase earlier than separated mesoscale convective systems (SMCSs). Compared with SMCSs, CMCSs of all sizes have weaker reflectivity above 8 km in their deep precipitating portions and thick anvil clouds closely linked to them, suggesting more "stratiform" physics associated with them. SMCSs and CMCSs together produce relatively the least anvil clouds in the onset phase, while their deep precipitating portions show stronger/weaker reflectivity above 8 km before/after the onset phase. Thus, after the onset phase of the MJO, mesoscale convective systems shift toward a more "convective" organization because SMCSs maximize after the onset, while their internal structures appear more stratiform because internally they have weaker reflectivity above 8 km. CMCSs coincide with a more humid middle troposphere spatially, even at the same locations a few days before they occur. Middle-tropospheric moistening peaks in the onset phase. Moistening of the free troposphere around deep convective systems shows relatively stronger moistening/drying below 700 hPa before/after the onset phase than domain-mean averages. Low-topped clouds occur most frequently around CMCSs and in active phases, consistent with the presence of a moister free troposphere. Coexistence of these phenomena suggests that the role of middle troposphere moisture in the formation of CMCSs should be better understood.

Anvil Productivities of Tropical Deep Convective Clusters and Their Regional Differences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deng Min

2016-01-01

The total anvil clouds detrained from convection counts for 0.4 to 0.8 of the cluster horizontal scale, 0.2 to 0.6 of the cluster cross section volume, and 0.05 to 0.20 of the cluster ice mass, depending on the cluster scales and height. There are two main detrainment layers. When the convective clusters is less than about 100 km, the anvil clouds are mainly detrained at about 6-8 km with a spreading ratio (ratio of maximum cluster width to convection rainy core width less than 1.5. When convective clusters becomes 100 km or wider, it reaches the dominate detrainment layer at about 12 km, the detrainment index increase from 2 to more 6. Among 8 regions, convection clusters in MA produce the most anvil volume fraction. The more the ice mass is pumped upward in the anvil clouds till clusters are about 500 km wider. Nevertheless, the anvil ice mass pumped above 15 km is less than 0.1% of the total ice mass in the convective cluster.

Variability of Oceanic Mesoscale Convective System Vertical Structures Observed by CloudSat in Indo-Pacific Regions Associated with the Madden-Julian Oscillation

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Yuan, J.

2016-12-01

Vertical structures of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) during the Madden-Julian-Oscillation (MJO) are investigated using 2006-2011 CloudSat radar measurements for Indo-Pacific oceanic areas. In active phases of the MJO relatively more large MCSs and connected MCSs occur. The frequency of occurrence of connected MCSs peaks in the onset phase, a phase earlier than separated MCSs. Compared to separated MCSs, connected MCSs in all sizes have weaker reflectivity above 8 km in their deep precipitating portions and thick anvil clouds closely linked to them, suggesting more "stratiform" physics associated with them. Separated MCSs and connected MCSs together produce relatively the least anvil clouds in the onset phase while their deep precipitating portions show stronger/weaker reflectivity above 8 km before/after the onset phase. Thus after the onset phase of the MJO, MCSs shift toward more "convective" organization because separated MCSs maximize after the onset, while their internal structures appear more "stratiform" because internally they have weaker reflectivity above 8km. Connected MCSs coincide with a more humid middle troposphere spatially, even at the same places a few days before they occur. Middle-tropospheric moistening peaks in the onset phase. Moistening of the free troposphere around deep convective systems shows relatively stronger moistening/drying below the 700 hPa before/after the onset phase compared to domain-mean averages. Lower-topped clouds occur most frequently around CMCSs and in active phases, consistent with the presence of a moister free troposphere. Coexistence of these phenomena suggests that the role of middle troposphere moisture in the formation of CMCSs needs to be better understood.

Analysis of 35 GHz Cloud Radar polarimetric variables to identify stratiform and convective precipitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fontaine, Emmanuel; Illingworth, Anthony, J.; Stein, Thorwald

2017-04-01

This study is performed using vertical profiles of radar measurements at 35GHz, for the period going from 29th of February to 1rst October 2016, at the Chilbolton observatory in United Kingdom. During this period, more than 40 days with precipitation events are investigated. The investigation uses the synergy of radar reflectivity factors, vertical velocity, Doppler spectrum width, and linear depolarization ratio (LDR) to differentiate between stratiform and convective rain events. The depth of the layer with Doppler spectrum width values greater than 0.5 m s-1 is shown to be a suitable proxy to distinguish between convective and stratiform events. Using LDR to detect the radar bright band, bright band characteristics such as depth of the layer and maximum LDR are shown to vary with the amount of turbulence aloft. Profiles of radar measurements are also compared to rain gauge measurements to study the contribution of convective and stratiform rainfall to total rain duration and amount. To conclude, this study points out differences between convective and stratiform rains and quantifies their contributions over a precipitation event, highlighting that convective and stratiform rainfall should be considered as a continuum rather than a dichotomy.

Life Cycle of Tropical Convection and Anvil in Observations and Models

Science.gov (United States)

McFarlane, S. A.; Hagos, S. M.; Comstock, J. M.

2011-12-01

Tropical convective clouds are important elements of the hydrological cycle and produce extensive cirrus anvils that strongly affect the tropical radiative energy balance. To improve simulations of the global water and energy cycles and accurately predict both precipitation and cloud radiative feedbacks, models need to realistically simulate the lifecycle of tropical convection, including the formation and radiative properties of ice anvil clouds. By combining remote sensing datasets from precipitation and cloud radars at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Darwin site with geostationary satellite data, we can develop observational understanding of the lifetime of convective systems and the links between the properties of convective systems and their associated anvil clouds. The relationships between convection and anvil in model simulations can then be compared to those seen in the observations to identify areas for improvement in the model simulations. We identify and track tropical convective systems in the Tropical Western Pacific using geostationary satellite observations. We present statistics of the tropical convective systems including size, age, and intensity and classify the lifecycle stage of each system as developing, mature, or dissipating. For systems that cross over the ARM Darwin site, information on convective intensity and anvil properties are obtained from the C-Pol precipitation radar and MMCR cloud radar, respectively, and are examined as a function of the system lifecycle. Initial results from applying the convective identification and tracking algorithm to a tropical simulation from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model run show that the model produces reasonable overall statistics of convective systems, but details of the life cycle (such as diurnal cycle, system tracks) differ from the observations. Further work will focus on the role of atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles in the model's convective life cycle.

Improving Mixed-phase Cloud Parameterization in Climate Model with the ACRF Measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Zhien [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)

2016-12-13

Mixed-phase cloud microphysical and dynamical processes are still poorly understood, and their representation in GCMs is a major source of uncertainties in overall cloud feedback in GCMs. Thus improving mixed-phase cloud parameterizations in climate models is critical to reducing the climate forecast uncertainties. This study aims at providing improved knowledge of mixed-phase cloud properties from the long-term ACRF observations and improving mixed-phase clouds simulations in the NCAR Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5). The key accomplishments are: 1) An improved retrieval algorithm was developed to provide liquid droplet concentration for drizzling or mixed-phase stratiform clouds. 2) A new ice concentration retrieval algorithm for stratiform mixed-phase clouds was developed. 3) A strong seasonal aerosol impact on ice generation in Arctic mixed-phase clouds was identified, which is mainly attributed to the high dust occurrence during the spring season. 4) A suite of multi-senor algorithms was applied to long-term ARM observations at the Barrow site to provide a complete dataset (LWC and effective radius profile for liquid phase, and IWC, Dge profiles and ice concentration for ice phase) to characterize Arctic stratiform mixed-phase clouds. This multi-year stratiform mixed-phase cloud dataset provides necessary information to study related processes, evaluate model stratiform mixed-phase cloud simulations, and improve model stratiform mixed-phase cloud parameterization. 5). A new in situ data analysis method was developed to quantify liquid mass partition in convective mixed-phase clouds. For the first time, we reliably compared liquid mass partitions in stratiform and convective mixed-phase clouds. Due to the different dynamics in stratiform and convective mixed-phase clouds, the temperature dependencies of liquid mass partitions are significantly different due to much higher ice concentrations in convective mixed phase clouds. 6) Systematic evaluations

Comment on 'Modeling of Convective-Stratiform Precipitation Processes: Sensitivity to Partitioning Methods' by Matthias Steiner

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Steve; Tao, W.-K.; Simpson, J.; Ferrier, B.

2003-01-01

Despite the obvious notion that the presence of hail or graupel is a good indication of convection, the model results show this does not provide an objective benchmark partly due to the unrealistic presence of small amounts of hail or graupel throughout the anvil in the model but mainly because of the significant amounts of hail or graupel, especially in the tropical TOGA COARE simulation, in the transition zone. Without use of a "transition" category, it is open to debate as how this region should best be defined, as stratiform or as convective. So, the presence of significant hail or graupel contents in this zone significantly degrades its use an objective benchmark for convection. The separation algorithm comparison was done in the context of a cloud-resolving model. These models are widely used and serve a variety of purposes especially with regard to retrieving information that cannot be directly measured by providing synthetic data sets that are consistent and complete. Separation algorithms are regularly applied in these models. However, as with any modeling system, these types 'of models are constantly being improved to overcome any known deficiencies and make them more accurate representations of observed systems. The presence of hail and graupel in the anvil and the bias towards heavy rainfall rates are two such examples of areas that need improvement. Since, both of these can effect the perceived performance of the separation algorithms, the Lang et al. (2003) study did not want to overstate the relative performance of any specific algorithms.

Seasonal Scale Convective-Stratiform Pricipitation Variabilities at Tropics

Science.gov (United States)

S, Sreekanth T.

begin{center} Large Seasonal Scale Convective-Stratiform Pricipitation Variabilities at Tropics Sreekanth T S*, Suby Symon*, G. Mohan Kumar (1) and V Sasi Kumar (2) *Centre for Earth Science Studies, Akkulam, Thiruvananthapuram (1) D-330, Swathi Nagar, West Fort, Thiruvananthapuram 695023 (2) 32. NCC Nagar Peroorkada, Thiruvananthapuram ABSTRACT This study investigates the variabilities of convective and stratiform rainfall from 2011 to 2013 at a tropical coastal station in three seasons viz Pre-Monsoon (March-May), Monsoon (June-September) and Post-Monsoon (October-December). Understanding the climatological variability of these two dominant forms of precipitation and their implications in the total rainfall were the main objectives of this investigation. Variabilities in the frequency & duration of events, rain rate & total number of rain drops distribution in different events and the accumulated amount of rain water were analysed. Based on the ground & radar observations from optical & impact disdrometers, Micro Rain Radar and Atmospheric Electric Field Mill, precipitation events were classified into convective and stratiform in three seasons. Classification was done by the method followed by Testud et al (2001) and as an additional information electrical behaviour of clouds from Atmospheric Electric Field Mill is also used. Events which could not be included in both types were termed as 'mixed precipitation' and were included separately. Diurnal variability of the total rainfall in each seasons were also examined. For both convective and stratiform rainfall there exist distinct day-night differences. During nocturnal hours convective rain draged more attention. In all seasons almost 70% of rain duration and 60% of rain events of convective origin were confined to nocturnal hours. But stratiform rain was not affected by diurnal variations greatly because night time occurrences of stratiform duration and events were less than 50%. Also in Monsoon above 35% of

Statistical properties of the ice particle distribution in stratiform clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Delanoe, J.; Tinel, C.; Testud, J.

2003-04-01

This paper presents an extensive analysis of several microphysical data bases CEPEX, EUCREX, CLARE and CARL to determine statistical properties of the Particle Size Distribution (PSD). The data base covers different type of stratiform clouds : tropical cirrus (CEPEX), mid-latitude cirrus (EUCREX) and mid-latitude cirrus and stratus (CARL,CLARE) The approach for analysis uses the concept of normalisation of the PSD developed by Testud et al. (2001). The normalization aims at isolating three independent characteristics of the PSD : its "intrinsic" shape, the "average size" of the spectrum and the ice water content IWC, "average size" is meant the mean mass weighted diameter. It is shown that concentration should be normalized by N_0^* proportional to IWC/D_m^4. The "intrinsic" shape is defined as F(Deq/D_m)=N(Deq)/N_0^* where Deq is the equivalent melted diameter. The "intrinsic" shape is found to be very stable in the range 001.5, more scatter is observed, but future analysis should decide if it is representative of real physical variation or statistical "error" due to counting problem. Considering an overall statistics over the full data base, a large scatter of the N_0^* against Dm plot is found. But in the case of a particular event or a particular leg of a flight, the N_0^* vs. Dm plot is much less scattered and shows a systematic trend for decaying of N_0^* when Dm increases. This trend is interpreted as the manifestation of the predominance of the aggregation process. Finally an important point for cloud remote sensing is investigated : the normalised relationships IWC/N_0^* against Z/N_0^* is much less scattered that the classical IWC against Z the radar reflectivity factor.

Precipitating clouds observed by 1.3-GHz boundary layer radars in equatorial Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Renggono

2001-08-01

Full Text Available Temporal variations of precipitating clouds in equatorial Indonesia have been studied based on observations with 1357.5 MHz boundary layer radars at Serpong (6.4° S, 106.7° E near Jakarta and Bukittinggi (0.2° S, 100.3° E in West Sumatera. We have classified precipitating clouds into four types: stratiform, mixed stratiform-convective, deep convective, and shallow convective clouds, using the Williams et al. (1995 method. Diurnal variations of the occurrence of precipitating clouds at Serpong and Bukittinggi have showed the same characteristics, namely, that the precipitating clouds primarily occur in the afternoon and the peak of the stratiform cloud comes after the peak of the deep convective cloud. The time delay between the peaks of stratiform and deep convective clouds corresponds to the life cycle of the mesoscale convective system. The precipitating clouds which occur in the early morning at Serpong are dominated by stratiform cloud. Concerning seasonal variations of the precipitating clouds, we have found that the occurrence of the stratiform cloud is most frequent in the rainy season, while the occurrence of the deep convective cloud is predominant in the dry season.Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (convective processes; precipitation; tropical meteorology

Micro-Physical characterisation of Convective & Stratiform Rainfall at Tropics

Science.gov (United States)

Sreekanth, T. S.

Large Micro-Physical characterisation of Convective & Stratiform Rainfall at Tropics begin{center} begin{center} Sreekanth T S*, Suby Symon*, G. Mohan Kumar (1) , and V Sasi Kumar (2) *Centre for Earth Science Studies, Akkulam, Thiruvananthapuram (1) D-330, Swathi Nagar, West Fort, Thiruvananthapuram 695023 (2) 32. NCC Nagar, Peroorkada, Thiruvananthapuram ABSTRACT Micro-physical parameters of rainfall such as rain drop size & fall speed distribution, mass weighted mean diameter, Total no. of rain drops, Normalisation parameters for rain intensity, maximum & minimum drop diameter from different rain intensity ranges, from both stratiform and convective rain events were analysed. Convective -Stratiform classification was done by the method followed by Testud et al (2001) and as an additional information electrical behaviour of clouds from Atmospheric Electric Field Mill was also used. Events which cannot be included in both types are termed as 'mixed precipitation' and identified separately. For the three years 2011, 2012 & 2013, rain events from both convective & stratiform origin are identified from three seasons viz Pre-Monsoon (March-May), Monsoon (June-September) and Post-Monsoon (October-December). Micro-physical characterisation was done for each rain events and analysed. Ground based and radar observations were made and classification of stratiform and convective rainfall was done by the method followed by Testud et al (2001). Radar bright band and non bright band analysis was done for confimation of stratifom and convective rain respectievely. Atmospheric electric field data from electric field mill is also used for confirmation of convection during convective events. Statistical analyses revealed that the standard deviation of rain drop size in higher rain rates are higher than in lower rain rates. Normalised drop size distribution is ploted for selected events from both forms. Inter relations between various precipitation parameters were analysed in three

The response of a simulated mesoscale convective system to increased aerosol pollution: Part I: Precipitation intensity, distribution, and efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Clavner, Michal; Cotton, William R.; van den Heever, Susan C.; Saleeby, Stephen M.; Pierce, Jeffery R.

2018-01-01

Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs) are important contributors to rainfall in the High Plains of the United States and elsewhere in the world. It is therefore of interest to understand how different aerosols serving as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) may impact the total amount, rates and spatial distribution of precipitation produced by MCSs. In this study, different aerosol concentrations and their effects on precipitation produced by an MCS are examined by simulating the 8 May 2009 "Super-Derecho" MCS using the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), a cloud-resolving model (CRM) with sophisticated aerosol and microphysical parameterizations. Three simulations were conducted that differed only in the initial concentration, spatial distribution, and chemical composition of aerosols. Aerosol fields were derived from the output of GEOS-Chem, a 3D chemical transport numerical model. Results from the RAMS simulations show that the total domain precipitation was not significantly affected by variations in aerosol concentrations, however, the pollution aerosols altered the precipitation characteristics. The more polluted simulations exhibited higher precipitation rates, higher bulk precipitation efficiency, a larger area with heavier precipitation, and a smaller area with lighter precipitation. These differences arose as a result of aerosols enhancing precipitation in the convective region of the MCS while suppressing precipitation from the MCS's stratiform-anvil. In the convective region, several processes likely contributed to an increase of precipitation. First, owing to the very humid environment of this storm, the enhanced amount of cloud water available to be collected overwhelmed the reduction in precipitation efficiency associated with the aerosol-induced production of smaller droplets which led to a net increase in the conversion of cloud droplets to precipitation. Second, higher aerosol concentrations led to invigoration of convective updrafts which

Microphysical effects determine macrophysical response for aerosol impacts on deep convective clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Jiwen; Leung, L. Ruby; Rosenfeld, Daniel; Chen, Qian; Li, Zhanqing; Zhang, Jinqiang; Yan, Hongru

2013-11-01

Deep convective clouds (DCCs) play a crucial role in the general circulation, energy, and hydrological cycle of our climate system. Aerosol particles can influence DCCs by altering cloud properties, precipitation regimes, and radiation balance. Previous studies reported both invigoration and suppression of DCCs by aerosols, but few were concerned with the whole life cycle of DCC. By conducting multiple monthlong cloud-resolving simulations with spectral-bin cloud microphysics that capture the observed macrophysical and microphysical properties of summer convective clouds and precipitation in the tropics and midlatitudes, this study provides a comprehensive view of how aerosols affect cloud cover, cloud top height, and radiative forcing. We found that although the widely accepted theory of DCC invigoration due to aerosol's thermodynamic effect (additional latent heat release from freezing of greater amount of cloud water) may work during the growing stage, it is microphysical effect influenced by aerosols that drives the dramatic increase in cloud cover, cloud top height, and cloud thickness at the mature and dissipation stages by inducing larger amounts of smaller but longer-lasting ice particles in the stratiform/anvils of DCCs, even when thermodynamic invigoration of convection is absent. The thermodynamic invigoration effect contributes up to ∼27% of total increase in cloud cover. The overall aerosol indirect effect is an atmospheric radiative warming (3-5 Wṡm-2) and a surface cooling (-5 to -8 Wṡm-2). The modeling findings are confirmed by the analyses of ample measurements made at three sites of distinctly different environments.

Microphysical effects determine macrophysical response for aerosol impacts on deep convective clouds.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Jiwen; Leung, L Ruby; Rosenfeld, Daniel; Chen, Qian; Li, Zhanqing; Zhang, Jinqiang; Yan, Hongru

2013-11-26

Deep convective clouds (DCCs) play a crucial role in the general circulation, energy, and hydrological cycle of our climate system. Aerosol particles can influence DCCs by altering cloud properties, precipitation regimes, and radiation balance. Previous studies reported both invigoration and suppression of DCCs by aerosols, but few were concerned with the whole life cycle of DCC. By conducting multiple monthlong cloud-resolving simulations with spectral-bin cloud microphysics that capture the observed macrophysical and microphysical properties of summer convective clouds and precipitation in the tropics and midlatitudes, this study provides a comprehensive view of how aerosols affect cloud cover, cloud top height, and radiative forcing. We found that although the widely accepted theory of DCC invigoration due to aerosol's thermodynamic effect (additional latent heat release from freezing of greater amount of cloud water) may work during the growing stage, it is microphysical effect influenced by aerosols that drives the dramatic increase in cloud cover, cloud top height, and cloud thickness at the mature and dissipation stages by inducing larger amounts of smaller but longer-lasting ice particles in the stratiform/anvils of DCCs, even when thermodynamic invigoration of convection is absent. The thermodynamic invigoration effect contributes up to ~27% of total increase in cloud cover. The overall aerosol indirect effect is an atmospheric radiative warming (3-5 W m(-2)) and a surface cooling (-5 to -8 W m(-2)). The modeling findings are confirmed by the analyses of ample measurements made at three sites of distinctly different environments.

Mesoscale kinematics derived from X-band Doppler radar observations of convective versus stratiform precipitation and comparison with GPS radiosonde profiles

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Deshpande, Sachin M.; Dhangar, N.; Das, S. K.; Kalapureddy, M. C. R.; Chakravarty, K.; Sonbawne, S.; Konwar, M.

2015-11-01

Single Doppler analysis techniques known as velocity azimuth display (VAD) and volume velocity processing (VVP) are used to analyze kinematics of mesoscale flow such as horizontal wind and divergence using X-band Doppler weather radar observations, for selected cases of convective, stratiform, and shallow cloud systems near tropical Indian sites Pune (18.58°N, 73.92°E, above sea level (asl) 560 m) and Mandhardev (18.51°N, 73.85°E, asl 1297 m). The vertical profiles of horizontal wind estimated from radar VVP/VAD methods agree well with GPS radiosonde profiles, with the low-level jet at about 1.5 km during monsoon season well depicted in both. The vertical structure and temporal variability of divergence and reflectivity profiles are indicative of the dynamical and microphysical characteristics of shallow convective, deep convective, and stratiform cloud systems. In shallow convective systems, vertical development of reflectivity profiles is limited below 5 km. In deep convective systems, reflectivity values as large as 55 dBZ were observed above freezing level. The stratiform system shows the presence of a reflectivity bright band (~35 dBZ) near the melting level. The diagnosed vertical profiles of divergence in convective and stratiform systems are distinct. In shallow convective conditions, convergence was seen below 4 km with divergence above. Low-level convergence and upper level divergence are observed in deep convective profiles, while stratiform precipitation has midlevel convergence present between lower level and upper level divergence. The divergence profiles in stratiform precipitation exhibit intense shallow layers of "melting convergence" at 0°C level, near 4.5 km altitude, with a steep gradient on the both sides of the peak. The level of nondivergence in stratiform situations is lower than that in convective situations. These observed vertical structures of divergence are largely indicative of latent heating profiles in the atmosphere, an

Using Convective Stratiform Technique (CST) method to estimate rainfall (case study in Bali, December 14th 2016)

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Vista Wulandari, Ayu; Rizki Pratama, Khafid; Ismail, Prayoga

2018-05-01

Accurate and realtime data in wide spatial space at this time is still a problem because of the unavailability of observation of rainfall in each region. Weather satellites have a very wide range of observations and can be used to determine rainfall variability with better resolution compared with a limited direct observation. Utilization of Himawari-8 satellite data in estimating rainfall using Convective Stratiform Technique (CST) method. The CST method is performed by separating convective and stratiform cloud components using infrared channel satellite data. Cloud components are classified by slope because the physical and dynamic growth processes are very different. This research was conducted in Bali area on December 14, 2016 by verifying the result of CST process with rainfall data from Ngurah Rai Meteorology Station Bali. It is found that CST method result had simililar value with data observation in Ngurah Rai meteorological station, so it assumed that CST method can be used for rainfall estimation in Bali region.

The Next-Generation Goddard Convective-Stratiform Heating Algorithm: New Model Simulations for Tropical and Continental Summertime Environments

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Lang, S. E.; Tao, W. K.; Wu, D.

2016-12-01

The Goddard Convective-Stratiform Heating (or CSH) algorithm is used to retrieve estimates of cloud heating over the global Tropics using TRMM rainfall data and a set of look-up-tables (LUTs) derived from a series of multi-week cloud-resolving model (CRM) simulations using the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model (or GCE). These simulations link satellite observables (i.e., surface rainfall and stratiform fraction) with cloud heating profiles, which are not directly observable. The strength of the algorithm relies in part on the representativeness of the simulations; more realistic simulations provide a stronger link between the observables and simulated heating profiles. The current "TRMM" version of the CSH algorithm relies on 2D GCE simulations using an improved version of the Goddard 3-class ice scheme (3ICE), a moderate-sized domain, and 1-km horizontal resolution. Updating the LUTs, which are suitable for tropical and continental summertime environments requires new, more realistic GCE simulations. New simulations are performed using a new, improved 4-class ice scheme, which has been shown to outperform the 3ICE scheme, especially for intense convection. Additional grid configurations are also tested and evaluated to find the best overall setup to for re-deriving and updating the CSH tropical/summertime LUTs.

The Next-Generation Goddard Convective-Stratiform Heating Algorithm: New Retrievals for Tropical and Extra-tropical Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, S. E.; Tao, W. K.; Iguchi, T.

2017-12-01

The Goddard Convective-Stratiform Heating (or CSH) algorithm has been used to estimate cloud heating over the global Tropics using TRMM rainfall data and a set of look-up-tables (LUTs) derived from a series of multi-week cloud-resolving model (CRM) simulations using the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model (GCE). These simulations link satellite observables (i.e., surface rainfall and stratiform fraction) with cloud heating profiles, which are not directly observable. However, with the launch of GPM in 2014, the range over which such algorithms can be applied has been extended from the Tropics into higher latitudes, including cold season and synoptic weather systems. In response, the CSH algorithm and its LUTs have been revised both to improve the retrievals in the Tropics as well as expand retrievals to higher latitudes. For the Tropics, the GCE simulations used to build the LUTs were upgraded using larger 2D model domains (512 vs 256 km) and a new, improved Goddard 4-ice scheme as well as expanded with additional cases (4 land and 6 ocean in total). The new tropical LUTs are also re-built using additional metrics. Besides surface type, conditional rain intensity and stratiform fraction, the new LUTs incorporate echo top heights and low-level (0-2 km) vertical reflectivity gradients. CSH retrievals in the Tropics based on the new LUTs show significant differences from previous iterations using TRMM data or the old LUT metrics. For the Extra-tropics, 6 NU-WRF simulations of synoptic events (3 East Coast and 3 West Coast), including snow, were used to build new extra-tropical CSH LUTs. The LUT metrics for the extra-tropics are based on radar characteristics and freezing level height. The extra-tropical retrievals are evaluated with a self-consistency check approach using the model heating as `truth,' and freezing level height is used to transition CSH retrievals from the Tropics to Extra-tropics. Retrieved zonal average heating structures in the Extra-tropics are

The dependence of entrainment and drizzle in marine stratiform clouds on biomass burning aerosols derived from stable isotope and thermodynamic profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Henze, D.; Noone, D.

2017-12-01

A third of the world's biomass burning aerosol (BBA) particles are generated in southern Africa, and these particles are swept into the midlevel troposphere over the southeast Atlantic Ocean. The presence of these aerosols over the marine environment of the south east Atlantic offers a unique natural laboratory for studying aerosol effects on climate, and specifically a modification to the hydrologic cycle and microphysical characteristics of clouds. Different rates of condensation with high aerosol numbers change the precipitation rates in drizzling stratiform clouds, while the mixing of aerosols into the cloud layer is synonymous with entrainment from above cloud top near the top of the subtropical inversion. To better understanding the magnitude of the aerosol influence on southeast Atlantic boundary layer clouds we analyze the cloud-top entrainment and drizzle as a function of aerosol loading to determine the impact of BBA. Entrainment was determined from mixing line analysis based on profile measurements of moist static energy, total water, and the two most common heavy isotopes of water - HDO and H218O. Data was collected on the P-3 Orion aircraft during the NASA 2017 ORACLES campaign. Using these measurements, a box model was constructed using the combined conservation laws associated with all four of these quantities to estimate the entrainment and rainout of cloud liquid. The population of profiles sampled by the aircraft over the course of the 30 day mission spans varying concentrations of BBA. Initial plots of the water isotope mixing lines show where and to what degree the BBA air mass has mixed into the boundary layer air mass from above. This is demonstrated by the fact that the mixing end-members are the same for the different areas sampled, but the rate at which the various mixing lines are traversed as a function of altitude varies. Further, the mixing lines as a function of height traverse back and forth between end members multiple times over one

CRYSTAL-FACE Analysis and Simulations of the July 23rd Extended Anvil Case

Science.gov (United States)

Starr, David

2003-01-01

A key focus of CRYSTAL-FACE (Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and cirrus Layers - Florida Area Cirrus Experiment) was the generation and subsequent evolution of cirrus outflow from deep convective cloud systems. Present theoretical background and motivations will be discussed. An integrated look at the observations of an extended cirrus anvil cloud system observed on 23 July 2002 will be presented, including lidar and millimeter radar observation; from NASA s ER-2 and in-situ observations from NASA s WB-57 and University of North Dakota Citation. The observations will be compared to results of simulations using 1-D and 2-D high-resolution (100 meter) cloud resolving models. The CRMs explicitly account for cirrus microphysical development by resolving the evolving ice crystal size distribution (bin model) in time and space. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation are allowed in the model. The CRM simulations are driven using the output of regional simulations using MM5 that produces deep convection similar to what was observed. The MM5 model employs a 2 km inner grid (32 layers) over a 360 km domain, nested within a 6-km grid over a 600-km domain. Initial and boundary conditions for the 36-hour MM5 simulation are taken from NCEP Eta model analysis at 32 km resolution. Key issues to be explored are the settling of the observed anvil versus the model simulations, and comparisons of dynamical properties, such as vertical motions, occurring in the observations and models. The former provides an integrated measure of the validity of the model microphysics (fallspeed) while the latter is the key factor in forcing continued ice generation.

The 3-D Tropical Convective Cloud Spectrum in AMIE Radar Observations and Global Climate Simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schumacher, Courtney [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences

2015-08-31

better quantify the transition between convective, stratiform, and anvil cloud types.

Anvil Forecast Tool in the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Joe H., III; Hood, Doris

2009-01-01

Meteorologists from the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) and National Weather Service Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG) have identified anvil forecasting as one of their most challenging tasks when predicting the probability of violations of the Lightning Launch Commit Criteria and Space Shuttle Flight Rules. As a result, the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) was tasked to create a graphical overlay tool for the Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS) that indicates the threat of thunderstorm anvil clouds, using either observed or model forecast winds as input. The tool creates a graphic depicting the potential location of thunderstorm anvils one, two, and three hours into the future. The locations are based on the average of the upper level observed or forecasted winds. The graphic includes 10 and 20 n mi standoff circles centered at the location of interest, as well as one-, two-, and three-hour arcs in the upwind direction. The arcs extend outward across a 30 sector width based on a previous AMU study that determined thunderstorm anvils move in a direction plus or minus 15 of the upper-level wind direction. The AMU was then tasked to transition the tool to the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS). SMG later requested the tool be updated to provide more flexibility and quicker access to model data. This presentation describes the work performed by the AMU to transition the tool into AWIPS, as well as the subsequent improvements made to the tool.

Global simulations of aerosol processing in clouds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Hoose

2008-12-01

Full Text Available An explicit and detailed representation of in-droplet and in-crystal aerosol particles in stratiform clouds has been introduced in the global aerosol-climate model ECHAM5-HAM. The new scheme allows an evaluation of the cloud cycling of aerosols and an estimation of the relative contributions of nucleation and collision scavenging, as opposed to evaporation of hydrometeors in the global aerosol processing by clouds. On average an aerosol particle is cycled through stratiform clouds 0.5 times. The new scheme leads to important changes in the simulated fraction of aerosol scavenged in clouds, and consequently in the aerosol wet deposition. In general, less aerosol is scavenged into clouds with the new prognostic treatment than what is prescribed in standard ECHAM5-HAM. Aerosol concentrations, size distributions, scavenged fractions and cloud droplet concentrations are evaluated and compared to different observations. While the scavenged fraction and the aerosol number concentrations in the marine boundary layer are well represented in the new model, aerosol optical thickness, cloud droplet number concentrations in the marine boundary layer and the aerosol volume in the accumulation and coarse modes over the oceans are overestimated. Sensitivity studies suggest that a better representation of below-cloud scavenging, higher in-cloud collision coefficients, or a reduced water uptake by seasalt aerosols could reduce these biases.

Estimating seasonal variations in cloud droplet number concentration over the boreal forest from satellite observations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janssen, R.; Ganzeveld, L.N.; Kabat, P.; Kulmala, M.; Nieminen, T.; Roebeling, R.A.

2011-01-01

Seasonal variations in cloud droplet number concentration (NCD) in low-level stratiform clouds over the boreal forest are estimated from MODIS observations of cloud optical and microphysical properties, using a sub-adiabatic cloud model to interpret vertical profiles of cloud properties. An

The Next-Generation Goddard Convective-Stratiform Heating Algorithm: Addressing Higher Latitude, Cold Season, and Synoptic Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, D.; Tao, W. K.; Lang, S. E.

2016-12-01

The Goddard Convective-Stratiform Heating (or CSH) algorithm is used to retrieve estimates of cloud heating over the global Tropics using TRMM rainfall data and a set of look-up-tables (LUTs) derived from a series of multi-week cloud-resolving model (CRM) simulations using the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model (or GCE). These simulations link satellite observables (i.e., surface rainfall and stratiform fraction) with cloud heating profiles, which are not directly observable. The current CSH LUTs are differentiated with respect to surface rainfall characteristics, which is effective for tropical and continental summertime environments. However, with the launch of GPM in 2014, the range over which such algorithms can be applied has been extended from the Tropics and mid-latitudes to higher latitudes, including cold season and synoptic weather systems. Accordingly, the CSH algorithm and LUTs need to be updated for higher latitude events. In this study, NU-WRF was employed at 1 km to simulate winter systems in the US. A, new methodology has been adopted to construct LUTs utilizing satellite-observable 3D intensity fields, such as radar reflectivity. The new methodology/LUTs can be then applied to simulated radar fields to derive cloud heating for comparison against the model simulated heating. The model heating is treated as the `truth' as it is self-consistent with the simulated radar fields. This `consistency check' approach is a common well-established first step in algorithm development (e.g., the earlier CSH). The LUTs will be improved by iterating the consistency checks to quantitatively evaluate the similarities between the retrieved and simulated heating. The evaluations will be performed for different weather events, including northeast winter storms and atmospheric rivers.

Manifestation of Aerosol Indirect Effects in Arctic Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Lubin, D.; Vogelmann, A. M.

2009-12-01

The first aerosol indirect effect has traditionally been conceived as an enhancement of shortwave cloud reflectance in response to decreased effective droplet size at fixed liquid water path, as cloud nucleating aerosol becomes entrained in the cloud. The high Arctic, with its pervasive low-level stratiform cloud cover and frequent episodes of anthropogenic aerosol (Artic "haze"), has in recent years served as a natural laboratory for research on actual manifestations of aerosol indirect effects. This paper will review the surprising set of developments: (1) the detection of the indirect effect as a source of surface warming, rather than cooling, throughout early spring, (2) a transition to a cooling effect in late spring, corresponding to the beginning of the sea ice melt season, and (3) detection of an indirect effect during summer, outside of the "Arctic haze" season. This paper will also discuss measurements of spectral shortwave irradiance (350-2200 nm) made at Barrow, Alaska, during the U.S. Department of Energy's Indirect and Semi-Direct Aerosol Campaign (ISDAC), which reveal complications in our conception of the indirect effect related to the ice phase in Arctic stratiform clouds.

Prediction of cloud droplet number in a general circulation model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghan, S.J.; Leung, L.R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

1996-04-01

We have applied the Colorado State University Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) bulk cloud microphysics parameterization to the treatment of stratiform clouds in the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate Model (CCM2). The RAMS predicts mass concentrations of cloud water, cloud ice, rain and snow, and number concnetration of ice. We have introduced the droplet number conservation equation to predict droplet number and it`s dependence on aerosols.

i-anvils : in situ measurements of pressure, temperature and conductivity in diamond anvil cells

Science.gov (United States)

Munsch, P.; Bureau, H.; Kubsky, S.; Meijer, J.; Datchi, F.; Ninet, S.; Estève, I.

2011-12-01

The precise determination of the pressure and temperature conditions during diamond anvils cells (DAC) experiments is of primary importance. Such determinations are critical more especially for the fields corresponding to "low pressures" (micro-structures are implanted in the diamond anvil lattice a few micrometers below the surface, the sensors are located a few μm below the center of the diamond culet (sample chamber position). When conductive electrodes are implanted at the position of the sample chamber on the culet of the anvil, instead of P,T sensors, they allow in situ measurements of electrical properties of the loaded sample at high P,T conditions in a DAC. The principle consists of applying an electrical potential across the structures through external contacts placed on the slopes of the anvil. The resistivity of these structures is sensitive to pressure and temperature applied in the sample chamber. The electrical transport properties of the sample can be measured the same way when electrodes have been implanted on the culet. Here we will present our last progresses, more especially using the focus ion beam (FIB) technology to perform contacts and electrodes. Progresses about the i-anvils connexions with the electronic devices will also be shown. We will present the last P and T sensors calibrations. Furnaces are also introduced through Boron implantation into the anvils, allowing the possibility to reach intermediate temperatures between externally heated DAC (up to 1100°C) and laser heated DAC (from 1500°C to a few thousands). Preliminary tests and the interest of such devices will be discussed at the meeting. A new diamond anvil cell has been especially designed for this purpose. This DAC allows in situ spectroscopies and X-Ray characterisation of geological fluids in their equilibrium conditions in the crust and in the upper mantle. Preliminary results will be presented.

Using a second-order turbulence radiative-convective model to study the cloud/radiation interaction with the FIRE data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kao, C.Y.J.

1992-01-01

It is well recognized that extended sheets of low-level stratus and stratocumulus clouds are a persistent feature over the eastern parts of the major ocean basins associated with the quasipermanent subtropical high-pressure systems. These clouds exert a strong influence on climate through their high albedo, compared with the underlying surface, and their low altitude. The former leads to a reduction of the net incoming shortwave flux into the atmosphere and the latter leads to an infrared loss in a way essentially the same as the cloud-free conditions. Randall et al.[1984] estimated that an increase of a few percent of global low-level stratiform clouds may offset the warming caused by a doubling of the atmos-pheric CO 2 . The Atmospheric Radiation Measure-ment (ARM) Program, sponsored by the US Department of Energy, is envisioning a locale in the Eastern North Pacific for extensive measure-ments of stratiform boundary-layer clouds and their interaction with atmospheric radiation. Thus, a physically-based parameterization sheme for marine low-level stratiform clouds can be developed for general circulation models (GCMs). This paper is a modeling study with the current understanding of the important physical processes associated with a cloud-capped boundary layer. The numerical model is a high-resolution one-dimensional version of the second-order turbulence convective/radiative model developed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory

Evaluation of a stratiform cloud parameterization for general circulation models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghan, S.J.; Leung, L.R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States); McCaa, J. [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)

1996-04-01

To evaluate the relative importance of horizontal advection of cloud versus cloud formation within the grid cell of a single column model (SCM), we have performed a series of simulations with our SCM driven by a fixed vertical velocity and various rates of horizontal advection.

Convective and Stratiform Precipitation Processes and their Relationship to Latent Heating

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Wei-Kuo; Lang, Steve; Zeng, Xiping; Shige, Shoichi; Takayabu, Yukari

2009-01-01

The global hydrological cycle is central to the Earth's climate system, with rainfall and the physics of its formation acting as the key links in the cycle. Two-thirds of global rainfall occurs in the Tropics. Associated with this rainfall is a vast amount of heat, which is known as latent heat. It arises mainly due to the phase change of water vapor condensing into liquid droplets; three-fourths of the total heat energy available to the Earth's atmosphere comes from tropical rainfall. In addition, fresh water provided by tropical rainfall and its variability exerts a large impact upon the structure and motions of the upper ocean layer. An improved convective -stratiform heating (CSH) algorithm has been developed to obtain the 3D structure of cloud heating over the Tropics based on two sources of information: 1) rainfall information, namely its amount and the fraction due to light rain intensity, observed directly from the Precipitation Radar (PR) on board the TRMM satellite and 2) synthetic cloud physics information obtained from cloud-resolving model (CRM) simulations of cloud systems. The cloud simulations provide details on cloud processes, specifically latent heating, eddy heat flux convergence and radiative heating/cooling, that. are not directly observable by satellite. The new CSH algorithm-derived heating has a noticeably different heating structure over both ocean and land regions compared to the previous CSH algorithm. One of the major differences between new and old algorithms is that the level of maximum cloud heating occurs 1 to 1.5 km lower in the atmosphere in the new algorithm. This can effect the structure of the implied air currents associated with the general circulation of the atmosphere in the Tropics. The new CSH algorithm will be used provide retrieved heating data to other heating algorithms to supplement their performance.

21 CFR 882.4030 - Skull plate anvil.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Skull plate anvil. 882.4030 Section 882.4030 Food... DEVICES NEUROLOGICAL DEVICES Neurological Surgical Devices § 882.4030 Skull plate anvil. (a) Identification. A skull plate anvil is a device used to form alterable skull plates in the proper shape to fit...

VHF signal power suppression in stratiform and convective precipitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. J. McDonald

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have indicated that VHF clear-air radar return strengths are reduced during periods of precipitation. This study aims to examine whether the type of precipitation, stratiform and convective precipitation types are identified, has any impact on the relationships previously observed and to examine the possible mechanisms which produce this phenomenon. This study uses a combination of UHF and VHF wind-profiler data to define periods associated with stratiform and convective precipitation. This identification is achieved using an algorithm which examines the range squared corrected signal to noise ratio of the UHF returns for a bright band signature for stratiform precipitation. Regions associated with convective rainfall have been defined by identifying regions of enhanced range corrected signal to noise ratio that do not display a bright band structure and that are relatively uniform until a region above the melting layer. This study uses a total of 68 days, which incorporated significant periods of surface rainfall, between 31 August 2000 and 28 February 2002 inclusive from Aberystwyth (52.4° N, 4.1° W. Examination suggests that both precipitation types produce similar magnitude reductions in VHF signal power on average. However, the frequency of occurrence of statistically significant reductions in VHF signal power are very different. In the altitude range 2-4 km stratiform precipitation is related to VHF signal suppression approximately 50% of the time while in convective precipitation suppression is observed only 27% of the time. This statistical result suggests that evaporation, which occurs more often in stratiform precipitation, is important in reducing the small-scale irregularities in humidity and thereby the radio refractive index. A detailed case study presented also suggests that evaporation reducing small-scale irregularities in humidity may contribute to the observed VHF signal suppression.

VHF signal power suppression in stratiform and convective precipitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. J. McDonald

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have indicated that VHF clear-air radar return strengths are reduced during periods of precipitation. This study aims to examine whether the type of precipitation, stratiform and convective precipitation types are identified, has any impact on the relationships previously observed and to examine the possible mechanisms which produce this phenomenon. This study uses a combination of UHF and VHF wind-profiler data to define periods associated with stratiform and convective precipitation. This identification is achieved using an algorithm which examines the range squared corrected signal to noise ratio of the UHF returns for a bright band signature for stratiform precipitation. Regions associated with convective rainfall have been defined by identifying regions of enhanced range corrected signal to noise ratio that do not display a bright band structure and that are relatively uniform until a region above the melting layer.

This study uses a total of 68 days, which incorporated significant periods of surface rainfall, between 31 August 2000 and 28 February 2002 inclusive from Aberystwyth (52.4° N, 4.1° W. Examination suggests that both precipitation types produce similar magnitude reductions in VHF signal power on average. However, the frequency of occurrence of statistically significant reductions in VHF signal power are very different. In the altitude range 2-4 km stratiform precipitation is related to VHF signal suppression approximately 50% of the time while in convective precipitation suppression is observed only 27% of the time. This statistical result suggests that evaporation, which occurs more often in stratiform precipitation, is important in reducing the small-scale irregularities in humidity and thereby the radio refractive index. A detailed case study presented also suggests that evaporation reducing small-scale irregularities in humidity may contribute to the observed VHF signal

Covariability in the Monthly Mean Convective and Radiative Diurnal Cycles in the Amazon

Science.gov (United States)

Dodson, Jason B.; Taylor, Patrick C.

2015-01-01

The diurnal cycle of convective clouds greatly influences the radiative energy balance in convectively active regions of Earth, through both direct presence, and the production of anvil and stratiform clouds. Previous studies show that the frequency and properties of convective clouds can vary on monthly timescales as a result of variability in the monthly mean atmospheric state. Furthermore, the radiative budget in convectively active regions also varies by up to 7 Wm-2 in convectively active regions. These facts suggest that convective clouds connect atmospheric state variability and radiation variability beyond clear sky effects alone. Previous research has identified monthly covariability between the diurnal cycle of CERES-observed top-of-atmosphere radiative fluxes and multiple atmospheric state variables from reanalysis over the Amazon region. ASVs that enhance (reduce) deep convection, such as CAPE (LTS), tend to shift the daily OLR and cloud albedo maxima earlier (later) in the day by 2-3 hr. We first test the analysis method using multiple reanalysis products for both the dry and wet seasons to further investigate the robustness of the preliminary results. We then use CloudSat data as an independent cloud observing system to further evaluate the relationships of cloud properties to variability in radiation and atmospheric states. While CERES can decompose OLR variability into clear sky and cloud effects, it cannot determine what variability in cloud properties lead to variability in the radiative cloud effects. Cloud frequency, cloud top height, and cloud microphysics all contribute to the cloud radiative effect, all of which are observable by CloudSat. In addition, CloudSat can also observe the presence and variability of deep convective cores responsible for the production of anvil clouds. We use these capabilities to determine the covariability of convective cloud properties and the radiative diurnal cycle.

Uncertainty in stratiform cloud optical thickness inferred from pyranometer measurements at the sea surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Rozwadowska

2004-06-01

Full Text Available The relative "plane-parallel" error in a mean cloud optical thickness retrieved from ground-based pyranometer measurements is estimated. The plane-parallel error is defined as the bias introduced by the assumption in the radiative transfer model used in cloud optical thickness retrievals that the atmosphere, including clouds, is horizontally homogeneous on the scale of an individual retrieval. The error is estimated for the optical thickness averaged over the whole domain, which simulates the mean cloud optical thickness obtained from a time series of irradiance measurements. The study is based on 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer simulations for non-absorbing, all-liquid, layer clouds. Liquid water path distributions in the clouds are simulated by a bounded cascade fractal model. The sensitivity of the error is studied with respect to the following factors: averaging time of irradiance used in an individual retrieval, mean cloud optical thickness, cloud variability, cloud base height and solar zenith angle. In the simulations presented in this paper, the relative bias in the domain averaged cloud optical thickness retrieved from pyranometer measurements varies from +1% for optically thin clouds to nearly -20%. The highest absolute value of the relative bias is expected for thick and variable clouds with high bases (e.g. 1 km and retrievals based on long-term mean irradiances (averaging time of the order of several tens of minutes or hours. The bias can be diminished by using short-term irradiance averages, e.g. of one minute, and by limiting retrievals to low-level clouds.

Type-Dependent Responses of Ice Cloud Properties to Aerosols From Satellite Retrievals

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Bin; Gu, Yu; Liou, Kuo-Nan; Wang, Yuan; Liu, Xiaohong; Huang, Lei; Jiang, Jonathan H.; Su, Hui

2018-04-01

Aerosol-cloud interactions represent one of the largest uncertainties in external forcings on our climate system. Compared with liquid clouds, the observational evidence for the aerosol impact on ice clouds is much more limited and shows conflicting results, partly because the distinct features of different ice cloud and aerosol types were seldom considered. Using 9-year satellite retrievals, we find that, for convection-generated (anvil) ice clouds, cloud optical thickness, cloud thickness, and cloud fraction increase with small-to-moderate aerosol loadings (types provide valuable constraints on the modeling assessment of aerosol-ice cloud radiative forcing.

Homogenizing Surface and Satellite Observations of Cloud. Aspects of Bias in Surface Data.

Science.gov (United States)

1987-11-10

both ( pannus ), usually below fractus of bad weather, or both ( pannus ), usu- Altostratus or Nimbostratus ally below Altostratus or Nimbostratus 8 Cumulus...Stratocumulus, Stratus of an anvil; either accompanied or not by Cu- or pannus mulonimbus without anvil or fibrous upper part, by Cumulus, Stratocumulus...Stratus or pannus CL clouds invisible owing to darkness, fog, / Stratocumulus, Stratus, Cumulus and Cu- blowing dust or sand, or other similar mulonimbus

Upper tropospheric cloud systems determined from IR Sounders and their influence on the atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Stubenrauch, Claudia; Protopapadaki, Sofia; Feofilov, Artem; Velasco, Carola Barrientos

2017-02-01

Covering about 30% of the Earth, upper tropospheric clouds play a key role in the climate system by modulating the Earth's energy budget and heat transport. Infrared Sounders reliably identify cirrus down to an IR optical depth of 0.1. Recently LMD has built global cloud climate data records from AIRS and IASI observations, covering the periods from 2003-2015 and 2008-2015, respectively. Upper tropospheric clouds often form mesoscale systems. Their organization and properties are being studied by (1) distinguishing cloud regimes within 2° × 2° regions and (2) applying a spatial composite technique on adjacent cloud pressures, which estimates the horizontal extent of the mesoscale cloud systems. Convective core, cirrus anvil and thin cirrus of these systems are then distinguished by their emissivity. Compared to other studies of tropical mesoscale convective systems our data include also the thinner anvil parts, which make out about 30% of the area of tropical mesoscale convective systems. Once the horizontal and vertical structure of these upper tropospheric cloud systems is known, we can estimate their radiative effects in terms of top of atmosphere and surface radiative fluxes and by computing their heating rates.

Laboratory, Computational and Theoretical Investigations of Ice Nucleation and its Implications for Mixed Phase Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Fan

Ice particles in atmospheric clouds play an important role in determining cloud lifetime, precipitation and radiation. It is therefore important to understand the whole life cycle of ice particles in the atmosphere, e.g., where they come from (nucleation), how they evolve (growth), and where they go (precipitation). Ice nucleation is the crucial step for ice formation, and in this study, we will mainly focus on ice nucleation in the lab and its effect on mixed-phase stratiform clouds. In the first half of this study, we investigate the relevance of moving contact lines (i.e., the region where three or more phases meet) on the phenomenon of contact nucleation. High speed video is used to investigate heterogeneous ice nucleation in supercooled droplets resting on cold substrates under two different dynamic conditions: droplet electrowetting and droplet vibration. The results show that contact-line motion is not a sufficient condition to trigger ice nucleation, while locally curved contact lines that can result from contact-line motion are strongly related to ice nucleation. We propose that pressure perturbations due to locally curved contact lines can strongly enhance the ice nucleation rate, which gives another interpretation for the mechanism for contact nucleation. Corresponding theoretical results provide a quantitative connection between pressure perturbations and temperature, providing a useful tool for ice nucleation calculations in atmospheric models. In this second half of the study, we build a minimalist model for long lifetime mixed-phase stratiform clouds based on stochastic ice nucleation. Our result shows that there is a non-linear relationship between ice water contact and ice number concentration in the mixed-phase cloud, as long as the volume ice nucleation rate is constant. This statistical property may help identify the source of ice nuclei in mixed-phase clouds. In addition, results from Lagrangian ice particle tracking in time dependent fields

Drop Size Distribution - Based Separation of Stratiform and Convective Rain

Science.gov (United States)

Thurai, Merhala; Gatlin, Patrick; Williams, Christopher

2014-01-01

For applications in hydrology and meteorology, it is often desirable to separate regions of stratiform and convective rain from meteorological radar observations, both from ground-based polarimetric radars and from space-based dual frequency radars. In a previous study by Bringi et al. (2009), dual frequency profiler and dual polarization radar (C-POL) observations in Darwin, Australia, had shown that stratiform and convective rain could be separated in the log10(Nw) versus Do domain, where Do is the mean volume diameter and Nw is the scaling parameter which is proportional to the ratio of water content to the mass weighted mean diameter. Note, Nw and Do are two of the main drop size distribution (DSD) parameters. In a later study, Thurai et al (2010) confirmed that both the dual-frequency profiler based stratiform-convective rain separation and the C-POL radar based separation were consistent with each other. In this paper, we test this separation method using DSD measurements from a ground based 2D video disdrometer (2DVD), along with simultaneous observations from a collocated, vertically-pointing, X-band profiling radar (XPR). The measurements were made in Huntsville, Alabama. One-minute DSDs from 2DVD are used as input to an appropriate gamma fitting procedure to determine Nw and Do. The fitted parameters - after averaging over 3-minutes - are plotted against each other and compared with a predefined separation line. An index is used to determine how far the points lie from the separation line (as described in Thurai et al. 2010). Negative index values indicate stratiform rain and positive index indicate convective rain, and, moreover, points which lie somewhat close to the separation line are considered 'mixed' or 'transition' type precipitation. The XPR observations are used to evaluate/test the 2DVD data-based classification. A 'bright-band' detection algorithm was used to classify each vertical reflectivity profile as either stratiform or convective

The Explicit-Cloud Parameterized-Pollutant hybrid approach for aerosol-cloud interactions in multiscale modeling framework models: tracer transport results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jr, William I Gustafson; Berg, Larry K; Easter, Richard C; Ghan, Steven J

2008-01-01

All estimates of aerosol indirect effects on the global energy balance have either completely neglected the influence of aerosol on convective clouds or treated the influence in a highly parameterized manner. Embedding cloud-resolving models (CRMs) within each grid cell of a global model provides a multiscale modeling framework for treating both the influence of aerosols on convective as well as stratiform clouds and the influence of clouds on the aerosol, but treating the interactions explicitly by simulating all aerosol processes in the CRM is computationally prohibitive. An alternate approach is to use horizontal statistics (e.g., cloud mass flux, cloud fraction, and precipitation) from the CRM simulation to drive a single-column parameterization of cloud effects on the aerosol and then use the aerosol profile to simulate aerosol effects on clouds within the CRM. Here, we present results from the first component of the Explicit-Cloud Parameterized-Pollutant parameterization to be developed, which handles vertical transport of tracers by clouds. A CRM with explicit tracer transport serves as a benchmark. We show that this parameterization, driven by the CRM's cloud mass fluxes, reproduces the CRM tracer transport significantly better than a single-column model that uses a conventional convective cloud parameterization

The Explicit-Cloud Parameterized-Pollutant hybrid approach for aerosol-cloud interactions in multiscale modeling framework models: tracer transport results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jr, William I Gustafson; Berg, Larry K; Easter, Richard C; Ghan, Steven J [Atmospheric Science and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, MSIN K9-30, Richland, WA (United States)], E-mail: William.Gustafson@pnl.gov

2008-04-15

All estimates of aerosol indirect effects on the global energy balance have either completely neglected the influence of aerosol on convective clouds or treated the influence in a highly parameterized manner. Embedding cloud-resolving models (CRMs) within each grid cell of a global model provides a multiscale modeling framework for treating both the influence of aerosols on convective as well as stratiform clouds and the influence of clouds on the aerosol, but treating the interactions explicitly by simulating all aerosol processes in the CRM is computationally prohibitive. An alternate approach is to use horizontal statistics (e.g., cloud mass flux, cloud fraction, and precipitation) from the CRM simulation to drive a single-column parameterization of cloud effects on the aerosol and then use the aerosol profile to simulate aerosol effects on clouds within the CRM. Here, we present results from the first component of the Explicit-Cloud Parameterized-Pollutant parameterization to be developed, which handles vertical transport of tracers by clouds. A CRM with explicit tracer transport serves as a benchmark. We show that this parameterization, driven by the CRM's cloud mass fluxes, reproduces the CRM tracer transport significantly better than a single-column model that uses a conventional convective cloud parameterization.

Using the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Datasets to Evaluate Climate Models in Simulating Diurnal and Seasonal Variations of Tropical Clouds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hailong [Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington; Burleyson, Casey D. [Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington; Ma, Po-Lun [Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington; Fast, Jerome D. [Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington; Rasch, Philip J. [Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington

2018-04-01

We use the long-term Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) datasets collected at the three Tropical Western Pacific (TWP) sites as a tropical testbed to evaluate the ability of the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM5) to simulate the various types of clouds, their seasonal and diurnal variations, and their impact on surface radiation. We conducted a series of CAM5 simulations at various horizontal grid spacing (around 2°, 1°, 0.5°, and 0.25°) with meteorological constraints from reanalysis. Model biases in the seasonal cycle of cloudiness are found to be weakly dependent on model resolution. Positive biases (up to 20%) in the annual mean total cloud fraction appear mostly in stratiform ice clouds. Higher-resolution simulations do reduce the positive bias in the frequency of ice clouds, but they inadvertently increase the negative biases in convective clouds and low-level liquid clouds, leading to a positive bias in annual mean shortwave fluxes at the sites, as high as 65 W m-2 in the 0.25° simulation. Such resolution-dependent biases in clouds can adversely lead to biases in ambient thermodynamic properties and, in turn, feedback on clouds. Both the CAM5 model and ARM observations show distinct diurnal cycles in total, stratiform and convective cloud fractions; however, they are out-of-phase by 12 hours and the biases vary by site. Our results suggest that biases in deep convection affect the vertical distribution and diurnal cycle of stratiform clouds through the transport of vapor and/or the detrainment of liquid and ice. We also found that the modelled gridmean surface longwave fluxes are systematically larger than site measurements when the grid that the ARM sites reside in is partially covered by ocean. The modeled longwave fluxes at such sites also lack a discernable diurnal cycle because the ocean part of the grid is warmer and less sensitive to radiative heating/cooling compared to land. Higher spatial resolution is more helpful is this regard. Our

Large-volume static compression using nano-polycrystalline diamond for opposed anvils in compact cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okuchi, T; Sasaki, S; Ohno, Y; Osakabe, T; Odake, S; Kagi, H

2010-01-01

In order to extend the pressure regime of intrinsically low-sensitivity methods of measurement, such as neutron scattering and NMR, sample volume to be compressed in compact opposed-anvil cells is desired to be significantly increased. We hereby conducted a series of experiments using two types of compact cells equipped with enforced loading mechanisms. Super-hard nano-polycrystalline diamond (NPD) anvils were carefully prepared for large-volume compression in these cells. These anvils are harder, larger and stronger than single crystal diamond anvils, so that they could play an ideal role to accept the larger forces. Supported and unsupported anvil geometries were separately tested to evaluate this expectation. In spite of insufficient support to the anvils, pressures to 14 GPa were generated for the sample volume of > 0.1 mm 3 , without damaging the NPD anvils. These results demonstrate a large future potential of compact cells equipped with NPD anvils and enforced loading mechanism.

Isotopically Enriched C-13 Diamond Anvil as a Stress Sensor in High Pressure Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Vohra, Yogesh; Qiu, Wei; Kondratyev, Andreiy; Velisavljevic, Nenad; Baker, Paul

2004-03-01

The conventional high pressure diamond anvils were modified by growing an isotopically pure C-13 diamond layer by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition using methane/hydrogen/oxygen chemistry. The isotopically pure C-13 nature of the culet of the diamond anvil was confirmed by the Raman spectroscopy measurements. This isotopically engineered diamond anvil was used against a natural abundance diamond anvil for high pressure experiments in a diamond anvil cell. Spatial resolved Raman spectroscopy was used to measure the stress induced shift in the C-13 layer as well as the undelying C-12 layer to ultra high pressures. The observed shift and splitiing of the diamond first order Raman spectrum was correlated with the stress distribution in the diamond anvil cell. The experimental results will be compared with the finite element modeling results using NIKE-2D software in order to create a mathematical relationship between sets of the following parameters: vertical (z axis) distance; horizontal (r axis) distance; max shear stress, and pressure. The isotopically enriched diamond anvils offer unique opportunities to measure stress distribution in the diamond anvil cell devices.

RACORO Continental Boundary Layer Cloud Investigations: 3. Separation of Parameterization Biases in Single-Column Model CAM5 Simulations of Shallow Cumulus

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Wuyin; Liu, Yangang; Vogelmann, Andrew M.; Fridlind, Ann; Endo, Satoshi; Song, Hua; Feng, Sha; Toto, Tami; Li, Zhijin; Zhang, Minghua

2015-01-01

Climatically important low-level clouds are commonly misrepresented in climate models. The FAst-physics System TEstbed and Research (FASTER) Project has constructed case studies from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility's Southern Great Plain site during the RACORO aircraft campaign to facilitate research on model representation of boundary-layer clouds. This paper focuses on using the single-column Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (SCAM5) simulations of a multi-day continental shallow cumulus case to identify specific parameterization causes of low-cloud biases. Consistent model biases among the simulations driven by a set of alternative forcings suggest that uncertainty in the forcing plays only a relatively minor role. In-depth analysis reveals that the model's shallow cumulus convection scheme tends to significantly under-produce clouds during the times when shallow cumuli exist in the observations, while the deep convective and stratiform cloud schemes significantly over-produce low-level clouds throughout the day. The links between model biases and the underlying assumptions of the shallow cumulus scheme are further diagnosed with the aid of large-eddy simulations and aircraft measurements, and by suppressing the triggering of the deep convection scheme. It is found that the weak boundary layer turbulence simulated is directly responsible for the weak cumulus activity and the simulated boundary layer stratiform clouds. Increased vertical and temporal resolutions are shown to lead to stronger boundary layer turbulence and reduction of low-cloud biases.

Prognostic cloud water in the Los Alamos general circulation model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kristjansson, J.E.; Kao, C.Y.J.

1993-01-01

Most of today's general circulation models (GCMS) have a greatly simplified treatment of condensation and clouds. Recent observational studies of the earth's radiation budget have suggested cloud-related feedback mechanisms to be of tremendous importance for the issue of global change. Thus, there has arisen an urgent need for improvements in the treatment of clouds in GCMS, especially as the clouds relate to radiation. In the present paper, we investigate the effects of introducing pregnostic cloud water into the Los Alamos GCM. The cloud water field, produced by both stratiform and convective condensation, is subject to 3-dimensional advection and vertical diffusion. The cloud water enters the radiation calculations through the long wave emissivity calculations. Results from several sensitivity simulations show that realistic cloud water and precipitation fields can be obtained with the applied method. Comparisons with observations show that the most realistic results are obtained when more sophisticated schemes for moist convection are introduced at the same time. The model's cold bias is reduced and the zonal winds become stronger, due to more realistic tropical convection

A CloudSat-CALIPSO View of Cloud and Precipitation Properties Across Cold Fronts over the Global Oceans

Science.gov (United States)

Naud, Catherine M.; Posselt, Derek J.; van den Heever, Susan C.

2015-01-01

The distribution of cloud and precipitation properties across oceanic extratropical cyclone cold fronts is examined using four years of combined CloudSat radar and CALIPSO lidar retrievals. The global annual mean cloud and precipitation distributions show that low-level clouds are ubiquitous in the post frontal zone while higher-level cloud frequency and precipitation peak in the warm sector along the surface front. Increases in temperature and moisture within the cold front region are associated with larger high-level but lower mid-/low level cloud frequencies and precipitation decreases in the cold sector. This behavior seems to be related to a shift from stratiform to convective clouds and precipitation. Stronger ascent in the warm conveyor belt tends to enhance cloudiness and precipitation across the cold front. A strong temperature contrast between the warm and cold sectors also encourages greater post-cold-frontal cloud occurrence. While the seasonal contrasts in environmental temperature, moisture, and ascent strength are enough to explain most of the variations in cloud and precipitation across cold fronts in both hemispheres, they do not fully explain the differences between Northern and Southern Hemisphere cold fronts. These differences are better explained when the impact of the contrast in temperature across the cold front is also considered. In addition, these large-scale parameters do not explain the relatively large frequency in springtime post frontal precipitation.

The Anvils as Pressure Calibrants in the Hydrothermal Diamond Anvil Cell

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, M. K.; Panero, W. R.; Stixrude, L. P.

2003-12-01

Throughout the crust and the upper part of the mantle, water is an important agent of heat and mass transport in processes ranging from metasomatism to magma generation in arc environments. One of the important properties of water in this regime: its ability to dissolve significant amounts of solids, presents a substantial challenge to the experimental study of water-rich systems. Many commonly used pressure standards, such as quartz and ruby, dissolve in water under the conditions accessible to the hydrothermal diamond anvil cell (up to 1200 K and 5 GPa). For this reason, it is important to develop alternative pressure calibrants. Two methods have been developed by other groups for pressure calibration in the HDAC in the presence of water. One method relies on the equation of state of the ambient fluid and the observation that the sample chamber remains approximately isochoric on heating. Disadvantages of this method include our imperfect knowledge of the equation of state of water over the relevant pressure-temperature interval, possible changes in fluid composition, and sample chamber assembly relaxation at temperatures above 800 K. The second method is based on the Raman signal from diamond chips loaded with the sample. Synthetic 13C diamond is used to avoid overlap with the much stronger signal from the anvils. Diamond is an ideal pressure sensor since it is chemically inert and unaffected by water. Therefore, we use the tips of the diamond anvils as "internal" sensors. The primary disadvantage of this method is that the stress distribution inside the anvils is non-hydrostatic and inhomogeneous, although the normal stress across the diamond-sample interface must be continuous. Using confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy we are able to characterize both the inhomogeneity and the non-hydrostaticity of the diamond stress field by combining axial and radial transects with peak shapes. We find that on room temperature loading there is substantial inhomogeneity in the

Prognostic cloud water in the Los Alamos general circulation model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kristjansson, J.E.; Kao, C.Y.J.

1994-01-01

Most of today's general circulation models (GCMs) have a greatly simplified treatment of condensation and clouds. Recent observational studies of the earth's radiation budget have suggested cloud-related feedback mechanisms to be of tremendous importance for the issue of global change. Thus, an urgent need for improvements in the treatment of clouds in GCMs has arisen, especially as the clouds relate to radiation. In this paper, we investigate the effects of introducing prognostic cloud water into the Los Alamos GCM. The cloud water field, produced by both stratiform and convective condensation, is subject to 3-dimensional advection and vertical diffusion. The cloud water enters the radiation calculations through the longwave emissivity calculations. Results from several sensitivity simulations show that realistic water and precipitation fields can be obtained with the applied method. Comparisons with observations show that the most realistic results are obtained when more sophisticated schemes for moist convection are introduced at the same time. The model's cold bias is reduced and the zonal winds becomes stronger because of more realistic tropical convection

Prognostic parameterization of cloud ice with a single category in the aerosol-climate model ECHAM(v6.3.0)-HAM(v2.3)

Science.gov (United States)

Dietlicher, Remo; Neubauer, David; Lohmann, Ulrike

2018-04-01

A new scheme for stratiform cloud microphysics has been implemented in the ECHAM6-HAM2 general circulation model. It features a widely used description of cloud water with two categories for cloud droplets and raindrops. The unique aspect of the new scheme is the break with the traditional approach to describe cloud ice analogously. Here we parameterize cloud ice by a single category that predicts bulk particle properties (P3). This method has already been applied in a regional model and most recently also in the Community Atmosphere Model 5 (CAM5). A single cloud ice category does not rely on heuristic conversion rates from one category to another. Therefore, it is conceptually easier and closer to first principles. This work shows that a single category is a viable approach to describe cloud ice in climate models. Prognostic representation of sedimentation is achieved by a nested approach for sub-stepping the cloud microphysics scheme. This yields good results in terms of accuracy and performance as compared to simulations with high temporal resolution. Furthermore, the new scheme allows for a competition between various cloud processes and is thus able to unbiasedly represent the ice formation pathway from nucleation to growth by vapor deposition and collisions to sedimentation. Specific aspects of the P3 method are evaluated. We could not produce a purely stratiform cloud where rime growth dominates growth by vapor deposition and conclude that the lack of appropriate conditions renders the prognostic parameters associated with the rime properties unnecessary. Limitations inherent in a single category are examined.

Seasonal and Intraseasonal Variability of Mesoscale Convective Systems over the South Asian Monsoon Region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Virts, Katrina S.; Houze, Robert A.

2016-12-01

Seasonal and intraseasonal differences in mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) over South Asia are examined using A-Train satellites, a ground-based lightning network, and reanalysis fields. Pre-monsoon (April-May) MCSs occur primarily over Bangladesh and the eastern Bay of Bengal. During the monsoon (June-September), small MCSs occur over the Meghalaya Plateau and northeast Himalayan notch, while large and connected MCSs are most widespread over the Bay of Bengal. Monsoon MCSs produce less lightning and exhibit more extensive stratiform and anvil reflectivity structures in CloudSat observations than do pre-monsoon MCSs. During the monsoon season, Bay of Bengal and Meghalaya Plateau MCSs vary with the 30-60 day northward-propagating intraseasonal oscillation, while northeast Himalayan notch MCSs are associated with weak large-scale anomalies but locally enhanced CAPE. During intraseasonal active periods, a zone of enhanced large and connected MCSs, precipitation, and lightning extends from the northeastern Arabian Sea southeast over India and the Bay of Bengal, flanked by suppressed anomalies. Spatial variability is observed within this enhancement zone: lightning is most enhanced where MCSs are less enhanced, and vice versa. Reanalysis composites indicate that Bay of Bengal MCSs are associated with monsoon depressions, which are frequent during active monsoon periods, while Meghalaya Plateau MCSs are most frequent at the end of break periods, as anomalous southwesterly winds strengthen moist advection toward the terrain. Over both regions, MCSs exhibit more extensive stratiform and anvil regions and less lightning when the large-scale environment is moister, and vice versa.

An improved hydrothermal diamond anvil cell

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jiankang; Bassett, W. A.; Chou, I.-Ming; Ding, Xin; Li, Shenghu; Wang, Xinyan

2016-05-01

A new type of HDAC-V hydrothermal diamond anvil cell (HDAC-VT) has been designed to meet the demands of X-ray research including X-Ray Fluorescence, X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, and small angle X-ray scattering. The earlier version of HDAC-V that offered a large rectangular solid angle used two posts and two driver screws on both sides of a rectangular body. The new version HDAC-VT in a triangular shape has two alternative guide systems, either three posts inserted into bushings suitable for small anvil faces or linear ball bearings suitable for large anvil faces. The HDAC-VT having three driver screws offers the advantage of greater control and stability even though it sacrifices some of the size of solid angle. The greater control allows better sealing of samples, while greater stability results in longer survival for anvils and ceramic parts. This improved design retains several beneficial features of the original HDAC-V as well. These include the small collar that surrounds the heater and sample chamber forming an Ar + H2 gas chamber to protect diamonds and their heating parts from being oxidized. Three linear ball bearings, when used, fit to the three posts prevent seizing that can result from deterioration of lubricant at high temperatures. Positioning the posts and bearings outside of the gas chamber as in HDAC-V also prevents seizing and possible deformation due to overheating. In order to control the heating rate precisely with computer software, we use Linkam T95 and have replaced the Linkam 1400XY heating stage with the HDAC-VT allowing the HDAC to be heated to 950 °C at a rate from 0.01 °C/min to 50 °C/min. We have used the HDAC-VT and Linkam T95 to observe in situ nucleation and growth of zabuyelite in aqueous fluid and to homogenize melt inclusions in quartz from three porphyry deposits in Shanxi, China.

Diurnal phase of late-night against late-afternoon of stratiform and convective precipitation in summer southern contiguous China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Rucong [Chinese Academy of Sciences, LASG, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Beijing (China); China Meteorological Administration, LaSW, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing (China); Yuan, Weihua [Chinese Academy of Sciences, LASG, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Beijing (China); Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Li, Jian [China Meteorological Administration, LaSW, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing (China); Fu, Yunfei [Chinese Academy of Sciences, LASG, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Beijing (China); University of Science and Technology of China, Laboratory of Satellite Remote Sensing and Climate Environment, Hefei, Anhui (China)

2010-09-15

Using the tropical rainfall measuring mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR) observations combined with the surface rain gauge data during 1998-2006, the robust diurnal features of summer stratiform and convective precipitation over the southern contiguous China are revealed by exploring the diurnal variations of rain rate and precipitation profile. The precipitation over the southern contiguous China exhibits two distinguishing diurnal phases: late-night (2200-0600 LST) and late-afternoon (1400-2200 LST), dependent on the location, precipitation type and duration time. Generally, the maximum rain rate and the highest profile of stratiform precipitation occur in the late-afternoon (late-night) over the southeastern (southwestern) China, while most of the stratiform short-duration rain rate tends to present late-afternoon peaks over the southern China. For convective precipitation, the maximum rain rate and the highest profile occur in the late-afternoon over most of the southern contiguous China, while the convective long-duration rain rate exhibits late-night peaks over the southwestern China. Without regional dependence, the convective precipitation exhibits much larger amplitude of diurnal variations in both near surface rain rate and vertical extension compared with stratiform precipitation and the convective rain top rises most rapidly between noon and afternoon. However, there are two distinctive sub-regions. The diurnal phases of precipitation there are very weakly dependent on precipitation type and duration time. Over the eastern periphery of the Tibetan Plateau, the maximum rain rate and the highest profile of either convective or stratiform precipitation occur in the late-night. Over the southeastern coastal regions, both the near surface rain rate and rain top of convective and stratiform precipitation peak in the late-afternoon. (orig.)

Prospects of using synchrotron radiation facilities with diamond-anvil cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manghani, M.H.; Ming, L.C.; Jamieson, J.C.

1980-01-01

Diamond-anvil pressure cells have proven versatile and useful for conducting high pressure research in the submegabar range. The interfacing of diamond-anvil cell technology with synchrotron facilities seems a logical new step for carrying out in situ X-ray diffraction studies of materials under extreme conditions of combined high pressure and temperature. The conventional film method of X-ray diffraction has definite limitations which call for the energy dispersive analysis techniques. Various potential high pressure-temperature studies in geophysis and related fields involving the use of diamond-anvil cell, synchrotron facilities and energy dispersive techniques are exemplified. For geophysical studies the conditions prevailing in 86% of the Earth's volume are capable of being simulated completely in pressure, and partially in pressure and temperature, simultaneously. (orig.)

Simulating mixed-phase Arctic stratus clouds: sensitivity to ice initiation mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. McFarquhar

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The importance of Arctic mixed-phase clouds on radiation and the Arctic climate is well known. However, the development of mixed-phase cloud parameterization for use in large scale models is limited by lack of both related observations and numerical studies using multidimensional models with advanced microphysics that provide the basis for understanding the relative importance of different microphysical processes that take place in mixed-phase clouds. To improve the representation of mixed-phase cloud processes in the GISS GCM we use the GISS single-column model coupled to a bin resolved microphysics (BRM scheme that was specially designed to simulate mixed-phase clouds and aerosol-cloud interactions. Using this model with the microphysical measurements obtained from the DOE ARM Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment (MPACE campaign in October 2004 at the North Slope of Alaska, we investigate the effect of ice initiation processes and Bergeron-Findeisen process (BFP on glaciation time and longevity of single-layer stratiform mixed-phase clouds. We focus on observations taken during 9–10 October, which indicated the presence of a single-layer mixed-phase clouds. We performed several sets of 12-h simulations to examine model sensitivity to different ice initiation mechanisms and evaluate model output (hydrometeors' concentrations, contents, effective radii, precipitation fluxes, and radar reflectivity against measurements from the MPACE Intensive Observing Period. Overall, the model qualitatively simulates ice crystal concentration and hydrometeors content, but it fails to predict quantitatively the effective radii of ice particles and their vertical profiles. In particular, the ice effective radii are overestimated by at least 50%. However, using the same definition as used for observations, the effective radii simulated and that observed were more comparable. We find that for the single-layer stratiform mixed-phase clouds simulated, process

Simulating mixed-phase Arctic stratus clouds: sensitivity to ice initiation mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Sednev, I.; Menon, S.; McFarquhar, G.

2009-07-01

The importance of Arctic mixed-phase clouds on radiation and the Arctic climate is well known. However, the development of mixed-phase cloud parameterization for use in large scale models is limited by lack of both related observations and numerical studies using multidimensional models with advanced microphysics that provide the basis for understanding the relative importance of different microphysical processes that take place in mixed-phase clouds. To improve the representation of mixed-phase cloud processes in the GISS GCM we use the GISS single-column model coupled to a bin resolved microphysics (BRM) scheme that was specially designed to simulate mixed-phase clouds and aerosol-cloud interactions. Using this model with the microphysical measurements obtained from the DOE ARM Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment (MPACE) campaign in October 2004 at the North Slope of Alaska, we investigate the effect of ice initiation processes and Bergeron-Findeisen process (BFP) on glaciation time and longevity of single-layer stratiform mixed-phase clouds. We focus on observations taken during 9-10 October, which indicated the presence of a single-layer mixed-phase clouds. We performed several sets of 12-h simulations to examine model sensitivity to different ice initiation mechanisms and evaluate model output (hydrometeors' concentrations, contents, effective radii, precipitation fluxes, and radar reflectivity) against measurements from the MPACE Intensive Observing Period. Overall, the model qualitatively simulates ice crystal concentration and hydrometeors content, but it fails to predict quantitatively the effective radii of ice particles and their vertical profiles. In particular, the ice effective radii are overestimated by at least 50%. However, using the same definition as used for observations, the effective radii simulated and that observed were more comparable. We find that for the single-layer stratiform mixed-phase clouds simulated, process of ice phase initiation

Cloud, Aerosol, and Complex Terrain Interactions (CACTI) Preliminary Science Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Varble, Adam [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Nesbitt, Steve [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States); Salio, Paola [Univ. of Buenos Aires (Argentina); Zipser, Edward [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); van den Heever, Susan [Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States); McFarquhar, Greg [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States); Kollias, Pavlos [Stony Brook Univ., NY (United States); Kreidenweis, Sonia [Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States); DeMott, Paul [Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States); Jensen, Michael [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Houze, Jr., Robert [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Rasmussen, Kristen [Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States); Leung, Ruby [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Romps, David [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Gochis, David [National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States); Avila, Eldo [National Univ. of Cordoba (Argentina); Williams, Christopher [Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States)

2017-02-01

General circulation models and downscaled regional models exhibit persistent biases in deep convective initiation location and timing, cloud top height, stratiform area and precipitation fraction, and anvil coverage. Despite important impacts on the distribution of atmospheric heating, moistening, and momentum, nearly all climate models fail to represent convective organization, while system evolution is not represented at all. Improving representation of convective systems in models requires characterization of their predictability as a function of environmental conditions, and this characterization depends on observing many cases of convective initiation, non-initiation, organization, and non-organization. The Cloud, Aerosol, and Complex Terrain Interactions (CACTI) experiment in the Sierras de Córdoba mountain range of north-central Argentina is designed to improve understanding of cloud life cycle and organization in relation to environmental conditions so that cumulus, microphysics, and aerosol parameterizations in multi-scale models can be improved. The Sierras de Córdoba range has a high frequency of orographic boundary-layer clouds, many reaching congestus depths, many initiating into deep convection, and some organizing into mesoscale systems uniquely observable from a single fixed site. Some systems even grow upscale to become among the deepest, largest, and longest-lived in the world. These systems likely contribute to an observed regional trend of increasing extreme rainfall, and poor prediction of them likely contributes to a warm, dry bias in climate models downstream of the Sierras de Córdoba range in a key agricultural region. Many environmental factors influence the convective lifecycle in this region including orographic, low-level jet, and frontal circulations, surface fluxes, synoptic vertical motions influenced by the Andes, cloud detrainment, and aerosol properties. Local and long-range transport of smoke resulting from biomass burning as

Influences of in-cloud aerosol scavenging parameterizations on aerosol concentrations and wet deposition in ECHAM5-HAM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Croft

2010-02-01

Full Text Available A diagnostic cloud nucleation scavenging scheme, which determines stratiform cloud scavenging ratios for both aerosol mass and number distributions, based on cloud droplet, and ice crystal number concentrations, is introduced into the ECHAM5-HAM global climate model. This scheme is coupled with a size-dependent in-cloud impaction scavenging parameterization for both cloud droplet-aerosol, and ice crystal-aerosol collisions. The aerosol mass scavenged in stratiform clouds is found to be primarily (>90% scavenged by cloud nucleation processes for all aerosol species, except for dust (50%. The aerosol number scavenged is primarily (>90% attributed to impaction. 99% of this impaction scavenging occurs in clouds with temperatures less than 273 K. Sensitivity studies are presented, which compare aerosol concentrations, burdens, and deposition for a variety of in-cloud scavenging approaches: prescribed fractions, a more computationally expensive prognostic aerosol cloud processing treatment, and the new diagnostic scheme, also with modified assumptions about in-cloud impaction and nucleation scavenging. Our results show that while uncertainties in the representation of in-cloud scavenging processes can lead to differences in the range of 20–30% for the predicted annual, global mean aerosol mass burdens, and near to 50% for accumulation mode aerosol number burden, the differences in predicted aerosol mass concentrations can be up to one order of magnitude, particularly for regions of the middle troposphere with temperatures below 273 K where mixed and ice phase clouds exist. Different parameterizations for impaction scavenging changed the predicted global, annual mean number removal attributed to ice clouds by seven-fold, and the global, annual dust mass removal attributed to impaction by two orders of magnitude. Closer agreement with observations of black carbon profiles from aircraft (increases near to one order of magnitude for mixed phase clouds

Polar winter cloud depolarization measurements with the CANDAC Rayleigh-Mie-Raman Lidar

Science.gov (United States)

McCullough, E. M.; Nott, G. J.; Duck, T. J.; Sica, R. J.; Doyle, J. G.; Pike-thackray, C.; Drummond, J. R.

2011-12-01

Clouds introduce a significant positive forcing to the Arctic radiation budget and this is strongest during the polar winter when shortwave radiation is absent (Intrieri et al., 2002). The amount of forcing depends on the occurrence probability and optical depth of the clouds as well as the cloud particle phase (Ebert and Curry 1992). Mixed-phase clouds are particularly complex as they involve interactions between three phases of water (vapour, liquid and ice) coexisting in the same cloud. Although significant progress has been made in characterizing wintertime Arctic clouds (de Boer et al., 2009 and 2011), there is considerable variability in the relative abundance of particles of each phase, in the morphology of solid particles, and in precipitation rates depending on the meteorology at the time. The Canadian Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Change (CANDAC) Rayleigh-Mie-Raman Lidar (CRL) was installed in the Canadian High Arctic at Eureka, Nunavut (80°N, 86°W) in 2008-2009. The remotely-operated system began with measurement capabilities for multi-wavelength aerosol extinction, water vapour mixing ratio, and tropospheric temperature profiles, as well as backscatter cross section coefficient and colour ratio. In 2010, a new depolarization channel was added. The capability to measure the polarization state of the return signal allows the characterization of the cloud in terms of liquid and ice water content, enabling the lidar to probe all three phases of water in these clouds. Lidar depolarization results from 2010 and 2011 winter clouds at Eureka will be presented, with a focus on differences in downwelling radiation between mixed phase clouds and ice clouds. de Boer, G., E.W. Eloranta, and M.D. Shupe (2009), Arctic mixed-phase stratiform cloud properties from multiple years of surface-based measurements at two high-latitude locations, Journal of Atmospheric Sciences, 66 (9), 2874-2887. de Boer, G., H. Morrison, M. D. Shupe, and R. Hildner (2011

Radar rainfall estimation of stratiform winter precipitation in the Belgian Ardennes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hazenberg, P.; Leijnse, H.; Uijlenhoet, R.

2011-01-01

Radars are known for their ability to obtain a wealth of information about spatial storm field characteristics. Unfortunately, rainfall estimates obtained by this instrument are known to be affected by multiple sources of error. Especially for stratiform precipitation systems, the quality of radar

Development and Testing of a Life Cycle Model and a Parameterization of Thin Mid-level Stratiform Clouds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krueger, Steven K.

2008-03-03

We used a cloud-resolving model (a detailed computer model of cloud systems) to evaluate and improve the representation of clouds in global atmospheric models used for numerical weather prediction and climate modeling. We also used observations of the atmospheric state, including clouds, made at DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program's Climate Research Facility located in the Southern Great Plains (Kansas and Oklahoma) during Intensive Observation Periods to evaluate our detailed computer model as well as a single-column version of a global atmospheric model used for numerical weather prediction (the Global Forecast System of the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction). This so-called Single-Column Modeling approach has proved to be a very effective method for testing the representation of clouds in global atmospheric models. The method relies on detailed observations of the atmospheric state, including clouds, in an atmospheric column comparable in size to a grid column used in a global atmospheric model. The required observations are made by a combination of in situ and remote sensing instruments. One of the greatest problems facing mankind at the present is climate change. Part of the problem is our limited ability to predict the regional patterns of climate change. In order to increase this ability, uncertainties in climate models must be reduced. One of the greatest of these uncertainties is the representation of clouds and cloud processes. This project, and ARM taken as a whole, has helped to improve the representation of clouds in global atmospheric models.

O the Size Dependence of the Chemical Properties of Cloud Droplets: Exploratory Studies by Aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Twohy, Cynthia H.

1992-09-01

Clouds play an important role in the climate of the earth and in the transport and transformation of chemical species, but many questions about clouds remain unanswered. In particular, the chemical properties of droplets may vary with droplet size, with potentially important consequences. The counterflow virtual impactor (CVI) separates droplets from interstitial particles and gases in a cloud and also can collect droplets in discrete size ranges. As such, the CVI is a useful tool for investigating the chemical components present in droplets of different sizes and their potential interactions with cloud processes. The purpose of this work is twofold. First, the sampling characteristics of the airborne CVI are investigated, using data from a variety of experiments. A thorough understanding of CVI properties is necessary in order to utilize the acquired data judiciously and effectively. Although the impaction characteristics of the CVI seem to be predictable by theory, the airborne instrument is subject to influences that may result in a reduced transmission efficiency for droplets, particularly if the inlet is not properly aligned. Ways to alleviate this problem are being investigated, but currently the imperfect sampling efficiency must be taken into account during data interpretation. Relationships between the physical and chemical properties of residual particles from droplets collected by the CVI and droplet size are then explored in both stratiform and cumulus clouds. The effects of various cloud processes and measurement limitations upon these relationships are discussed. In one study, chemical analysis of different -sized droplets sampled in stratiform clouds showed a dependence of chemical composition on droplet size, with larger droplets containing higher proportions of sodium than non-sea-salt sulfate and ammonium. Larger droplets were also associated with larger residual particles, as expected from simple cloud nucleation theory. In a study of marine

Global anthropogenic aerosol effects on convective clouds in ECHAM5-HAM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. Lohmann

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Aerosols affect the climate system by changing cloud characteristics in many ways. They act as cloud condensation and ice nuclei and may have an influence on the hydrological cycle. Here we investigate aerosol effects on convective clouds by extending the double-moment cloud microphysics scheme developed for stratiform clouds, which is coupled to the HAM double-moment aerosol scheme, to convective clouds in the ECHAM5 general circulation model. This enables us to investigate whether more, and smaller cloud droplets suppress the warm rain formation in the lower parts of convective clouds and thus release more latent heat upon freezing, which would then result in more vigorous convection and more precipitation. In ECHAM5, including aerosol effects in large-scale and convective clouds (simulation ECHAM5-conv reduces the sensitivity of the liquid water path increase with increasing aerosol optical depth in better agreement with observations and large-eddy simulation studies. In simulation ECHAM5-conv with increases in greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions since pre-industrial times, the geographical distribution of the changes in precipitation better matches the observed increase in precipitation than neglecting microphysics in convective clouds. In this simulation the convective precipitation increases the most suggesting that the convection has indeed become more vigorous.

Mesoscale Features and Cloud Organization on 10-12 December 1978 over the South China Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Warner, Charles

1982-07-01

Aircraft data from Winter MONEX have been combined with other data to study mesoscale features, and organization of cumulus clouds, on 10-12 December 1978. A moderate cold surge in the northeasterly monsoon flow, toward cloudiness in an equatorial trough off Borneo, peaked on 11 December.Clouds in the northeasterly monsoon flow were similar to those in the trades, with variations in convective regime on length scales on the order of 100 km. Marked mid-tropospheric subsidence was accompanied by low-level divergence near 20°N. During 10 December, anvil clouds near Borneo expanded; cumulus congestus and cumulonimbus formed on the periphery of this area. The approach of the low-level northeasterlies to the area of anvils was marked by a diminution of subsidence, conditional instability, and a weak field of low-level convergence, with randomly organized cumulus of increasing height. A low-level easterly jet was found in this transition zone, downstream from cloudiness over the Philippines. South of Vietnam, a clear area was associated with low air temperatures, and not subsidence. Congestus and cumulonimbus clouds formed near the eastern coast of the Malay Peninsula.Cloud streets were seen from latitude 19°N to the Malaysian coast (with a break south of Vietnam). These clouds were confined below the level of an inflection point in the profile of winds normal to the street direction. Greatest spacings of streets occurred with greatest vertical shears of the cross-winds. Cloud number densities were more closely related to the instability of the vertical stratification than to any other parameter.Cross-wind organization of clouds occurred in circumstances of unstable, stratification and apparently of net ascent. Alignment of clouds was at an angle to the directions of both winds and vertical wind shears. It is inferred that when convergence was strong, deep clouds occurred along lines of convergence in the surface streamlines.

Monte Carlo-based subgrid parameterization of vertical velocity and stratiform cloud microphysics in ECHAM5.5-HAM2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Tonttila

2013-08-01

Full Text Available A new method for parameterizing the subgrid variations of vertical velocity and cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC is presented for general circulation models (GCMs. These parameterizations build on top of existing parameterizations that create stochastic subgrid cloud columns inside the GCM grid cells, which can be employed by the Monte Carlo independent column approximation approach for radiative transfer. The new model version adds a description for vertical velocity in individual subgrid columns, which can be used to compute cloud activation and the subgrid distribution of the number of cloud droplets explicitly. Autoconversion is also treated explicitly in the subcolumn space. This provides a consistent way of simulating the cloud radiative effects with two-moment cloud microphysical properties defined at subgrid scale. The primary impact of the new parameterizations is to decrease the CDNC over polluted continents, while over the oceans the impact is smaller. Moreover, the lower CDNC induces a stronger autoconversion of cloud water to rain. The strongest reduction in CDNC and cloud water content over the continental areas promotes weaker shortwave cloud radiative effects (SW CREs even after retuning the model. However, compared to the reference simulation, a slightly stronger SW CRE is seen e.g. over mid-latitude oceans, where CDNC remains similar to the reference simulation, and the in-cloud liquid water content is slightly increased after retuning the model.

Representation of Arctic mixed-phase clouds and the Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen process in climate models: Perspectives from a cloud-resolving study

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Jiwen; Ghan, Steven; Ovchinnikov, Mikhail; Liu, Xiaohong; Rasch, Philip J.; Korolev, Alexei

2011-01-01

Two types of Arctic mixed-phase clouds observed during the ISDAC and M-PACE field campaigns are simulated using a 3-dimensional cloud-resolving model (CRM) with size-resolved cloud microphysics. The modeled cloud properties agree reasonably well with aircraft measurements and surface-based retrievals. Cloud properties such as the probability density function (PDF) of vertical velocity (w), cloud liquid and ice, regimes of cloud particle growth, including the Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen (WBF) process, and the relationships among properties/processes in mixed-phase clouds are examined to gain insights for improving their representation in General Circulation Models (GCMs). The PDF of the simulated w is well represented by a Gaussian function, validating, at least for arctic clouds, the subgrid treatment used in GCMs. The PDFs of liquid and ice water contents can be approximated by Gamma functions, and a Gaussian function can describe the total water distribution, but a fixed variance assumption should be avoided in both cases. The CRM results support the assumption frequently used in GCMs that mixed phase clouds maintain water vapor near liquid saturation. Thus, ice continues to grow throughout the stratiform cloud but the WBF process occurs in about 50% of cloud volume where liquid and ice co-exist, predominantly in downdrafts. In updrafts, liquid and ice particles grow simultaneously. The relationship between the ice depositional growth rate and cloud ice strongly depends on the capacitance of ice particles. The simplified size-independent capacitance of ice particles used in GCMs could lead to large deviations in ice depositional growth.

Development of Two-Moment Cloud Microphysics for Liquid and Ice Within the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS-5)

Science.gov (United States)

Barahona, Donifan; Molod, Andrea M.; Bacmeister, Julio; Nenes, Athanasios; Gettelman, Andrew; Morrison, Hugh; Phillips, Vaughan,; Eichmann, Andrew F.

2013-01-01

This work presents the development of a two-moment cloud microphysics scheme within the version 5 of the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS-5). The scheme includes the implementation of a comprehensive stratiform microphysics module, a new cloud coverage scheme that allows ice supersaturation and a new microphysics module embedded within the moist convection parameterization of GEOS-5. Comprehensive physically-based descriptions of ice nucleation, including homogeneous and heterogeneous freezing, and liquid droplet activation are implemented to describe the formation of cloud particles in stratiform clouds and convective cumulus. The effect of preexisting ice crystals on the formation of cirrus clouds is also accounted for. A new parameterization of the subgrid scale vertical velocity distribution accounting for turbulence and gravity wave motion is developed. The implementation of the new microphysics significantly improves the representation of liquid water and ice in GEOS-5. Evaluation of the model shows agreement of the simulated droplet and ice crystal effective and volumetric radius with satellite retrievals and in situ observations. The simulated global distribution of supersaturation is also in agreement with observations. It was found that when using the new microphysics the fraction of condensate that remains as liquid follows a sigmoidal increase with temperature which differs from the linear increase assumed in most models and is in better agreement with available observations. The performance of the new microphysics in reproducing the observed total cloud fraction, longwave and shortwave cloud forcing, and total precipitation is similar to the operational version of GEOS-5 and in agreement with satellite retrievals. However the new microphysics tends to underestimate the coverage of persistent low level stratocumulus. Sensitivity studies showed that the simulated cloud properties are robust to moderate variation in cloud microphysical parameters

The retrieval of cloud microphysical properties using satellite measurements and an in situ database

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Poix

1996-01-01

Full Text Available By combining AVHRR data from the NOAA satellites with information from a database of in situ measurements, large-scale maps can be generated of the microphysical parameters most immediately significant for the modelling of global circulation and climate. From the satellite data, the clouds can be classified into cumuliform, stratiform and cirrus classes and then into further sub-classes by cloud top temperature. At the same time a database of in situ measurements made by research aircraft is classified into the same sub-classes and a statistical analysis is used to derive relationships between the sub-classes and the cloud microphysical properties. These two analyses are then linked to give estimates of the microphysical properties of the satellite observed clouds. Examples are given of the application of this technique to derive maps of the probability of occurrence of precipitating clouds and of precipitating water content derived from a case study within the International Cirrus Experiment (ICE held in 1989 over the North Sea.

The retrieval of cloud microphysical properties using satellite measurements and an in situ database

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christophe Poix

Full Text Available By combining AVHRR data from the NOAA satellites with information from a database of in situ measurements, large-scale maps can be generated of the microphysical parameters most immediately significant for the modelling of global circulation and climate. From the satellite data, the clouds can be classified into cumuliform, stratiform and cirrus classes and then into further sub-classes by cloud top temperature. At the same time a database of in situ measurements made by research aircraft is classified into the same sub-classes and a statistical analysis is used to derive relationships between the sub-classes and the cloud microphysical properties. These two analyses are then linked to give estimates of the microphysical properties of the satellite observed clouds. Examples are given of the application of this technique to derive maps of the probability of occurrence of precipitating clouds and of precipitating water content derived from a case study within the International Cirrus Experiment (ICE held in 1989 over the North Sea.

An example of economical evaluation of stratiform uranium ore deposit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyata, Hatsuho; Tabuchi, Akihiro; Ushijima, Kenichi.

1992-01-01

The Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development corp. has carried out the business of uranium resource investigation and exploration in foreign countries aiming at securing uranium resources. If there is the possibility of economically developing the discovered uranium deposit, it is transferred to a Japanese private enterprise. In this paper, among the economical evaluation works that were carried out for the uranium deposits discovered by the Corp., the example of the initial economical evaluation for a stratiform uranium deposit carried out recently is reported. The deposit is located at the depth of 50 m - 70 m, and is a stratiform deposit having the extension of 4000 m x 1000 m. The boring investigation of about 350 holes was carried out for it. The estimation of the amount of uranium was done, and the production plan was made considering the scale of production, the characteristics of the ore, the circumstances of the site and so on. Based on the production plan, the initial expenses and the operation expenses were calculated. The design of the optimal pit which affects most the profitability and the economical evaluation were carried out. (K.I.)

Os isotopes and cooper sources for stratiform (mantos) cooper deposits of Chile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munizaga, Francisco; Ruiz, Joaquin; Freydier, Claire

1998-01-01

The sources of copper have been determined by studying trace elements osmium and rhenium as well as osmium isotope ratio in copper-bearing porphyry of Chuquicamata, el Teniente and Andacollo and in the stratiform copper deposits of Mantos Blancos, El Soldado, Cerro Negro and Talcuna

Vibrational spectroscopy at high external pressures the diamond anvil cell

CERN Document Server

Ferraro, John R

1984-01-01

Vibrational Spectroscopy at High External Pressures: The Diamond Anvil Cell presents the effects of high pressure on the vibrational properties of materials as accomplished in a diamond anvil cell (DAC). The DAC serves the dual purpose of generating the pressures and being transparent to infrared radiation, allowing the observation of changes caused by pressure. The optical probes highlighted will deal principally with infrared and Raman scattering, although some observations in the visible region will also be presented. The book begins with a discussion of the effects of pressure and pres

Anvil Forecast Tool in the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS)

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Joe H., III; Hood, Doris

2009-01-01

Launch Weather Officers (LWOs) from the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) and forecasters from the National Weather Service (NWS) Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG) have identified anvil forecasting as one of their most challenging tasks when predicting the probability of violating the Lightning Launch Commit Criteria (LLCC) (Krider et al. 2006; Space Shuttle Flight Rules (FR), NASA/JSC 2004)). As a result, the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) developed a tool that creates an anvil threat corridor graphic that can be overlaid on satellite imagery using the Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS, Short and Wheeler, 2002). The tool helps forecasters estimate the locations of thunderstorm anvils at one, two, and three hours into the future. It has been used extensively in launch and landing operations by both the 45 WS and SMG. The Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) is now used along with MIDDS for weather analysis and display at SMG. In Phase I of this task, SMG tasked the AMU to transition the tool from MIDDS to AWIPS (Barrett et aI., 2007). For Phase II, SMG requested the AMU make the Anvil Forecast Tool in AWIPS more configurable by creating the capability to read model gridded data from user-defined model files instead of hard-coded files. An NWS local AWIPS application called AGRID was used to accomplish this. In addition, SMG needed to be able to define the pressure levels for the model data, instead of hard-coding the bottom level as 300 mb and the top level as 150 mb. This paper describes the initial development of the Anvil Forecast Tool for MIDDS, followed by the migration of the tool to AWIPS in Phase I. It then gives a detailed presentation of the Phase II improvements to the AWIPS tool.

Diamond anvil cells using boron-doped diamond electrodes covered with undoped diamond insulating layer

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Ryo; Yamashita, Aichi; Hara, Hiroshi; Irifune, Tetsuo; Adachi, Shintaro; Takeya, Hiroyuki; Takano, Yoshihiko

2018-05-01

Diamond anvil cells using boron-doped metallic diamond electrodes covered with undoped diamond insulating layers have been developed for electrical transport measurements under high pressure. These designed diamonds were grown on a bottom diamond anvil via a nanofabrication process combining microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition and electron beam lithography. The resistance measurements of a high-quality FeSe superconducting single crystal under high pressure were successfully demonstrated by just putting the sample and gasket on the bottom diamond anvil directly. The superconducting transition temperature of the FeSe single crystal was increased to up to 43 K by applying uniaxial-like pressure.

Three-dimensional transfer of solar radiation in clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davies, R.

1976-01-01

The results of a theoretical study of the effects of cloud geometry on the transfer of incident solar radiation is presented. These results indicate that a three-dimensional description of cloud geometry is a necessary prerequisite to the accurate determination of the emerging radiation field. Models which make the plane parallel assumption are therefore frequently inadequate. Both a Monte Carlo method and an analytic method were used to model the three-dimensional transfer of radiation. At the expense of considerable computation time the Monte Carlo model provides accurate values of the fluxes and intensities (averages over π/30 steradians) emerging from clouds which can be described as a set of connected cuboidal cells, each cell being homogeneous with respect to extinction coefficient, single scatter albedo and phase function. The analytic model, based on an extension of Eddington's approximation to three dimensions and to anisotropic scattering, is efficient to use, but is restricted to clouds made up of a single cuboidal cell and is more accurate for large clouds than small ones. By an iterated approach, involving integration of the source function along line of sight, the analytic model provides both fluxes and intensities of the emerging radiation at any specified point on the cloud's surface. These models were both applied to a systematic study of the transfer of solar radiation in isolated cuboidal clouds of arbitraty dimensions, the results of which illustrate the importance of considering the total cloud geometry in any attempt at realistic modelling. A study of the transfer of radiation in stratiform clouds with turretted top surfaces also indicated that even for these clouds the plane parallel assumption was often not tenable

Improving Satellite Quantitative Precipitation Estimation Using GOES-Retrieved Cloud Optical Depth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stenz, Ronald; Dong, Xiquan; Xi, Baike; Feng, Zhe; Kuligowski, Robert J.

2016-02-01

To address significant gaps in ground-based radar coverage and rain gauge networks in the U.S., geostationary satellite quantitative precipitation estimates (QPEs) such as the Self-Calibrating Multivariate Precipitation Retrievals (SCaMPR) can be used to fill in both the spatial and temporal gaps of ground-based measurements. Additionally, with the launch of GOES-R, the temporal resolution of satellite QPEs may be comparable to that of Weather Service Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) volume scans as GOES images will be available every five minutes. However, while satellite QPEs have strengths in spatial coverage and temporal resolution, they face limitations particularly during convective events. Deep Convective Systems (DCSs) have large cloud shields with similar brightness temperatures (BTs) over nearly the entire system, but widely varying precipitation rates beneath these clouds. Geostationary satellite QPEs relying on the indirect relationship between BTs and precipitation rates often suffer from large errors because anvil regions (little/no precipitation) cannot be distinguished from rain-cores (heavy precipitation) using only BTs. However, a combination of BTs and optical depth (τ) has been found to reduce overestimates of precipitation in anvil regions (Stenz et al. 2014). A new rain mask algorithm incorporating both τ and BTs has been developed, and its application to the existing SCaMPR algorithm was evaluated. The performance of the modified SCaMPR was evaluated using traditional skill scores and a more detailed analysis of performance in individual DCS components by utilizing the Feng et al. (2012) classification algorithm. SCaMPR estimates with the new rain mask applied benefited from significantly reduced overestimates of precipitation in anvil regions and overall improvements in skill scores.

Toward the Characterization of Mixed-Phase Clouds Using Remote Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Andronache, C.

2015-12-01

Mixed-phase clouds consist of a mixture of ice particles and liquid droplets at temperatures below 0 deg C. They are present in all seasons in many regions of the world, account for about 30% of the global cloud coverage, and are linked to cloud electrification and aircraft icing. The mix of ice particles, liquid droplets, and water vapor is unstable, and such clouds are thought to have a short lifetime. A characteristic parameter is the phase composition of mixed-phase clouds. It affects the cloud life cycle and the rate of precipitation. This parameter is important for cloud parameters retrievals by radar, lidar, and satellite and is relevant for climate modeling. The phase transformation includes the remarkable Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen (WBF) process. The direction and the rate of the phase transformations depend on the local thermodynamic and microphysical properties. Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and ice nuclei (IN) particles determine to a large extent cloud microstructure and the dynamic response of clouds to aerosols. The complexity of dynamics and microphysics involved in mixed-phase clouds requires a set of observational and modeling tools that continue to be refined. Among these techniques, the remote sensing methods provide an increasing number of parameters, covering large regions of the world. Thus, a series of studies were dedicated to stratiform mixed-phase clouds revealing longer lifetime than previously thought. Satellite data and aircraft in situ measurements in deep convective clouds suggest that highly supercooled water often occurs in vigorous continental convective storms. In this study, we use cases of convective clouds to discuss the feasibility of mixed-phase clouds characterization and potential advantages of remote sensing.

Improvement of Representation of the Cloud-Aerosol Interaction in Large-Scale Models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khain, Alexander [Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem (Israel); Phillips, Vaughan [Lund Univ. (Sweden); Pinsky, Mark [Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem (Israel); Lynn, Barry [Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem (Israel)

2016-12-20

The main achievements reached under the DOE award DE-SC0006788 are described. It is shown that the plan of the Project is completed. Unique results concerning cloud-aerosol interaction are obtained. It is shown that aerosols affect intensity of hurricanes. The effects of small aerosols on formation of ice in anvils of deep convective clouds are discovered, for the first time the mechanisms of drizzle formation are found and described quantitatively. Mechanisms of formation of warm rain are clarified and the dominating role of adiabatic processes and turbulence are stressed. Important results concerning the effects of sea spray on intensity of clouds and tropical cyclones are obtained. A novel methods of calculation of hail formation has been developed and implemented.

The effects of aerosols on precipitation and dimensions of subtropical clouds: a sensitivity study using a numerical cloud model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Teller

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Numerical experiments were carried out using the Tel-Aviv University 2-D cloud model to investigate the effects of increased concentrations of Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN, giant CCN (GCCN and Ice Nuclei (IN on the development of precipitation and cloud structure in mixed-phase sub-tropical convective clouds. In order to differentiate between the contribution of the aerosols and the meteorology, all simulations were conducted with the same meteorological conditions. The results show that under the same meteorological conditions, polluted clouds (with high CCN concentrations produce less precipitation than clean clouds (with low CCN concentrations, the initiation of precipitation is delayed and the lifetimes of the clouds are longer. GCCN enhance the total precipitation on the ground in polluted clouds but they have no noticeable effect on cleaner clouds. The increased rainfall due to GCCN is mainly a result of the increased graupel mass in the cloud, but it only partially offsets the decrease in rainfall due to pollution (increased CCN. The addition of more effective IN, such as mineral dust particles, reduces the total amount of precipitation on the ground. This reduction is more pronounced in clean clouds than in polluted ones. Polluted clouds reach higher altitudes and are wider than clean clouds and both produce wider clouds (anvils when more IN are introduced. Since under the same vertical sounding the polluted clouds produce less rain, more water vapor is left aloft after the rain stops. In our simulations about 3.5 times more water evaporates after the rain stops from the polluted cloud as compared to the clean cloud. The implication is that much more water vapor is transported from lower levels to the mid troposphere under polluted conditions, something that should be considered in climate models.

Geophysics Under Pressure: Large-Volume Presses Versus the Diamond-Anvil Cell

Science.gov (United States)

Hazen, R. M.

2002-05-01

Prior to 1970, the legacy of Harvard physicist Percy Bridgman dominated high-pressure geophysics. Massive presses with large-volume devices, including piston-cylinder, opposed-anvil, and multi-anvil configurations, were widely used in both science and industry to achieve a range of crustal and upper mantle temperatures and pressures. George Kennedy of UCLA was a particularly influential advocate of large-volume apparatus for geophysical research prior to his death in 1980. The high-pressure scene began to change in 1959 with the invention of the diamond-anvil cell, which was designed simultaneously and independently by John Jamieson at the University of Chicago and Alvin Van Valkenburg at the National Bureau of Standards in Washington, DC. The compact, inexpensive diamond cell achieved record static pressures and had the advantage of optical access to the high-pressure environment. Nevertheless, members of the geophysical community, who favored the substantial sample volumes, geothermally relevant temperature range, and satisfying bulk of large-volume presses, initially viewed the diamond cell with indifference or even contempt. Several factors led to a gradual shift in emphasis from large-volume presses to diamond-anvil cells in geophysical research during the 1960s and 1970s. These factors include (1) their relatively low cost at time of fiscal restraint, (2) Alvin Van Valkenburg's new position as a Program Director at the National Science Foundation in 1964 (when George Kennedy's proposal for a Nation High-Pressure Laboratory was rejected), (3) the development of lasers and micro-analytical spectroscopic techniques suitable for analyzing samples in a diamond cell, and (4) the attainment of record pressures (e.g., 100 GPa in 1975 by Mao and Bell at the Geophysical Laboratory). Today, a more balanced collaborative approach has been adopted by the geophysics and mineral physics community. Many high-pressure laboratories operate a new generation of less expensive

Concept design and simulation study on a "phantom" anvil for circular stapler.

Science.gov (United States)

Rulli, Francesco; Kartheuser, Alex; Amirhassankhani, Sasan; Mourad, Michel; Stefani, Mario; de Ferrá Aureli, Andrés; Sileri, Pierpaolo; Valentini, Pier Paolo

2015-04-01

Complications and challenges arising from the intraoperative double-stapling technique are seldom reported in colorectal surgery literature. Partial or full-thickness rectal injuries can occur during the introduction and the advancement of the circular stapler along the upper rectum. The aim of this study is to address some of these issues by designing and optimizing a "phantom" anvil manufactured to overcome difficulties throughout the rectal introduction and advancement of the circular stapler for the treatment of benign and malignant colon disease. The design of the "phantom" anvil has been performed using computer-aided modeling techniques, finite element investigations, and 2 essential keynotes in mind. The first one is the internal shape of the anvil, which is used for the connection to the gun. The second is the shape of the cap, which makes possible the insertion of the gun through the rectum. The "phantom" anvil has 2 functional requirements, which have been taken into account. The design has been optimized to avoid colorectal injuries, neoplastic dissemination (ie, mechanical seeding) and to reduce the fecal contamination. Numerical simulations show that a right combination of both top and bottom fillet radii of the shape of the anvil can reduce the stress for the considered anatomic configuration of >90%. Both the fillet radii at the top and the bottom of the device influence the local stress of the colon rectum. A dismountable device, which is used only for the insertion and advancement of the stapler, allows a dedicated design of its shape, keeping the remainder of the stapler unmodified. Computer-aided simulations are useful to perform numerical investigations to optimize the design of this auxiliary part for both the safety of the patient and the ease of the stapler advancement through the rectum.

Reduction of Raman scattering and fluorescence from anvils in high pressure Raman scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Dierker, S. B.; Aronson, M. C.

2018-05-01

We describe a new design and use of a high pressure anvil cell that significantly reduces the Raman scattering and fluorescence from the anvils in high pressure Raman scattering experiments. The approach is particularly useful in Raman scattering studies of opaque, weakly scattering samples. The effectiveness of the technique is illustrated with measurements of two-magnon Raman scattering in La2CuO4.

Retrieval of Cloud Properties for Partially Cloud-Filled Pixels During CRYSTAL-FACE

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, L.; Minnis, P.; Smith, W. L.; Khaiyer, M. M.; Heck, P. W.; Sun-Mack, S.; Uttal, T.; Comstock, J.

2003-12-01

Partially cloud-filled pixels can be a significant problem for remote sensing of cloud properties. Generally, the optical depth and effective particle sizes are often too small or too large, respectively, when derived from radiances that are assumed to be overcast but contain radiation from both clear and cloud areas within the satellite imager field of view. This study presents a method for reducing the impact of such partially cloud field pixels by estimating the cloud fraction within each pixel using higher resolution visible (VIS, 0.65mm) imager data. Although the nominal resolution for most channels on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) imager and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on Terra are 4 and 1 km, respectively, both instruments also take VIS channel data at 1 km and 0.25 km, respectively. Thus, it may be possible to obtain an improved estimate of cloud fraction within the lower resolution pixels by using the information contained in the higher resolution VIS data. GOES and MODIS multi-spectral data, taken during the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers - Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE), are analyzed with the algorithm used for the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) and the Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) to derive cloud amount, temperature, height, phase, effective particle size, optical depth, and water path. Normally, the algorithm assumes that each pixel is either entirely clear or cloudy. In this study, a threshold method is applied to the higher resolution VIS data to estimate the partial cloud fraction within each low-resolution pixel. The cloud properties are then derived from the observed low-resolution radiances using the cloud cover estimate to properly extract the radiances due only to the cloudy part of the scene. This approach is applied to both GOES and MODIS data to estimate the improvement in the retrievals for each

A study of cloud microphysics and precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau by radar observations and cloud-resolving model simulations: Cloud Microphysics over Tibetan Plateau

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Wenhua [State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing China; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland Washington USA; Sui, Chung-Hsiung [Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei Taiwan; Fan, Jiwen [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland Washington USA; Hu, Zhiqun [State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing China; Zhong, Lingzhi [State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing China

2016-11-27

Cloud microphysical properties and precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are unique because of the high terrains, clean atmosphere, and sufficient water vapor. With dual-polarization precipitation radar and cloud radar measurements during the Third Tibetan Plateau Atmospheric Scientific Experiment (TIPEX-III), the simulated microphysics and precipitation by the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) with the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS) microphysics and other microphysical schemes are investigated through a typical plateau rainfall event on 22 July 2014. Results show that the WRF-CAMS simulation reasonably reproduces the spatial distribution of 24-h accumulated precipitation, but has limitations in simulating time evolution of precipitation rates. The model-calculated polarimetric radar variables have biases as well, suggesting bias in modeled hydrometeor types. The raindrop sizes in convective region are larger than those in stratiform region indicated by the small intercept of raindrop size distribution in the former. The sensitivity experiments show that precipitation processes are sensitive to the changes of warm rain processes in condensation and nucleated droplet size (but less sensitive to evaporation process). Increasing droplet condensation produces the best area-averaged rain rate during weak convection period compared with the observation, suggesting a considerable bias in thermodynamics in the baseline simulation. Increasing the initial cloud droplet size causes the rain rate reduced by half, an opposite effect to that of increasing droplet condensation.

Impact of cloud-borne aerosol representation on aerosol direct and indirect effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. J. Ghan

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Aerosol particles attached to cloud droplets are much more likely to be removed from the atmosphere and are much less efficient at scattering sunlight than if unattached. Models used to estimate direct and indirect effects of aerosols employ a variety of representations of such cloud-borne particles. Here we use a global aerosol model with a relatively complete treatment of cloud-borne particles to estimate the sensitivity of simulated aerosol, cloud and radiation fields to various approximations to the representation of cloud-borne particles. We find that neglecting transport of cloud-borne particles introduces little error, but that diagnosing cloud-borne particles produces global mean biases of 20% and local errors of up to 40% for aerosol, droplet number, and direct and indirect radiative forcing. Aerosol number, aerosol optical depth and droplet number are significantly underestimated in regions and seasons where and when wet removal is primarily by stratiform rather than convective clouds (polar regions during winter, but direct and indirect effects are less biased because of the limited sunlight there and then. A treatment that predicts the total mass concentration of cloud-borne particles for each mode yields smaller errors and runs 20% faster than the complete treatment. The errors are much smaller than current estimates of uncertainty in direct and indirect effects of aerosols, which suggests that the treatment of cloud-borne aerosol is not a significant source of uncertainty in estimates of direct and indirect effects.

Methodology for in situ synchrotron X-ray studies in the laser-heated diamond anvil cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mezouar, M.; Giampaoli, R.; Garbarino, G.

2017-01-01

A review of some important technical challenges related to in situ diamond anvil cell laser heating experimentation at synchrotron X-ray sources is presented. The problem of potential chemical reactions between the sample and the pressure medium or the carbon from the diamond anvils is illustrated...

Precipitation Processes developed during ARM (1997), TOGA COARE(1992), GATE(1 974), SCSMEX(1998) and KWAJEX(1999): Consistent 2D and 3D Cloud Resolving Model Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, W.-K.; Shie, C.-H.; Simpson, J.; Starr, D.; Johnson, D.; Sud, Y.

2003-01-01

Real clouds and clouds systems are inherently three dimensional (3D). Because of the limitations in computer resources, however, most cloud-resolving models (CRMs) today are still two-dimensional (2D). A few 3D CRMs have been used to study the response of clouds to large-scale forcing. In these 3D simulations, the model domain was small, and the integration time was 6 hours. Only recently have 3D experiments been performed for multi-day periods for tropical cloud system with large horizontal domains at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The results indicate that surface precipitation and latent heating profiles are very similar between the 2D and 3D simulations of these same cases. The reason for the strong similarity between the 2D and 3D CRM simulations is that the observed large-scale advective tendencies of potential temperature, water vapor mixing ratio, and horizontal momentum were used as the main forcing in both the 2D and 3D models. Interestingly, the 2D and 3D versions of the CRM used in CSU and U.K. Met Office showed significant differences in the rainfall and cloud statistics for three ARM cases. The major objectives of this project are to calculate and axamine: (1)the surface energy and water budgets, (2) the precipitation processes in the convective and stratiform regions, (3) the cloud upward and downward mass fluxes in the convective and stratiform regions; (4) cloud characteristics such as size, updraft intensity and lifetime, and (5) the entrainment and detrainment rates associated with clouds and cloud systems that developed in TOGA COARE, GATE, SCSMEX, ARM and KWAJEX. Of special note is that the analyzed (model generated) data sets are all produced by the same current version of the GCE model, i.e. consistent model physics and configurations. Trajectory analyse and inert tracer calculation will be conducted to identify the differences and similarities in the organization of convection between simulated 2D and 3D cloud systems.

Evaluation of Cloud-Resolving and Limited Area Model Intercomparison Simulations Using TWP-ICE Observations. Part 2 ; Precipitation Microphysics

Science.gov (United States)

Varble, Adam; Zipser, Edward J.; Fridland, Ann M.; Zhu, Ping; Ackerman, Andrew S.; Chaboureau, Jean-Pierre; Fan, Jiwen; Hill, Adrian; Shipway, Ben; Williams, Christopher

2014-01-01

Ten 3-D cloud-resolving model (CRM) simulations and four 3-D limited area model (LAM) simulations of an intense mesoscale convective system observed on 23-24 January 2006 during the Tropical Warm Pool-International Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE) are compared with each other and with observations and retrievals from a scanning polarimetric radar, colocated UHF and VHF vertical profilers, and a Joss-Waldvogel disdrometer in an attempt to explain a low bias in simulated stratiform rainfall. Despite different forcing methodologies, similar precipitation microphysics errors appear in CRMs and LAMs with differences that depend on the details of the bulk microphysics scheme used. One-moment schemes produce too many small raindrops, which biases Doppler velocities low, but produces rainwater contents (RWCs) that are similar to observed. Two-moment rain schemes with a gamma shape parameter (mu) of 0 produce excessive size sorting, which leads to larger Doppler velocities than those produced in one-moment schemes but lower RWCs. Two-moment schemes also produce a convective median volume diameter distribution that is too broad relative to observations and, thus, may have issues balancing raindrop formation, collision-coalescence, and raindrop breakup. Assuming a mu of 2.5 rather than 0 for the raindrop size distribution improves one-moment scheme biases, and allowing mu to have values greater than 0 may improve excessive size sorting in two-moment schemes. Underpredicted stratiform rain rates are associated with underpredicted ice water contents at the melting level rather than excessive rain evaporation, in turn likely associated with convective detrainment that is too high in the troposphere and mesoscale circulations that are too weak. A limited domain size also prevents a large, well-developed stratiform region like the one observed from developing in CRMs, although LAMs also fail to produce such a region.

In situ laser heating and radial synchrotron X-ray diffraction ina diamond anvil cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kunz, Martin; Caldwell, Wendel A.; Miyagi, Lowell; Wenk,Hans-Rudolf

2007-06-29

We report a first combination of diamond anvil cell radialx-ray diffraction with in situ laser heating. The laser-heating setup ofALS beamline 12.2.2 was modified to allow one-sided heating of a samplein a diamond anvil cell with an 80 W yttrium lithium fluoride laser whileprobing the sample with radial x-ray diffraction. The diamond anvil cellis placed with its compressional axis vertical, and perpendicular to thebeam. The laser beam is focused onto the sample from the top while thesample is probed with hard x-rays through an x-ray transparentboron-epoxy gasket. The temperature response of preferred orientation of(Fe,Mg)O is probed as a test experiment. Recrystallization was observedabove 1500 K, accompanied by a decrease in stress.

Evaluation of Satellite-Based Upper Troposphere Cloud Top Height Retrievals in Multilayer Cloud Conditions During TC4

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Fu-Lung; Minnis, Patrick; Ayers, J. Kirk; McGill, Matthew J.; Palikonda, Rabindra; Spangenberg, Douglas A.; Smith, William L., Jr.; Yost, Christopher R.

2010-01-01

Upper troposphere cloud top heights (CTHs), restricted to cloud top pressures (CTPs) less than 500 hPa, inferred using four satellite retrieval methods applied to Twelfth Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-12) data are evaluated using measurements during the July August 2007 Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling Experiment (TC4). The four methods are the single-layer CO2-absorption technique (SCO2AT), a modified CO2-absorption technique (MCO2AT) developed for improving both single-layered and multilayered cloud retrievals, a standard version of the Visible Infrared Solar-infrared Split-window Technique (old VISST), and a new version of VISST (new VISST) recently developed to improve cloud property retrievals. They are evaluated by comparing with ER-2 aircraft-based Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL) data taken during 9 days having extensive upper troposphere cirrus, anvil, and convective clouds. Compared to the 89% coverage by upper tropospheric clouds detected by the CPL, the SCO2AT, MCO2AT, old VISST, and new VISST retrieved CTPs less than 500 hPa in 76, 76, 69, and 74% of the matched pixels, respectively. Most of the differences are due to subvisible and optically thin cirrus clouds occurring near the tropopause that were detected only by the CPL. The mean upper tropospheric CTHs for the 9 days are 14.2 (+/- 2.1) km from the CPL and 10.7 (+/- 2.1), 12.1 (+/- 1.6), 9.7 (+/- 2.9), and 11.4 (+/- 2.8) km from the SCO2AT, MCO2AT, old VISST, and new VISST, respectively. Compared to the CPL, the MCO2AT CTHs had the smallest mean biases for semitransparent high clouds in both single-layered and multilayered situations whereas the new VISST CTHs had the smallest mean biases when upper clouds were opaque and optically thick. The biases for all techniques increased with increasing numbers of cloud layers. The transparency of the upper layer clouds tends to increase with the numbers of cloud layers.

Constraining Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation Interactions of Orographic Mixed-Phase Clouds with Trajectory Budgets

Science.gov (United States)

Glassmeier, F.; Lohmann, U.

2016-12-01

Orographic precipitation is prone to strong aerosol-cloud-precipitation interactions because the time for precipitation development is limited to the ascending section of mountain flow. At the same time, cloud microphysical development is constraint by the strong dynamical forcing of the orography. In this contribution, we discuss how changes in the amount and composition of droplet- and ice-forming aerosols influence precipitation in idealized simulations of stratiform orographic mixed-phase clouds. We find that aerosol perturbations trigger compensating responses of different precipitation formation pathways. The effect of aerosols is thus buffered. We explain this buffering by the requirement to fulfill aerosol-independent dynamical constraints. For our simulations, we use the regional atmospheric model COSMO-ART-M7 in a 2D setup with a bell-shaped mountain. The model is coupled to a 2-moment warm and cold cloud microphysics scheme. Activation and freezing rates are parameterized based on prescribed aerosol fields that are varied in number, size and composition. Our analysis is based on the budget of droplet water along trajectories of cloud parcels. The budget equates condensation as source term with precipitation formation from autoconversion, accretion, riming and the Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen process as sink terms. Condensation, and consequently precipitation formation, is determined by dynamics and largely independent of the aerosol conditions. An aerosol-induced change in the number of droplets or crystals perturbs the droplet budget by affecting precipitation formation processes. We observe that this perturbation triggers adjustments in liquid and ice water content that re-equilibrate the budget. As an example, an increase in crystal number triggers a stronger glaciation of the cloud and redistributes precipitation formation from collision-coalescence to riming and from riming to vapor deposition. We theoretically confirm the dominant effect of water

Balloon-borne aerosol measurements in the planetary boundary layer: particle production associated with a continental stratiform cloud

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuetz, S. [Inst. for Tropospheric Res., Leipzig (Germany); Dubois, R. [Inst. for Tropospheric Res., Leipzig (Germany)

1997-05-01

Vertical profiles of submicrometer Aitken nuclei (AN), temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction have been measured using a tethered balloon as a platform for the instrumentation. Daytime soundings up to 700 m above ground were done over Eastern Germany during a strong and persistent wintertime temperature inversion on 18th January 1996. The inversion at 650 m above ground topped a closed stratus deck with a diffuse cloud base at 250 m. The profiles of temperature, humidity and AN concentrations indicate that the layer below the inversion was well mixed. An upper limit to cloud droplet number concentration of 700 p/cm{sup 3} was inferred from the AN measurements. At the top of the cloud distinct AN concentration maxima were observed. Their evolution as a function of time and space with respect to the profiles of temperature, humidity and wind indicated new particle production. Concurrent with the balloon soundings, continuous ground based measurements of wind by SODAR and of SO{sub 2} were also performed. (orig.)

EXAFS measurements under high pressure conditions using a combination of a diamond anvil cell and synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sueno, Shigeho; Nakai, Izumi; Imafuku, Masayuki; Morikawa, Hideki; Kimata, Mitsuyoshi; Ohsumi, Kazumasa; Nomura, Masaharu; Shimomura, Osamu.

1986-01-01

EXAFS spectra for Fe, Co, Ni K-edges were successfully measured under high pressure conditions using a combination of a set of normal 1/8 carat diamond anvils, synchrotron radiation and a scintillation counter. A newly developed motor controlled goniometer stage was used for adjusting the position of a miniature diamond anvil cell. On the measurement of Cr and Mn spectra, specially designed thinner diamond anvil was necessary. EXAFS analysis of bis(dimethylglyoximato)nickel(II) at pressures from 1 atm to 5.6 GPa was made. (author)

Human Motion Tracking and Glove-Based User Interfaces for Virtual Environments in ANVIL

Science.gov (United States)

Dumas, Joseph D., II

2002-01-01

The Army/NASA Virtual Innovations Laboratory (ANVIL) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) provides an environment where engineers and other personnel can investigate novel applications of computer simulation and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies. Among the many hardware and software resources in ANVIL are several high-performance Silicon Graphics computer systems and a number of commercial software packages, such as Division MockUp by Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) and Jack by Unigraphics Solutions, Inc. These hardware and software platforms are used in conjunction with various VR peripheral I/O (input / output) devices, CAD (computer aided design) models, etc. to support the objectives of the MSFC Engineering Systems Department/Systems Engineering Support Group (ED42) by studying engineering designs, chiefly from the standpoint of human factors and ergonomics. One of the more time-consuming tasks facing ANVIL personnel involves the testing and evaluation of peripheral I/O devices and the integration of new devices with existing hardware and software platforms. Another important challenge is the development of innovative user interfaces to allow efficient, intuitive interaction between simulation users and the virtual environments they are investigating. As part of his Summer Faculty Fellowship, the author was tasked with verifying the operation of some recently acquired peripheral interface devices and developing new, easy-to-use interfaces that could be used with existing VR hardware and software to better support ANVIL projects.

Tropical cloud and precipitation regimes as seen from near-simultaneous TRMM, CloudSat, and CALIPSO observations and comparison with ISCCP

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Zhengzhao Johnny; Anderson, Ricardo C.; Rossow, William B.; Takahashi, Hanii

2017-06-01

Although Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and CloudSat/CALIPSO fly in different orbits, they frequently cross each other so that for the period between 2006 and 2010, a total of 15,986 intersect lines occurred within 20 min of each other from 30°S to 30°N, providing a rare opportunity to study tropical cloud and precipitation regimes and their internal vertical structure from near-simultaneous measurements by these active sensors. A k-means cluster analysis of TRMM and CloudSat matchups identifies three tropical cloud and precipitation regimes: the first two regimes correspond to, respectively, organized deep convection with heavy rain and cirrus anvils with moderate rain; the third regime is a convectively suppressed regime that can be further divided into three subregimes, which correspond to, respectively, stratocumulus clouds with drizzle, cirrus overlying low clouds, and nonprecipitating cumulus. Inclusion of CALIPSO data adds to the dynamic range of cloud properties and identifies one more cluster; subcluster analysis further identifies a thin, midlevel cloud regime associated with tropical mountain ranges. The radar-lidar cloud regimes are compared with the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) weather states (WSs) for the extended tropics. Focus is placed on the four convectively active WSs, namely, WS1-WS4. ISCCP WS1 and WS2 are found to be counterparts of Regime 1 and Regime 2 in radar-lidar observations, respectively. ISCCP WS3 and WS4, which are mainly isolated convection and broken, detached cirrus, do not have a strong association with any individual radar and lidar regimes, a likely effect of the different sampling strategies between ISCCP and active sensors and patchy cloudiness of these WSs.

Effective Ice Particle Densities for Cold Anvil Cirrus

Science.gov (United States)

Heymsfield, Andrew J.; Schmitt, Carl G.; Bansemer, Aaron; Baumgardner, Darrel; Weinstock, Elliot M.; Smith, Jessica

2002-01-01

This study derives effective ice particle densities from data collected from the NASA WB-57F aircraft near the tops of anvils during the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers (CRYSTAL) Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (FACE) in southern Florida in July 2002. The effective density, defined as the ice particle mass divided by the volume of an equivalent diameter liquid sphere, is obtained for particle populations and single sizes containing mixed particle habits using measurements of condensed water content and particle size distributions. The mean effective densities for populations decrease with increasing slopes of the gamma size distributions fitted to the size distributions. The population-mean densities range from near 0.91 g/cu m to 0.15 g/cu m. Effective densities for single sizes obey a power-law with an exponent of about -0.55, somewhat less steep than found from earlier studies. Our interpretations apply to samples where particle sizes are generally below 200-300 microns in maximum dimension because of probe limitations.

Deep convective clouds at the tropopause

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. H. Aumann

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS on the EOS Aqua spacecraft each day show tens of thousands of Cold Clouds (CC in the tropical oceans with 10 μm window channel brightness temperatures colder than 225 K. These clouds represent a mix of cold anvil clouds and Deep Convective Clouds (DCC. This mix can be separated by computing the difference between two channels, a window channel and a channel with strong CO₂ absorption: for some cold clouds this difference is negative, i.e. the spectra for some cold clouds are inverted. We refer to cold clouds with spectra which are more than 2 K inverted as DCCi2. Associated with DCCi2 is a very high rain rate and a local upward displacement of the tropopause, a cold "bulge", which can be seen directly in the brightness temperatures of AIRS and Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU temperature sounding channels in the lower stratosphere. The very high rain rate and the local distortion of the tropopause indicate that DCCi2 objects are associated with severe storms. Significant long-term trends in the statistical properties of DCCi2 could be interesting indicators of climate change. While the analysis of the nature and physical conditions related to DCCi2 requires hyperspectral infrared and microwave data, the identification of DCCi2 requires only one good window channel and one strong CO₂ sounding channel. This suggests that improved identification of severe storms with future advanced geostationary satellites could be accomplished with the addition of one or two narrow band channels.

Life Cycle of Midlatitude Deep Convective Systems in a Lagrangian Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Zhe; Dong, Xiquan; Xie, Baike; McFarlane, Sally A.; Kennedy, Aaron; Lin, Bing; Minnis, Patrick

2012-01-01

Deep Convective Systems (DCSs) consist of intense convective cores (CC), large stratiform rain (SR) regions, and extensive non-precipitating anvil clouds (AC). This study focuses on the evolution of these three components and the factors that affect convective AC production. An automated satellite tracking method is used in conjunction with a recently developed multi-sensor hybrid classification to analyze the evolution of DCS structure in a Lagrangian framework over the central United States. Composite analysis from 4221 tracked DCSs during two warm seasons (May-August, 2010-2011) shows that maximum system size correlates with lifetime, and longer-lived DCSs have more extensive SR and AC. Maximum SR and AC area lag behind peak convective intensity and the lag increases linearly from approximately 1-hour for short-lived systems to more than 3-hours for long-lived ones. The increased lag, which depends on the convective environment, suggests that changes in the overall diabatic heating structure associated with the transition from CC to SR and AC could prolong the system lifetime by sustaining stratiform cloud development. Longer-lasting systems are associated with up to 60% higher mid-tropospheric relative humidity and up to 40% stronger middle to upper tropospheric wind shear. Regression analysis shows that the areal coverage of thick AC is strongly correlated with the size of CC, updraft strength, and SR area. Ambient upper tropospheric wind speed and wind shear also play an important role for convective AC production where for systems with large AC (radius greater than 120-km) they are 24% and 20% higher, respectively, than those with small AC (radius=20 km).

An Overview of the Lightning - Atmospheric Chemistry Aspects of the Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry (DC3) Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Pickering, K. E.; Barth, M. C.; Koshak, W.; Bucsela, E. J.; Allen, D. J.; Weinheimer, A.; Ryerson, T.; Huntrieser, H.; Bruning, E.; MacGorman, D.;

Cloud microphysics and aerosol indirect effects in the global climate model ECHAM5-HAM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. Lohmann

2007-07-01

Full Text Available The double-moment cloud microphysics scheme from ECHAM4 that predicts both the mass mixing ratios and number concentrations of cloud droplets and ice crystals has been coupled to the size-resolved aerosol scheme ECHAM5-HAM. ECHAM5-HAM predicts the aerosol mass, number concentrations and mixing state. The simulated liquid, ice and total water content and the cloud droplet and ice crystal number concentrations as a function of temperature in stratiform mixed-phase clouds between 0 and −35° C agree much better with aircraft observations in the ECHAM5 simulations. ECHAM5 performs better because more realistic aerosol concentrations are available for cloud droplet nucleation and because the Bergeron-Findeisen process is parameterized as being more efficient.

The total anthropogenic aerosol effect includes the direct, semi-direct and indirect effects and is defined as the difference in the top-of-the-atmosphere net radiation between present-day and pre-industrial times. It amounts to −1.9 W m⁻² in ECHAM5, when a relative humidity dependent cloud cover scheme and aerosol emissions representative for the years 1750 and 2000 from the AeroCom emission inventory are used. The contribution of the cloud albedo effect amounts to −0.7 W m⁻². The total anthropogenic aerosol effect is larger when either a statistical cloud cover scheme or a different aerosol emission inventory are employed because the cloud lifetime effect increases.

Optimization of Tungsten Carbide Opposite Anvils Used in the In Situ High-Pressure Loading Apparatus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Ying

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In order to optimize the structure of anvils, finite element method is used to simulate two kinds of structures, one of which has a support ring but the other one does not. According to the simulated results, it is found that the maximum value of pressure appears at the center of culet when the bevelled angle is about 20°. Comparing the results of these two kinds of structures, we find that the efficiency of pressure transformation for the structure without support ring is larger than that for the structure with support ring. Considering the effect of von Mises stress, two kinds of tungsten carbide opposite anvils have been manufactured with bevelled angle of 10°. The experimental results for these two anvils are in good agreement with the simulation.

Double-moment cloud microphysics scheme for the deep convection parameterization in the GFDL AM3

Science.gov (United States)

Belochitski, A.; Donner, L.

2014-12-01

A double-moment cloud microphysical scheme originally developed by Morrision and Gettelman (2008) for the stratiform clouds and later adopted for the deep convection by Song and Zhang (2011) has been implemented in to the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory's atmospheric general circulation model AM3. The scheme treats cloud drop, cloud ice, rain, and snow number concentrations and mixing ratios as diagnostic variables and incorporates processes of autoconversion, self-collection, collection between hydrometeor species, sedimentation, ice nucleation, drop activation, homogeneous and heterogeneous freezing, and the Bergeron-Findeisen process. Such detailed representation of microphysical processes makes the scheme suitable for studying the interactions between aerosols and convection, as well as aerosols' indirect effects on clouds and their roles in climate change. The scheme is first tested in the single column version of the GFDL AM3 using forcing data obtained at the U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurment project's Southern Great Planes site. Scheme's impact on SCM simulations is discussed. As the next step, runs of the full atmospheric GCM incorporating the new parameterization are compared to the unmodified version of GFDL AM3. Global climatological fields and their variability are contrasted with those of the original version of the GCM. Impact on cloud radiative forcing and climate sensitivity is investigated.

Satellite-Surface Perspectives of Air Quality and Aerosol-Cloud Effects on the Environment: An Overview of 7-SEAS BASELInE

Science.gov (United States)

Tsay, Si-Chee; Maring, Hal B.; Lin, Neng-Huei; Buntoung, Sumaman; Chantara, Somporn; Chuang, Hsiao-Chi; Gabriel, Philip M.; Goodloe, Colby S.; Holben, Brent N.; Hsiao, Ta-Chih;

Integrated-fin gasket for palm cubic-anvil high pressure apparatus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, J.-G. [Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581 (Japan); Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Matsubayashi, K.; Nagasaki, S.; Hisada, A.; Hirayama, T.; Uwatoko, Y. [Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581 (Japan); Hedo, M. [Faculty of Science, University of Ryukyus, Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213 (Japan); Kagi, H. [Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

2014-09-15

We described an integrated-fin gasket technique for the palm cubic-anvil apparatus specialized for the high-pressure and low-temperature measurements. By using such a gasket made from the semi-sintered MgO ceramics and the tungsten-carbide anvils of 2.5 mm square top, we successfully generate pressures over 16 GPa at both room and cryogenic temperatures down to 0.5 K. We observed a pressure self-increment for this specific configuration and further characterized the thermally induced pressure variation by monitoring the antiferromagnetic transition temperature of chromium up to 12 GPa. In addition to enlarge the pressure capacity, such a modified gasket also improves greatly the surviving rate of electrical leads hanging the sample inside a Teflon capsule filled with the liquid pressure-transmitting medium. These improvements should be attributed to the reduced extrusion of gasket materials during the initial compression.

Spray-loading: A cryogenic deposition method for diamond anvil cell

Science.gov (United States)

Scelta, Demetrio; Ceppatelli, Matteo; Ballerini, Riccardo; Hajeb, Ahmed; Peruzzini, Maurizio; Bini, Roberto

2018-05-01

An efficient loading technique has been developed for flammable, toxic, or explosive gases which can be condensed at liquid nitrogen temperature and ambient pressure in membrane diamond anvil cells (DACs). This cryogenic technique consists in a deposition of small quantities of the desired gas directly into the sample chamber. The deposition is performed using a capillary that reaches the space between the diamond anvils. The DAC is kept under inert gas overpressure during the whole process, in order to avoid contamination from atmospheric O2, CO2, and H2O. This technique provides significant advantages over standard cryo-loading and gas-loading when the condensation of dangerous samples at liquid nitrogen temperature raises safety concerns because it allows dealing with minimum quantities of condensed gases. The whole procedure is particularly fast and efficient. The "spray-loading" has been successfully used in our laboratory to load several samples including acetylene, ammonia, ethylene, and carbon dioxide/water or red phosphorus/NH3 mixtures.

The impact of cloud vertical profile on liquid water path retrieval based on the bispectral method: A theoretical study based on large-eddy simulations of shallow marine boundary layer clouds.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Daniel J; Zhang, Zhibo; Ackerman, Andrew S; Platnick, Steven; Baum, Bryan A

2016-04-27

Passive optical retrievals of cloud liquid water path (LWP), like those implemented for Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), rely on cloud vertical profile assumptions to relate optical thickness ( τ ) and effective radius ( r e ) retrievals to LWP. These techniques typically assume that shallow clouds are vertically homogeneous; however, an adiabatic cloud model is plausibly more realistic for shallow marine boundary layer cloud regimes. In this study a satellite retrieval simulator is used to perform MODIS-like satellite retrievals, which in turn are compared directly to the large-eddy simulation (LES) output. This satellite simulator creates a framework for rigorous quantification of the impact that vertical profile features have on LWP retrievals, and it accomplishes this while also avoiding sources of bias present in previous observational studies. The cloud vertical profiles from the LES are often more complex than either of the two standard assumptions, and the favored assumption was found to be sensitive to cloud regime (cumuliform/stratiform). Confirming previous studies, drizzle and cloud top entrainment of dry air are identified as physical features that bias LWP retrievals away from adiabatic and toward homogeneous assumptions. The mean bias induced by drizzle-influenced profiles was shown to be on the order of 5-10 g/m 2 . In contrast, the influence of cloud top entrainment was found to be smaller by about a factor of 2. A theoretical framework is developed to explain variability in LWP retrievals by introducing modifications to the adiabatic r e profile. In addition to analyzing bispectral retrievals, we also compare results with the vertical profile sensitivity of passive polarimetric retrieval techniques.

The impact of cloud vertical profile on liquid water path retrieval based on the bispectral method: A theoretical study based on large-eddy simulations of shallow marine boundary layer clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Daniel J.; Zhang, Zhibo; Ackerman, Andrew S.; Platnick, Steven; Baum, Bryan A.

2018-01-01

Passive optical retrievals of cloud liquid water path (LWP), like those implemented for Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), rely on cloud vertical profile assumptions to relate optical thickness (τ) and effective radius (re) retrievals to LWP. These techniques typically assume that shallow clouds are vertically homogeneous; however, an adiabatic cloud model is plausibly more realistic for shallow marine boundary layer cloud regimes. In this study a satellite retrieval simulator is used to perform MODIS-like satellite retrievals, which in turn are compared directly to the large-eddy simulation (LES) output. This satellite simulator creates a framework for rigorous quantification of the impact that vertical profile features have on LWP retrievals, and it accomplishes this while also avoiding sources of bias present in previous observational studies. The cloud vertical profiles from the LES are often more complex than either of the two standard assumptions, and the favored assumption was found to be sensitive to cloud regime (cumuliform/stratiform). Confirming previous studies, drizzle and cloud top entrainment of dry air are identified as physical features that bias LWP retrievals away from adiabatic and toward homogeneous assumptions. The mean bias induced by drizzle-influenced profiles was shown to be on the order of 5–10 g/m2. In contrast, the influence of cloud top entrainment was found to be smaller by about a factor of 2. A theoretical framework is developed to explain variability in LWP retrievals by introducing modifications to the adiabatic re profile. In addition to analyzing bispectral retrievals, we also compare results with the vertical profile sensitivity of passive polarimetric retrieval techniques. PMID:29637042

A Peltier cooling diamond anvil cell for low-temperature Raman spectroscopic measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Noguchi, Naoki; Okuchi, Takuo

2016-12-01

A new cooling system using Peltier modules is presented for a low-temperature diamond anvil cell instrument. This cooling system has many advantages: it is vibration-free, low-cost, and compact. It consists of double-stacked Peltier modules and heat sinks, where a cooled ethylene glycol-water mixture flows through a chiller. Current is applied to the Peltier modules by two programmable DC power supplies. Sample temperature can be controlled within the range 210-300 K with a precision of ±0.1 K via a Proportional-Integral-Differential (PID) control loop. A Raman spectroscopic study for the H2O ice VII-VIII transition is shown as an example of an application of the Peltier cooling diamond anvil cell system.

A Ground-Based Doppler Radar and Micropulse Lidar Forward Simulator for GCM Evaluation of Arctic Mixed-Phase Clouds: Moving Forward Towards an Apples-to-apples Comparison of Hydrometeor Phase

Science.gov (United States)

Lamer, K.; Fridlind, A. M.; Ackerman, A. S.; Kollias, P.; Clothiaux, E. E.

2017-12-01

An important aspect of evaluating Artic cloud representation in a general circulation model (GCM) consists of using observational benchmarks which are as equivalent as possible to model output in order to avoid methodological bias and focus on correctly diagnosing model dynamical and microphysical misrepresentations. However, current cloud observing systems are known to suffer from biases such as limited sensitivity, and stronger response to large or small hydrometeors. Fortunately, while these observational biases cannot be corrected, they are often well understood and can be reproduced in forward simulations. Here a ground-based millimeter wavelength Doppler radar and micropulse lidar forward simulator able to interface with output from the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) ModelE GCM is presented. ModelE stratiform hydrometeor fraction, mixing ratio, mass-weighted fall speed and effective radius are forward simulated to vertically-resolved profiles of radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity and spectrum width as well as lidar backscatter and depolarization ratio. These forward simulated fields are then compared to Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) North Slope of Alaska (NSA) ground-based observations to assess cloud vertical structure (CVS). Model evalution of Arctic mixed-phase cloud would also benefit from hydrometeor phase evaluation. While phase retrieval from synergetic observations often generates large uncertainties, the same retrieval algorithm can be applied to observed and forward-simulated radar-lidar fields, thereby producing retrieved hydrometeor properties with potentially the same uncertainties. Comparing hydrometeor properties retrieved in exactly the same way aims to produce the best apples-to-apples comparisons between GCM ouputs and observations. The use of a comprenhensive ground-based forward simulator coupled with a hydrometeor classification retrieval algorithm provides a new perspective for GCM evaluation of Arctic mixed

Microphysical characteristics of squall-line stratiform precipitation and transition zones inferred using an ice particle property-evolving model

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, A. A.; Harrington, J. Y.; Morrison, H.

2017-12-01

A quasi-idealized 3D squall line (based on a June 2007 Oklahoma case) is simulated using a novel bulk microphysics scheme called the Ice-Spheroids Habit Model with Aspect-ratio Evolution (ISHMAEL). In ISHMAEL, the evolution of ice particle properties, such as mass, shape, maximum diameter, density, and fall speed, are tracked as these properties evolve from vapor growth, sublimation, riming, and melting. Thus, ice properties evolve from various microphysical processes without needing separate unrimed and rimed ice categories. Simulation results show that ISHMAEL produces both a squall-line transition zone and an enhanced stratiform precipitation region. The ice particle properties produced in this simulation are analyzed and compared to observations to determine the characteristics of ice that lead to the development of these squall-line features. It is shown that rimed particles advected rearward from the convective region produce the enhanced stratiform precipitation region. The development of the transition zone results from hydrometer sorting: the evolution of ice particle properties in the convective region produces specific fall speeds that favor significant ice advecting rearward of the transition zone before reaching the melting level, causing a local minimum in precipitation rate and reflectivity there. Microphysical sensitivity studies, for example turning rime splintering off, that lead to changes in ice particle properties reveal that the fall speed of ice particles largely determines both the location of the enhanced stratiform precipitation region and whether or not a transition zone forms.

On the Wave Stresses in the Rods of Anvil Hammers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. M. Sinitskiy

2014-01-01

Full Text Available With operating anvil hammers, there are rigid impacts of die tools, and as a result, almost instantaneous impact stops of the falling parts of hammer. Such operating conditions lead to the accelerated breakdowns of rods because of significant wave stresses arising in them. Common differential and integral methods to estimate wave stresses are widespread in engineering practice. However, to use them a researcher has to possess certain skills and special software. We consider the method for estimating the wave stresses in the rods of anvil hammers based on Laplace transforms (LT of wave equation. The article shows a procedure to set up and solve differential wave equations by operator method. These equations describe the wave propagation process of strains and stresses in the rods of anvil hammers with rigid impact and taking into account a damping rod connection with the head of hammer. The method takes into consideration an influence of both piston and rod weights and of mechanical and geometrical characteristics of rod on the stress value in the placement of rod in hammer head. Results analysis shows that a sufficiently efficient method for practical improving the durability of rods is the method of damping impact load on the rod through setting the damping devices in the form either of elastic "pad" of one or another design or of hydraulic shock absorbers in the placement of its connection with the hammer head. In this case there is a change of the wave front, it becomes flatter. It is shown that the stresses in the rod are proportional to the amount of wave stresses because of the own impact of rod and piston, which make a total weight of the system. Effect of piston weight on the stresses value at the rod during impact is directly proportional to the ratio of its weight to the rod weight. The geometric parameters of rod and the speed of the falling parts before the impact also influence on the value of stresses in the rod.The represented

Microphysical variability of vigorous Amazonian deep convection observed by CloudSat, and relevance for cloud-resolving model

Science.gov (United States)

Dodson, J. B.; Taylor, P. C.

2017-12-01

The number and varieties of both satellite cloud observations and cloud simulations are increasing rapidly. This create a challenge in identifying the best methods for quantifying the physical processes associated with deep convection, and then comparing convective observations with simulations. The use of satellite simulators in conjunction with model output is an increasingly popular method of comparison studies. However, the complexity of deep convective systems renders simplistic comparison metrics hazardous, possibly resulting is misleading or even contradicting conclusions. To investigate this, CloudSat observations of Amazonian deep convective cores (DCCs) and associated anvils are compared and contrasted with output from cloud resolving models in a manner that both highlights microphysical proprties of observed convection, and displays the effects of microphysical parameterizations on allowing robust comparisons. First, contoured frequency by altitude diagrams (CFAD) are calculated from the reflectivity fields of DCCs observed by CloudSat. This reveals two distinct modes of hydrometeor variability in the high level cloud region, with one dominated by snow and aggregates, and the other by large graupel and hail. Second, output from the superparameterized Community Atmospheric Model (SP-CAM) data are processed with the Quickbeam radar simulator to produce CFADs which can be compared with the observed CFADs. Two versions of SP-CAM are used, with one (version 4) having single-moment microphysics which excludes graupel/hail, and the other (version 5) a double-moment scheme with graupel. The change from version 4 to 5 improves the reflectivity CFAD, even without corresponding changes to non-hydrometeor fields such as vertical velocity. However, it does not produce a realistic double hydrometeor mode. Finally, the influences of microphysics are further tested in the System for Atmospheric Modeling (SAM), which allows for higher control over model parameters than

Comparison between beryllium and diamond-backing plates in diamond-anvil cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Periotto, Benedetta; Nestola, Fabrizio; Balic Zunic, Tonci

2011-01-01

A direct comparison between two complete intensity datasets, collected on the same sample loaded in two identical diamond-anvil pressure cells equipped, respectively, with beryllium and diamond backing plates was performed. The results clearly demonstrate that the use of diamond-backing plates...

A comparison of ground and satellite observations of cloud cover to saturation pressure differences during a cold air outbreak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alliss, R.J.; Raman, S. [North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States)

1996-04-01

The role of clouds in the atmospheric general circulation and the global climate is twofold. First, clouds owe their origin to large-scale dynamical forcing, radiative cooling in the atmosphere, and turbulent transfer at the surface. In addition, they provide one of the most important mechanisms for the vertical redistribution of momentum and sensible and latent heat for the large scale, and they influence the coupling between the atmosphere and the surface as well as the radiative and dynamical-hydrological balance. In existing diagnostic cloudiness parameterization schemes, relative humidity is the most frequently used variable for estimating total cloud amount or stratiform cloud amount. However, the prediction of relative humidity in general circulation models (GCMs) is usually poor. Even for the most comprehensive GCMs, the predicted relative humidity may deviate greatly from that observed, as far as the frequency distribution of relative humidity is concerned. Recently, there has been an increased effort to improve the representation of clouds and cloud-radiation feedback in GCMs, but the verification of cloudiness parameterization schemes remains a severe problem because of the lack of observational data sets. In this study, saturation pressure differences (as opposed to relative humidity) and satellite-derived cloud heights and amounts are compared with ground determinations of cloud cover over the Gulf Stream Locale (GSL) during a cold air outbreak.

Effects of Friction and Anvil Design on Plastic Deformation during the Compression Stage of High-Pressure Torsion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Yuepeng; Chen, Miaomiao; Xu, Baoyan; Guo, Jing; Xu, Lingfeng; Wang, Zheng [Mechanical and Electronic Engineering College, Tai’an (China); Gao, Dongsheng [Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Machineries and Equipments, Tai’an (China); Kim, Hyoung Seop [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang (Korea, Republic of)

2016-11-15

Herein, we report the results of our investigation on the effect of friction and anvil design on the heterogeneous plastic-deformation characteristics of copper during the compressive stage of high-pressure torsion (HPT), using the finite element method. The results indicate that the friction and anvil geometry play important roles in the homogeneity of the deformation. These variables affect the heterogeneous level of strain in the HPT compressed disks, as well as the flash in the disk edge region. The heterogeneous plastic deformation of the disks becomes more severe with the increasing depth of the cavity, as anvil angle and friction coefficient increase. However, the homogeneity increases with increases in the wall angle. The length of flash and the area of the dead metal zone increase with the depth of the cavity, while they decrease at a wall angle of 180°.

In search of the best match: probing a multi-dimensional cloud microphysical parameter space to better understand what controls cloud thermodynamic phase

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Ivy; Storelvmo, Trude

2015-04-01

Substantial improvements have been made to the cloud microphysical schemes used in the latest generation of global climate models (GCMs), however, an outstanding weakness of these schemes lies in the arbitrariness of their tuning parameters, which are also notoriously fraught with uncertainties. Despite the growing effort in improving the cloud microphysical schemes in GCMs, most of this effort has neglected to focus on improving the ability of GCMs to accurately simulate the present-day global distribution of thermodynamic phase partitioning in mixed-phase clouds. Liquid droplets and ice crystals not only influence the Earth's radiative budget and hence climate sensitivity via their contrasting optical properties, but also through the effects of their lifetimes in the atmosphere. The current study employs NCAR's CAM5.1, and uses observations of cloud phase obtained by NASA's CALIOP lidar over a 79-month period (November 2007 to June 2014) guide the accurate simulation of the global distribution of mixed-phase clouds in 20∘ latitudinal bands at the -10∘ C, -20∘C and -30∘C isotherms, by adjusting six relevant cloud microphysical tuning parameters in the CAM5.1 via Quasi-Monte Carlo sampling. Among the parameters include those that control the Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen (WBF) timescale for the conversion of supercooled liquid droplets to ice and snow in mixed-phase clouds, the fraction of ice nuclei that nucleate ice in the atmosphere, ice crystal sedimentation speed, and wet scavenging in stratiform and convective clouds. Using a Generalized Linear Model as a variance-based sensitivity analysis, the relative contributions of each of the six parameters are quantified to gain a better understanding of the importance of their individual and two-way interaction effects on the liquid to ice proportion in mixed-phase clouds. Thus, the methodology implemented in the current study aims to search for the combination of cloud microphysical parameters in a GCM that

The gem anvil cell: high-pressure behaviour of diamond and related materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Jian; Mao Hokwang; Hemley, Russell J

2002-01-01

The moissanite anvil cell has been used to study the high-pressure behaviour of diamond. The first-order Raman shift of diamond shows a strong dependence on hydrostaticity, with very different pressure dependences observed under hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic conditions. The shift of the second-order Raman band under hydrostatic pressures was determined for the first time. Sapphire has almost no peaks above 1000 cm -1 in the Raman spectrum and no absorption in the ultraviolet range; it is therefore especially useful for studies in those spectral regions. A sapphire anvil cell was used in a study of graphite up to 24 GPa. A phase transition was found near 18 GPa, consistent with previous reports, and no peaks characteristic of diamond in the 1330 cm -1 range were found, indicating that the phase is not diamond

The gem anvil cell: high-pressure behaviour of diamond and related materials

CERN Document Server

Xu Jian; Hemley, R J

2002-01-01

The moissanite anvil cell has been used to study the high-pressure behaviour of diamond. The first-order Raman shift of diamond shows a strong dependence on hydrostaticity, with very different pressure dependences observed under hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic conditions. The shift of the second-order Raman band under hydrostatic pressures was determined for the first time. Sapphire has almost no peaks above 1000 cm sup - sup 1 in the Raman spectrum and no absorption in the ultraviolet range; it is therefore especially useful for studies in those spectral regions. A sapphire anvil cell was used in a study of graphite up to 24 GPa. A phase transition was found near 18 GPa, consistent with previous reports, and no peaks characteristic of diamond in the 1330 cm sup - sup 1 range were found, indicating that the phase is not diamond.

A multi-sensor study of the impact of ground-based glaciogenic seeding on orogrpahic clouds and precipitation

Science.gov (United States)

Pokharel, Binod

This dissertation examines reflectivity data from three different radar systems, as well as airborne and ground-based in situ particle imaging data, to study the impact of ground-based glaciogenic seeding on orographic clouds and precipitation formed over the mountains in southern Wyoming. The data for this study come from the AgI Seeding Cloud Impact Investigation (ASCII) field campaign conducted over the Sierra Madre mountains in 2012 (ASCII-12) and over the Medicine Bow mountains in 2013 (ASCII-13) in the context of the Wyoming Weather Modification Pilot Project (WWMPP). The campaigns were supported by a network of ground-based instruments, including a microwave radiometer, two profiling Ka-band Micro Rain Radars (MRRs), a Doppler on Wheels (DOW), rawinsondes, a Cloud Particle Imager, and a Parsivel disdrometer. The University of Wyoming King Air with profiling Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR) conducted nine successful flights in ASCII-12, and eight flights in ASCII-13. WCR profiles from these flights are combined with those from seven other flights, which followed the same geographically-fixed pattern in 2008-09 (pre-ASCII) over the Medicine Bow range. All sampled storms were relatively shallow, with low-level air forced over the target mountain, and cold enough to support ice initiation by silver iodide (AgI) nuclei in cloud. Three detailed case studies are conducted, each with different atmospheric conditions and different cloud and snow growth properties: one case (21 Feb 2012) is stratiform, with strong winds and cloud droplets too small to enable snow growth by accretion (riming). A second case (13 Feb 2012) contains shallow convective cells. Clouds in the third case study (22 Feb 2012) are stratiform but contain numerous large droplets (mode ~35 microm in diameter), large enough for ice particle growth by riming. These cases and all others, each with a treated period following an untreated period, show that a clear seeding signature is not immediately apparent

Assessment of the Performance of the Chilbolton 3-GHz Advanced Meteorological Radar for Cloud-Top-Height Retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Naud, C. M.; Muller, J.-P.; Slack, E. C.; Wrench, C. L.; Clothiaux, E. E.

2005-06-01

The Chilbolton 3-GHz Advanced Meteorological Radar (CAMRa), which is mounted on a fully steerable 25-m dish, can provide three-dimensional information on the presence of hydrometeors. The potential for this radar to make useful measurements of low-altitude liquid water cloud structure is investigated. To assess the cloud-height assignment capabilities of the 3-GHz radar, low-level cloud-top heights were retrieved from CAMRa measurements made between May and July 2003 and were compared with cloud-top heights retrieved from a vertically pointing 94-GHz radar that operates alongside CAMRa. The average difference between the 94- and 3-GHz radar-derived cloud-top heights is shown to be -0.1 ± 0.4 km. To assess the capability of 3-GHz radar scans to be used for satellite-derived cloud-top-height validation, multiangle imaging spectroradiometer (MISR) cloud-top heights were compared with both 94- and 3-GHz radar retrievals. The average difference between 94-GHz radar and MISR cloud-top heights is shown to be 0.1 ± 0.3 km, while the 3-GHz radar and MISR average cloud-top-height difference is shown to be -0.2 ± 0.6 km. In assessing the value of the CAMRa measurements, the problems associated with low-reflectivity values from stratiform liquid water clouds, ground clutter, and Bragg scattering resulting from turbulent mixing are all addressed. It is shown that, despite the difficulties, the potential exists for CAMRa measurements to contribute significantly to liquid water cloud-top-height retrievals, leading to the production of two-dimensional transects (i.e., maps) of cloud-top height.

The tropical water and energy cycles in a cumulus ensemble model. Part 1: Equilibrium climate

Science.gov (United States)

Sui, C. H.; Lau, K. M.; Tao, W. K.; Simpson, J.

1994-01-01

A cumulus ensemble model is used to study the tropical water and energy cycles and their role in the climate system. The model includes cloud dynamics, radiative processes, and microphysics that incorporate all important production and conversion processes among water vapor and five species of hydrometeors. Radiative transfer in clouds is parameterized based on cloud contents and size distributions of each bulk hydrometeor. Several model integrations have been carried out under a variety of imposed boundary and large-scale conditions. In Part 1 of this paper, the primary focus is on the water and heat budgets of the control experiment, which is designed to simulate the convective - radiative equilibrium response of the model to an imposed vertical velocity and a fixed sea surface temperature at 28 C. The simulated atmosphere is conditionally unstable below the freezing level and close to neutral above the freezing level. The equilibrium water budget shows that the total moisture source, M(sub s), which is contributed by surface evaporation (0.24 M(sub s)) and the large-scale advection (0.76 M(sub s)), all converts to mean surface precipitation bar-P(sub s). Most of M(sub s) is transported verticaly in convective regions where much of the condensate is generated and falls to surface (0.68 bar-P(sub s)). The remaining condensate detrains at a rate of 0.48 bar-P(sub s) and constitutes 65% of the source for stratiform clouds above the melting level. The upper-level stratiform cloud dissipates into clear environment at a rate of 0.14 bar-P(sub s), which is a significant moisture source comparable to the detrained water vapor (0.15 bar-P(sub s)) to the upper troposphere from convective clouds. In the lower troposphere, stratiform clouds evaporate at a rate of 0.41 bar-P(sub s), which is a more dominant moisture source than surface evaporation (0.22 bar-P(sub s)). The precipitation falling to the surface in the stratiform region is about 0.32 bar-P(sub s). The associated

Time differentiated nuclear resonance spectroscopy coupled with pulsed laser heating in diamond anvil cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kupenko, I., E-mail: kupenko@esrf.fr; Strohm, C. [Bayerisches Geoinstitut, Universität Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth (Germany); ESRF-The European Synchrotron, CS 40220, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); McCammon, C.; Cerantola, V.; Petitgirard, S.; Dubrovinsky, L. [Bayerisches Geoinstitut, Universität Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth (Germany); Glazyrin, K. [Photon Science, DESY, D-22607 Hamburg (Germany); Vasiukov, D.; Aprilis, G. [Laboratory of Crystallography, Material Physics and Technology at Extreme Conditions, Universität Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth (Germany); Chumakov, A. I.; Rüffer, R. [ESRF-The European Synchrotron, CS 40220, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)

2015-11-15

Developments in pulsed laser heating applied to nuclear resonance techniques are presented together with their applications to studies of geophysically relevant materials. Continuous laser heating in diamond anvil cells is a widely used method to generate extreme temperatures at static high pressure conditions in order to study the structure and properties of materials found in deep planetary interiors. The pulsed laser heating technique has advantages over continuous heating, including prevention of the spreading of heated sample and/or the pressure medium and, thus, a better stability of the heating process. Time differentiated data acquisition coupled with pulsed laser heating in diamond anvil cells was successfully tested at the Nuclear Resonance beamline (ID18) of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. We show examples applying the method to investigation of an assemblage containing ε-Fe, FeO, and Fe{sub 3}C using synchrotron Mössbauer source spectroscopy, FeCO{sub 3} using nuclear inelastic scattering, and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} using nuclear forward scattering. These examples demonstrate the applicability of pulsed laser heating in diamond anvil cells to spectroscopic techniques with long data acquisition times, because it enables stable pulsed heating with data collection at specific time intervals that are synchronized with laser pulses.

Simulation and Interpretation of the Genesis of Tropical Storm Gert (2005) as Part of the NASA Tropical Cloud Systems and Processes Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Scott A.; Montgomery, Michael T.; Mallen, Kevin

2009-01-01

Several hypotheses have been put forward for the how tropical cyclones (tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic) first develop circulation at the surface, a key event that needs to occur before a storm can begin to draw energy from the warm ocean. One hypothesis suggests that the surface circulation forms from a "top-down" approach in which a storm s rotating circulation begins at middle levels of the atmosphere and builds down to the surface through processes related to light "stratiform" (horizontally extensive) precipitation. Another hypothesis suggests a bottom-up approach in which deep thunderstorm towers (convection) play the major role in spinning up the flow at the surface. These "hot towers" form in the area of the mid-level circulation and strongly concentrate this rotation at low levels within their updrafts. Merger of several of these hot towers then intensifies the surface circulation to the point in which a storm forms. This paper examines computer simulations of Tropical Storm Gert (2005), which formed in the Gulf of Mexico during the National Aeronautics and Space Administration s (NASA) Tropical Cloud Systems and Processes (TCSP) Experiment, to investigate the development of low-level circulation and, in particular, whether stratiform or hot tower processes were responsible for the storm s formation. Data from NASA satellites and from aircraft were used to show that the model did a good job of reproducing the formation and evolution of Gert. The simulation shows that a mix of both stratiform and convective rainfall occurred within Gert. While the stratiform rainfall clearly acted to increase rotation at middle levels, the diverging outflow beneath the stratiform rain worked against spinning up the low-level winds. The hot towers appeared to dominate the low-level flow, producing intense rotation within their cores and often being associated with significant pressure falls at the surface. Over time, many of these hot towers merged, with each

High-temperature and high-pressure cubic zirconia anvil cell for Raman spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jinyang; Zheng, Haifei; Xiao, Wansheng; Zeng, Yishan

2003-10-01

A simple and inexpensive cubic zirconia anvil cell has been developed for the performance of in situ Raman spectroscopy up to the conditions of 500 degrees C and 30 kbar pressure. The design and construction of this cell are fully described, as well as its applications for Raman spectroscopy. Molybdenum heater wires wrapped around ceramic tubes encircling two cubic zirconia anvils are used to heat samples, and the temperatures are measured and controlled by a Pt-PtRh thermocouple adhered near the sample chamber and an intelligent digital control apparatus. With this cell, Raman spectroscopic measurements have been satisfactorily performed on water at 6000 bar pressure to 455 degrees C and on ice of room temperature to 24 kbar, in which the determinations of pressures make use of changes of the A1 Raman modes of quartz and the shift of the sharpline (R-line) luminescence of ruby, respectively.

Diagnosing Warm Frontal Cloud Formation in a GCM: A Novel Approach Using Conditional Subsetting

Science.gov (United States)

Booth, James F.; Naud, Catherine M.; DelGenio, Anthony D.

2013-01-01

This study analyzes characteristics of clouds and vertical motion across extratropical cyclone warm fronts in the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies general circulation model. The validity of the modeled clouds is assessed using a combination of satellite observations from CloudSat, Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO), Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System (AMSR-E), and the NASA Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis. The analysis focuses on developing cyclones, to test the model's ability to generate their initial structure. To begin, the extratropical cyclones and their warm fronts are objectively identified and cyclone-local fields are mapped into a vertical transect centered on the surface warm front. To further isolate specific physics, the cyclones are separated using conditional subsetting based on additional cyclone-local variables, and the differences between the subset means are analyzed. Conditional subsets are created based on 1) the transect clouds and 2) vertical motion; 3) the strength of the temperature gradient along the warm front, as well as the storm-local 4) wind speed and 5) precipitable water (PW). The analysis shows that the model does not generate enough frontal cloud, especially at low altitude. The subsetting results reveal that, compared to the observations, the model exhibits a decoupling between cloud formation at high and low altitudes across warm fronts and a weak sensitivity to moisture. These issues are caused in part by the parameterized convection and assumptions in the stratiform cloud scheme that are valid in the subtropics. On the other hand, the model generates proper covariability of low-altitude vertical motion and cloud at the warm front and a joint dependence of cloudiness on wind and PW.

Use of Acoustic Emission and Pattern Recognition for Crack Detection of a Large Carbide Anvil.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bin; Wang, Yanan; Yan, Zhaoli

2018-01-29

Large-volume cubic high-pressure apparatus is commonly used to produce synthetic diamond. Due to the high pressure, high temperature and alternative stresses in practical production, cracks often occur in the carbide anvil, thereby resulting in significant economic losses or even casualties. Conventional methods are unsuitable for crack detection of the carbide anvil. This paper is concerned with acoustic emission-based crack detection of carbide anvils, regarded as a pattern recognition problem; this is achieved using a microphone, with methods including sound pulse detection, feature extraction, feature optimization and classifier design. Through analyzing the characteristics of background noise, the cracked sound pulses are separated accurately from the originally continuous signal. Subsequently, three different kinds of features including a zero-crossing rate, sound pressure levels, and linear prediction cepstrum coefficients are presented for characterizing the cracked sound pulses. The original high-dimensional features are adaptively optimized using principal component analysis. A hybrid framework of a support vector machine with k nearest neighbors is designed to recognize the cracked sound pulses. Finally, experiments are conducted in a practical diamond workshop to validate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method.

Cloud Properties Simulated by a Single-Column Model. Part II: Evaluation of Cumulus Detrainment and Ice-phase Microphysics Using a Cloud Resolving Model

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Yali; Krueger, Steven K.; Xu, Kuan-Man

2005-01-01

This paper is the second in a series in which kilometer-scale-resolving observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program and a cloud-resolving model (CRM) are used to evaluate the single-column model (SCM) version of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Global Forecast System model. Part I demonstrated that kilometer-scale cirrus properties simulated by the SCM significantly differ from the cloud radar observations while the CRM simulation reproduced most of the cirrus properties as revealed by the observations. The present study describes an evaluation, through a comparison with the CRM, of the SCM's representation of detrainment from deep cumulus and ice-phase microphysics in an effort to better understand the findings of Part I. It is found that detrainment occurs too infrequently at a single level at a time in the SCM, although the detrainment rate averaged over the entire simulation period is somewhat comparable to that of the CRM simulation. Relatively too much detrained ice is sublimated when first detrained. Snow falls over too deep of a layer due to the assumption that snow source and sink terms exactly balance within one time step in the SCM. These characteristics in the SCM parameterizations may explain many of the differences in the cirrus properties between the SCM and the observations (or between the SCM and the CRM). A possible improvement for the SCM consists of the inclusion of multiple cumulus cloud types as in the original Arakawa-Schubert scheme, prognostically determining the stratiform cloud fraction and snow mixing ratio. This would allow better representation of the detrainment from deep convection, better coupling of the volume of detrained air with cloud fraction, and better representation of snow field.

Numerical simulation of mesoscale surface pressure features with trailing stratiform squall lines using WRF -ARW model over Gangetic West Bengal region

Science.gov (United States)

Dawn, Soma; Satyanarayana, A. N. V.

2018-01-01

In the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate the simulation of mesoscale surface pressure patterns like pre-squall mesolow, mesohigh and wake low associated with leading convective line-trailing stratiform (TS) squall lines over Gangetic West Bengal (GWB). For this purpose, a two way interactive triple nested domain with high resolution WRF model having2 km grid length in the innermost domain is used. The model simulated results are compared with the available in-situ observations obtained as a part of Severe Thunderstorm: Observations and Regional Modeling (STORM) programme, reflectivity products of Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) Kolkata and TRMM rainfall. Three TS squall lines (15 May 2009, 5 May 2010 and 7 May 2010) are chosen during pre-monsoon thunderstorm season for this study. The model simulated results of diurnal variation of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction at the station Kharagpur in GWB region reveal a sudden fall in temperature, increase in the amount of relative humidity and sudden rise in wind speed during the arrival of the storms. Such results are well comparable with the observations though there are some leading or lagging of time in respect of actual occurrences of such events. The study indicates that the model is able to predict the occurrences of three typical surface pressure features namely: pre-squall mesolow, meso high and wake low. The predicted surface parameters like accumulated rainfall, maximum reflectivity and vertical profiles (temperature, relative humidity and winds) are well accorded with the observations. The convective and stratiform precipitation region of the TS squall lines are well represented by the model. A strong downdraft is observed to be a contributory factor for formation of mesohigh in the convective region of the squall line. Wake low is observed to reside in the stratiform rain region and the descending dry air at this place has triggered the wake low through adiabatic

Automatic annotation of head velocity and acceleration in Anvil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jongejan, Bart

2012-01-01

We describe an automatic face tracker plugin for the ANVIL annotation tool. The face tracker produces data for velocity and for acceleration in two dimensions. We compare the annotations generated by the face tracking algorithm with independently made manual annotations for head movements....... The annotations are a useful supplement to manual annotations and may help human annotators to quickly and reliably determine onset of head movements and to suggest which kind of head movement is taking place....

Validation Study of Unnotched Charpy and Taylor-Anvil Impact Experiments using Kayenta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamojjala, Krishna [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Lacy, Jeffrey [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Chu, Henry S. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Brannon, Rebecca [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2015-03-01

Validation of a single computational model with multiple available strain-to-failure fracture theories is presented through experimental tests and numerical simulations of the standardized unnotched Charpy and Taylor-anvil impact tests, both run using the same material model (Kayenta). Unnotched Charpy tests are performed on rolled homogeneous armor steel. The fracture patterns using Kayenta’s various failure options that include aleatory uncertainty and scale effects are compared against the experiments. Other quantities of interest include the average value of the absorbed energy and bend angle of the specimen. Taylor-anvil impact tests are performed on Ti6Al4V titanium alloy. The impact speeds of the specimen are 321 m/s and 393 m/s. The goal of the numerical work is to reproduce the damage patterns observed in the laboratory. For the numerical study, the Johnson-Cook failure model is used as the ductile fracture criterion, and aleatory uncertainty is applied to rate-dependence parameters to explore its effect on the fracture patterns.

Dependence of stratocumulus-topped boundary-layer entrainment on cloud-water sedimentation: Impact on global aerosol indirect effect in GISS ModelE3 single column model and global simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Ackerman, A. S.; Kelley, M.; Cheng, Y.; Fridlind, A. M.; Del Genio, A. D.; Bauer, S.

2017-12-01

Reduction in cloud-water sedimentation induced by increasing droplet concentrations has been shown in large-eddy simulations (LES) and direct numerical simulation (DNS) to enhance boundary-layer entrainment, thereby reducing cloud liquid water path and offsetting the Twomey effect when the overlying air is sufficiently dry, which is typical. Among recent upgrades to ModelE3, the latest version of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) general circulation model (GCM), are a two-moment stratiform cloud microphysics treatment with prognostic precipitation and a moist turbulence scheme that includes an option in its entrainment closure of a simple parameterization for the effect of cloud-water sedimentation. Single column model (SCM) simulations are compared to LES results for a stratocumulus case study and show that invoking the sedimentation-entrainment parameterization option indeed reduces the dependence of cloud liquid water path on increasing aerosol concentrations. Impacts of variations of the SCM configuration and the sedimentation-entrainment parameterization will be explored. Its impact on global aerosol indirect forcing in the framework of idealized atmospheric GCM simulations will also be assessed.

Metasomatic zoning at some stratiform rare metal deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altyntsev, Yu.V.; Bazhenov, M.I.; Bepeshov, G.V.; Komarnitskij, G.M.; Petrov, I.Ya.; Serykh, A.S.

1985-01-01

Metasomatic zoning of stratiform deposits of rare metals (Mo, Pb, As, V, Se, U, etc.) in intermontane depresions, deposited at the postorogenic stage of Paleozoic geosyncline region development, is considered. Geochemical and geophysical characteristics of metasomatic zoning in the case of sloping and steep rock deposition are given. It is established, that in rare metal deposits in variegated deposits of molassoid formation of Middle-Upper Paleozoic the external and internal zones of metasomatic alterations are distinctly separated. The external zone is presented by mineral association: quartz + -albile + -calcite + -epidote; the internal one - by hydromica + -chlorite + -analcite, laumontite + -hematite + -ankerite + -kaolinite. Geochemical zoning is manifested quite regularly at all the deposits and it is subjected to metasomatic zoning. Changes in physical properties of rocks reflect the metasomatic zoning. The character of metasomatic alterations of rocks, geochemical zoning of metasomatites at rare metal deposits in molassoid deposits and spatially contiguous deposits in volcanogenic complexes have common features. A supposition is made on polygenic ore formation in sedimentary rocks of the depressions

Biogenic emissions and biomass burning influences on the chemistry of the fogwater and stratiform precipitations in the African equatorial forest

Science.gov (United States)

Lacaux, J. P.; Loemba-Ndembi, J.; Lefeivre, B.; Cros, B.; Delmas, R.

An automatic wet-only precipitation collector and a fogwater collector were operated in the coastal forest of equatorial Congo (Dimonika), for a complete seasonal cycle (November 1986-September 1987). Inorganic (Na +, K +, NH 4+, Ca 2+, NO 3-, Cl -, SO 42-) and organic (HCOO -, CH 3COO -) ions were determined in 33 stratiform rain events and nine fog events. With the raindrop size distributions, measured over a 1 year period (June 1988-June 1989) at the site of Enyelé in the Equatorial forest of Congo, were established the relationship between the liquid water content ( LWC in gm -3) and the rate of rainfall ( R in mm h -1) for the stratiform rains: LWC = 0.055 × R0.871 with a correlation coefficient of 0.98. Taking into account the dilution effect due to LWC, ionic concentrations of fogwater and stratiform precipitation are enriched during the dry season. In particular, K +, NO 3-, SO 42- and Ca 2+ are considerably enriched indicating the seasonal influence of the biomass burning due to savanna fires and terrigenous source from deserts of the Southern Hemisphere. Comparison of the chemical contents of fogwater—which mainly represents the local emission of the forest—and stratiform precipitation—which represent the air chemical content of the planetary boundary layer—during the dry season enabled us to show the following. Fog and rain with comparable chemical contents in mineral elements indicate a generalized contamination of the boundary layer by marine (Na +, Cl -), terrigenous (Ca 2+) and above all by biomass burning (K +, NO 3-, SO 42-) sources. The organic content (HCOO -, CH 3COO -) higher for the fogs than for rains, unexplainable by the dilution effect, has its source at a local level in the forest ecosystem. The estimation, from the organic content of fog and rain, of the gaseous concentrations of formic and acetic acids confirm the production of carboxylic acids measured in Amazonia during ABLE (for HCOOH : 510 ppt at canopy level and 170 ppt

A diamond-anvil high-pressure cell for X-ray diffraction on a single crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malinowski, M.

1987-01-01

A new diamond-anvil high-pressure cell is described which can be used in single-crystal X-ray diffraction instruments to collect X-ray intensity data from single-crystal samples up to hydrostatic pressures of about 10 GPa. A unique design allows two types of diffraction geometry to be applied in single-crystal high-pressure diffraction experiments. More than 85% of the Ewald sphere is accessible, and a continuous range of 2θ values is available from 0 up to about 160 0 . Pressure may be calibrated by the ruby fluorescence technique or by the use of an internal X-ray-standard single crystal. The design of our diamond-anvil cell would allow, with little or no modification, operation at high and low temperatures, optical studies and powder diffractometer work. (orig.)

The Role of Aerosols on Precipitation Processes: Cloud Resolving Model Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Wei-Kuo; Li, X.; Matsui, T.

2012-01-01

identify the impact of ice processes, radiation and large-scale influence on cloud-aerosol interactive processes, especially regarding surface rainfall amounts and characteristics (i.e., heavy or convective versus light or stratiform types). In addition, an inert tracer was included to follow the vertical redistribution of aerosols by cloud processes. We will also give a brief review from observational evidence on the role of aerosol on precipitation processes.

Analysis of the moments and parameters of a gamma DSD to infer precipitation properties: A convective stratiform discrimination algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Caracciolo, C.; Prodi, F.; Battaglia, A.; Porcu', F.

2006-05-01

Drop size distribution is a fundamental property of rainfall for two main reasons: the shape of the distribution reflects the physics of rain formation processes, and it is of basic importance in determining most parameters used in radar-meteorology. Therefore, several authors have proposed in the past different parameterizations for the drop size distribution (DSD). The present work focuses attention on the gamma DSD properties, assumed to be the most suitable for describing the observed DSD and its variability. The data set comprises about 3 years of data (2001-2004) for about 1900 min of rain, collected in Ferrara in the Po Valley (Northern Italy) by a Joss and Waldvogel (JW) disdrometer. A new method of moments to determine the three gamma DSD parameters is developed and tested; this method involves the fourth, fifth and sixth moments of the DSD, which are less sensitive to the underestimation of small drops in the JW disdrometer. The method has been validated by comparing the observed rainfall rates with the computed ones from the fitted distribution, using two classical expressions for the hydrometeor terminal velocity. The 1-min observed spectra of some representative events that occurred in Ferrara are also presented, showing that with sufficient averaging, the distribution for the Ferrara rainfall can be approximately described by a gamma distribution. The discrimination of convective and stratiform precipitation is also an issue of intense interest. Over the past years, several works have aimed to discriminate between these two precipitation categories, on the basis of different instruments and techniques. The knowledge of the three gamma DSD parameters computed with the new method of moments is exploited to identify some characteristic parameters that give quantitative and useful information on the precipitation type and intensity. First, a key parameter derived from the knowledge of two gamma DSD parameters ( m and Λ), the peak (or modal) diameter Dp

Cluster analysis of midlatitude oceanic cloud regimes: mean properties and temperature sensitivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. D. Gordon

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Clouds play an important role in the climate system by reducing the amount of shortwave radiation reaching the surface and the amount of longwave radiation escaping to space. Accurate simulation of clouds in computer models remains elusive, however, pointing to a lack of understanding of the connection between large-scale dynamics and cloud properties. This study uses a k-means clustering algorithm to group 21 years of satellite cloud data over midlatitude oceans into seven clusters, and demonstrates that the cloud clusters are associated with distinct large-scale dynamical conditions. Three clusters correspond to low-level cloud regimes with different cloud fraction and cumuliform or stratiform characteristics, but all occur under large-scale descent and a relatively dry free troposphere. Three clusters correspond to vertically extensive cloud regimes with tops in the middle or upper troposphere, and they differ according to the strength of large-scale ascent and enhancement of tropospheric temperature and humidity. The final cluster is associated with a lower troposphere that is dry and an upper troposphere that is moist and experiencing weak ascent and horizontal moist advection.

Since the present balance of reflection of shortwave and absorption of longwave radiation by clouds could change as the atmosphere warms from increasing anthropogenic greenhouse gases, we must also better understand how increasing temperature modifies cloud and radiative properties. We therefore undertake an observational analysis of how midlatitude oceanic clouds change with temperature when dynamical processes are held constant (i.e., partial derivative with respect to temperature. For each of the seven cloud regimes, we examine the difference in cloud and radiative properties between warm and cold subsets. To avoid misinterpreting a cloud response to large-scale dynamical forcing as a cloud response to temperature, we require horizontal and vertical

Very high pressure Moessbauer spectroscopy using diamond anvil cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasternak, M.P.; Taylor, R.D.

1988-01-01

The technique of generating very high pressure by means of Diamond Anvil Cells (DAC) for Mossbauer Effect applications is outlined. A comprehensive description is presented of the principles of DAC, modification for the use in M/umlt o/ssbauer Spectroscopy (MS), the Merrill--Bassett and Bassett cells, of pressure measurements, of gasketing and collimation, and of hydrostatic media. Examples of 151 Eu, 119 Sn and 129 I are given showing the feasibility of DAC applications in MS. Other isotopes with potential use for high pressure MS using DAC are suggested. 27 refs., 9 figs

Role of mixed precipitating cloud systems on the typhoon rainfall

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. J. Pan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available L-band wind profiler data are utilized to diagnose the vertical structure of the typhoon precipitating cloud systems in Taiwan. For several typhoons, a pronounced bright band (BB around 5 km is commonly observed from the observation. Since strong convection within typhoon circulation may disturb and/or disrupt the melting layer, the BB shall not appear persistently. Hence, an understanding of the vertical structure of the BB region is important because it holds extensive hydrometeors information on the type of precipitation and its variability. Wind profiler observational results suggest that the mixture of convective and stratiform (embedded type clouds are mostly associated with typhoons. In the case of one typhoon, BB is appeared around 5.5 km with embedded precipitation and also BB height of 1 km higher than ordinary showery precipitation. This is evident from the long-term observations of wind profiler and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. The Doppler velocity profiles show hydrometers (ice/snow at 6 km but liquid below 5 km for typhoons and 4 km for showery precipitation. In the BB region the melting particles accelerations of 5.8 ms−1 km−1 and 3.2 ms−1 km−1 are observed for typhoon and showery precipitation, respectively.

Calibration of an isotopically enriched carbon-13 layer pressure sensor to 156 GPa in a diamond anvil cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu Wei; Baker, Paul A.; Velisavljevic, Nenad; Vohra, Yogesh K.; Weir, Samuel T.

2006-01-01

An isotopically enriched 13 C homoepitaxial diamond layer of 6±1 μm thickness was grown on top of a brilliant cut diamond anvil by a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition process for application as a pressure sensor. This isotopically enriched diamond tip was then used in conjunction with a natural isotopic abundance diamond anvil to generate high pressure on the sample. We provide a calibration for the 13 C Raman mode of this extremely thin epitaxial layer to 156 GPa using ruby fluorescence and the equation of state of copper as secondary pressure standards. The nonlinear calibration of the 13 C Raman mode pressure sensor is compared with similar calibrations of 12 C Raman edge and a good agreement is obtained. The Raman signal from the 13 C epitaxial layer remained a distinct singlet to 156 GPa, and pressure calibration is independent of sample mechanical strength or the diamond anvil geometry. The use of even thinner layer would allow calibration further into ultrahigh pressure regime where the use of other optical sensors has proven to be difficult

Impacts of microphysics, radiation and environmental winds in mid-latitude and tropical squall-line systems, and their climatic implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chin, Hung-Neng.

1994-08-01

Cloud-radiation feedback has been identified as the most important factor limiting general circulation models (GCMS) to further progress in climate change research (Cess et al., 1989). It is also regarded as a major uncertainty in estimating the impact of greenhouse gases on climate simulations. As a result, many GCMs showed high sensitivity to the treatment of clouds and cloud radiative properties. Therefore, a better understanding of cloud-radiation feedback on the large-scale environment is absolutely essential to improve the representation of cloud processes in GCMS. To this end, a cloud model with enhanced model physics is used to study the impact of cloud-radiation interactions on mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). Case studies representing a variety of convective systems are important to generalize the overall effects of anvil clouds on the large-scale environment. Our primary interesting is limited to the MCSs in an environment with substantial wind shear, such as squall-line systems, because they have longer lifetime and wider coverage to impact the earth radiation budget and climate. The objective of this study is to investigate the impacts of microphysics, radiation and environmental winds on mid-latitude continental and tropical oceanic squall-line systems. Comparisons between these two systems are presented. Recent studies indicated that the vertical shear of the environmental wind plays an important role in the formation of the anvil cloud through the tilting of MCSS. However, this process has not been represented in GCMS. A detailed investigation on the formation of anvil clouds and their relationship to cumulus portions of MCSs would help develop a better cloud parameterization for use in GCMS. Two important issues are addressed through these comparisons. First, what factors cause the differences between mid-latitude and tropical anvil clouds? Second, do these differences have climatic implications to improve our climate forecasting ability?

RACORO continental boundary layer cloud investigations: 1. Case study development and ensemble large-scale forcings

Science.gov (United States)

Vogelmann, Andrew M.; Fridlind, Ann M.; Toto, Tami; Endo, Satoshi; Lin, Wuyin; Wang, Jian; Feng, Sha; Zhang, Yunyan; Turner, David D.; Liu, Yangang; Li, Zhijin; Xie, Shaocheng; Ackerman, Andrew S.; Zhang, Minghua; Khairoutdinov, Marat

2015-06-01

Observation-based modeling case studies of continental boundary layer clouds have been developed to study cloudy boundary layers, aerosol influences upon them, and their representation in cloud- and global-scale models. Three 60 h case study periods span the temporal evolution of cumulus, stratiform, and drizzling boundary layer cloud systems, representing mixed and transitional states rather than idealized or canonical cases. Based on in situ measurements from the Routine AAF (Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Aerial Facility) CLOWD (Clouds with Low Optical Water Depth) Optical Radiative Observations (RACORO) field campaign and remote sensing observations, the cases are designed with a modular configuration to simplify use in large-eddy simulations (LES) and single-column models. Aircraft measurements of aerosol number size distribution are fit to lognormal functions for concise representation in models. Values of the aerosol hygroscopicity parameter, κ, are derived from observations to be 0.10, which are lower than the 0.3 typical over continents and suggestive of a large aerosol organic fraction. Ensemble large-scale forcing data sets are derived from the ARM variational analysis, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and a multiscale data assimilation system. The forcings are assessed through comparison of measured bulk atmospheric and cloud properties to those computed in "trial" large-eddy simulations, where more efficient run times are enabled through modest reductions in grid resolution and domain size compared to the full-sized LES grid. Simulations capture many of the general features observed, but the state-of-the-art forcings were limited at representing details of cloud onset, and tight gradients and high-resolution transients of importance. Methods for improving the initial conditions and forcings are discussed. The cases developed are available to the general modeling community for studying continental boundary clouds.

RACORO Continental Boundary Layer Cloud Investigations: 1. Case Study Development and Ensemble Large-Scale Forcings

Science.gov (United States)

Vogelmann, Andrew M.; Fridlind, Ann M.; Toto, Tami; Endo, Satoshi; Lin, Wuyin; Wang, Jian; Feng, Sha; Zhang, Yunyan; Turner, David D.; Liu, Yangang;

Retrieving latent heating vertical structure from cloud and precipitation Profiles—Part I: Warm rain processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Min, Qilong; Li, Rui; Wu, Xiaoqing; Fu, Yunfei

2013-01-01

An exploratory study on physical based latent heat (LH) retrieval algorithm is conducted by parameterizing the physical linkages of hydrometeor profiles of cloud and precipitation to the major processes related to the phase change of atmospheric water. Specifically, rain events are segregated into three rain types: warm, convective, and stratiform, based on their dynamical and thermodynamical characteristics. As the first of the series, only the warm rain LH algorithm is presented and evaluated here. The major microphysical processes of condensation and evaporation for warm rain are parameterized through traditional rain growth theory, with the aid of Cloud Resolving Model (CRM) simulations. The evaluation or the self-consistency tests indicate that the physical based retrievals capture the fundamental LH processes associated with the warm rain life cycle. There is no significant systematic bias in terms of convection strength, illustrated by the month-long CRM simulation as the mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) experience from initial, mature, to decay stages. The overall monthly-mean LH comparison showed that the total LH, as well as condensation heating and evaporation cooling components, agree with the CRM simulation. -- Highlights: ► An exploratory study on physics-based warm rain latent heat retrieval algorithm. ► Utilize the full information of the vertical structures of cloud and rainfall. ► Directly link water mass measurements to latent heat at instantaneous pixel level. ► Applicable at various stages of cloud system life cycle

Comparing airborne and satellite retrievals of cloud optical thickness and particle effective radius using a spectral radiance ratio technique: two case studies for cirrus and deep convective clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Krisna, Trismono C.; Wendisch, Manfred; Ehrlich, André; Jäkel, Evelyn; Werner, Frank; Weigel, Ralf; Borrmann, Stephan; Mahnke, Christoph; Pöschl, Ulrich; Andreae, Meinrat O.; Voigt, Christiane; Machado, Luiz A. T.

2018-04-01

Solar radiation reflected by cirrus and deep convective clouds (DCCs) was measured by the Spectral Modular Airborne Radiation Measurement System (SMART) installed on the German High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft (HALO) during the Mid-Latitude Cirrus (ML-CIRRUS) and the Aerosol, Cloud, Precipitation, and Radiation Interaction and Dynamic of Convective Clouds System - Cloud Processes of the Main Precipitation Systems in Brazil: A Contribution to Cloud Resolving Modelling and to the Global Precipitation Measurement (ACRIDICON-CHUVA) campaigns. On particular flights, HALO performed measurements closely collocated with overpasses of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite. A cirrus cloud located above liquid water clouds and a DCC topped by an anvil cirrus are analyzed in this paper. Based on the nadir spectral upward radiance measured above the two clouds, the optical thickness τ and particle effective radius reff of the cirrus and DCC are retrieved using a radiance ratio technique, which considers the cloud thermodynamic phase, the vertical profile of cloud microphysical properties, the presence of multilayer clouds, and the heterogeneity of the surface albedo. For the cirrus case, the comparison of τ and reff retrieved on the basis of SMART and MODIS measurements yields a normalized mean absolute deviation of up to 1.2 % for τ and 2.1 % for reff. For the DCC case, deviations of up to 3.6 % for τ and 6.2 % for reff are obtained. The larger deviations in the DCC case are mainly attributed to the fast cloud evolution and three-dimensional (3-D) radiative effects. Measurements of spectral upward radiance at near-infrared wavelengths are employed to investigate the vertical profile of reff in the cirrus. The retrieved values of reff are compared with corresponding in situ measurements using a vertical weighting method. Compared to the MODIS observations, measurements of SMART provide more information on the

Comparison of Finite Element Modeling and Experimental Pressure Distribution in a Diamond Anvil Cell

Science.gov (United States)

Kondrat'yev, Andreiy I.; Murphy, Michael J.; Weir, Samuel T.; Vohra, Yogesh K.

2002-10-01

Ultra high pressures can be obtained in a Diamond Anvil Cell (DAC) device by optimizing the geometrical shape of diamond anvil and by use of high strength gasket materials. Radial pressure distribution in a diamond-coated rhenium gasket was measured by the micro-collimated X-ray diffraction techniques at NSLS, Brookhaven National Laboratory up to peak pressure of 220 GPa. The process of DAC compression was described by finite element analysis using NIKE-2D software. The mechanical properties of the diamond-coated gasket material were modeled and radial pressure distribution obtained was in good agreement with the experimental data. The calculated shear stress in diamond in the axial direction was shown to depend strongly on the yield strength of the gasket material and may limit the ultimate pressure that can be obtained with the use of high strength gasket materials. Supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant No. DMR-0203779.

The design and application of a new Bassett-type diamond anvil cell for spectroscopic analysis of supercritical aqueous solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, A.J.; Meredith, P.R.; Bassett, W.A.; Mayanovic, R.A.; Benmore, C.

2010-01-01

The Bassett-type hydrothermal diamond anvil cell has been modified to facilitate direct x-ray and Raman spectroscopic analysis of aqueous solutions and/or coexisting solid samples at temperatures and pressures above the critical point of water. The new cell provides more sample-detector geometry options for x-ray micro beam analysis and the reduced size of the cell affords a smaller working distance (≥ 14 mm) required for better Raman spectroscopic analysis and microscopic inspection. A shallow recess (300 × 300 × 26.5 μm) milled into one of the diamond anvils is used instead of a metal gasket to contain the aqueous solution. These modifications significantly improve our ability to directly monitor the composition and structure of supercritical fluids and have eliminated the problem of contamination due to the reaction of a metal gasket with supercritical water. The use of the modified hydrothermal diamond anvil cell to characterize the MoO 3 -H 2 O system up to 500 o C will be discussed. (author)

Effects of Resolution on the Simulation of Boundary-layer Clouds and the Partition of Kinetic Energy to Subgrid Scales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anning Cheng

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Seven boundary-layer cloud cases are simulated with UCLA-LES (The University of California, Los Angeles – large eddy simulation model with different horizontal and vertical gridspacing to investigate how the results depend on gridspacing. Some variables are more sensitive to horizontal gridspacing, while others are more sensitive to vertical gridspacing, and still others are sensitive to both horizontal and vertical gridspacings with similar or opposite trends. For cloud-related variables having the opposite dependence on horizontal and vertical gridspacings, changing the gridspacing proportionally in both directions gives the appearance of convergence. In this study, we mainly discuss the impact of subgrid-scale (SGS kinetic energy (KE on the simulations with coarsening of horizontal and vertical gridspacings. A running-mean operator is used to separate the KE of the high-resolution benchmark simulations into that of resolved scales of coarse-resolution simulations and that of SGSs. The diagnosed SGS KE is compared with that parameterized by the Smagorinsky-Lilly SGS scheme at various gridspacings. It is found that the parameterized SGS KE for the coarse-resolution simulations is usually underestimated but the resolved KE is unrealistically large, compared to benchmark simulations. However, the sum of resolved and SGS KEs is about the same for simulations with various gridspacings. The partitioning of SGS and resolved heat and moisture transports is consistent with that of SGS and resolved KE, which means that the parameterized transports are underestimated but resolved-scale transports are overestimated. On the whole, energy shifts to large-scales as the horizontal gridspacing becomes coarse, hence the size of clouds and the resolved circulation increase, the clouds become more stratiform-like with an increase in cloud fraction, cloud liquid-water path and surface precipitation; when coarse vertical gridspacing is used, cloud sizes do not

Observed microphysical changes in Arctic mixed-phase clouds when transitioning from sea ice to open ocean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Young

2016-11-01

airborne observations, of cloud microphysical changes with changing sea ice cover and addresses the question of how the microphysics of Arctic stratiform clouds may change as the region warms and sea ice extent reduces.

A Contribution by Ice Nuclei to Global Warming

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Xiping; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Zhang, Minghua; Hou, Arthur Y.; Xie, Shaocheng; Lang, Stephen; Li, Xiaowen; Starr, David O.; Li, Xiaofan

2009-01-01

Ice nuclei (IN) significantly affect clouds via supercooled droplets, that in turn modulate atmospheric radiation and thus climate change. Since the IN effect is relatively strong in stratiform clouds but weak in convective ones, the overall effect depends on the ratio of stratiform to convective cloud amount. In this paper, 10 years of TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) satellite data are analyzed to confirm that stratiform precipitation fraction increases with increasing latitude, which implies that the IN effect is stronger at higher latitudes. To quantitatively evaluate the IN effect versus latitude, large-scale forcing data from ten field campaigns are used to drive a CRM (cloud-resolving model) to generate longterm cloud simulations. As revealed in the simulations, the increase in the net downward radiative flux at the TOA (top of the atmosphere) from doubling the current IN concentrations is larger at higher latitude, which is attributed to the meridional tendency in the stratiform precipitation fraction. Surface warming from doubling the IN concentrations, based on the radiative balance of the globe, is compared with that from anthropogenic COZ . It is found that the former effect is stronger than the latter in middle and high latitudes but not in the Tropics. With regard to the impact of IN on global warming, there are two factors to consider: the radiative effect from increasing the IN concentration and the increase in IN concentration itself. The former relies on cloud ensembles and thus varies mainly with latitude. In contrast, the latter relies on IN sources (e.g., the land surface distribution) and thus varies not only with latitude but also longitude. Global desertification and industrialization provide clues on the geographic variation of the increase in IN concentration since pre-industrial times. Thus, their effect on global warming can be inferred and then be compared with observations. A general match in geographic and seasonal

Biogenic Aerosol - Effect on Clouds and Climate (BAECC-ERI). Extended Radiosonde Intensive Operational Period Final Campaign Summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nicoll, Ken A. [Univ. of Reading (United Kingdom); O' Connor, E. [Univ. of Helsinki (Finland)

2016-02-01

Large-scale properties of clouds such as lifetime, optical thickness, and precipitation are all dependent on small-scale cloud microphysical processes. Such processes determine when droplets will grow or shrink, their size, and the number of cloud droplets. Although our understanding of cloud microphysics has vastly improved over the past several decades with the development of remote sensing methods such as lidar and radar, there remain a number of processes that are not well understood, such as the effect of electrical charge on cloud microphysics. To understand the various processes and feedback mechanisms, high-vertical–resolution observations are required. Radiosondes provide an ideal platform for providing routine vertical profiles of in situ measurements at any location (with a vertical resolution of a few meters). Modified meteorological radiosondes have been extensively developed at the University of Reading for measuring cloud properties, to allow measurements beyond the traditional thermodynamic quantities (pressure, temperature and relative humidity) to be obtained cost-effectively. This project aims to investigate a number of cloud processes in which in situ cloud observations from these modified radiosondes can provide information either complementary to or not obtainable by lidar/radar systems. During two intensive operational periods (IOPs) in May and August 2014 during deployment to Hyytiälä, Finland, the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s Second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2) launched a total of 24 instrumented radiosondes through a number of different cloud types ranging from low-level stratiform cloud to cumulonimbus. Twelve balloon flights of an accelerometer turbulence sensor were made, which detected significant turbulence on eleven of these flights. Most of the turbulent episodes encountered were due to convective processes, but several were associated with the transition from troposphere to stratosphere at

Diamond-anvil cell for radial x-ray diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chesnut, G N; Schiferl, D; Streetman, B D; Anderson, W W

2006-01-01

We have designed a new diamond-anvil cell capable of radial x-ray diffraction to pressures of a few hundred GPa. The diffraction geometry allows access to multiple angles of Ψ, which is the angle between each reciprocal lattice vector g(hkl) and the compression axis of the cell. At the 'magic angle', Ψ∼54.7 0 , the effects of deviatoric stresses on the interplanar spacings, d(hkl), are significantly reduced. Because the systematic errors, which are different for each d(hkl), are significantly reduced, the crystal structures and the derived equations of state can be determined reliably. At other values of Ψ, the effects of deviatoric stresses on the diffraction pattern could eventually be used to determine elastic constants

Hydrostaticity of Pressure Media in Diamond Anvil Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shu-Jie, You; Liang-Chen, Chen; Chang-Qing, Jin

2009-01-01

Hydrostaticity under high pressure of several materials from solid, fluid to gas, which are widely used as pressure media in modern high-pressure experiments, is investigated in diamond anvil cells. Judging from the R-line widths and R 1 – R 2 peak separation of Ruby fluorescence, the inert argon gas is hydrostatic up to about 30 GPa. The behavior of silicon oil is found to be similar to argon at pressures less than 10 GPa, while the widening of R-lines and increase of R 1 – R 2 peak separation at higher pressure loads indicate a significant degradation of hydrostaticity. Therefore silicon oil is considered as a good pressure medium at pressures less than 10 GPa but poor at higher pressures

The MJO Transition from Shallow to Deep Convection in CloudSat/CALIPSO Data and GISS GCM Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

DelGenio, Anthony G.; Chen, Yonghua; Kim, Daehyun; Yao, Mao-Sung

2013-01-01

The relationship between convective penetration depth and tropospheric humidity is central to recent theories of the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO). It has been suggested that general circulation models (GCMs) poorly simulate the MJO because they fail to gradually moisten the troposphere by shallow convection and simulate a slow transition to deep convection. CloudSat and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) data are analyzed to document the variability of convection depth and its relation to water vapor during the MJO transition from shallow to deep convection and to constrain GCM cumulus parameterizations. Composites of cloud occurrence for 10MJO events show the following anticipatedMJO cloud structure: shallow and congestus clouds in advance of the peak, deep clouds near the peak, and upper-level anvils after the peak. Cirrus clouds are also frequent in advance of the peak. The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EarthObserving System (EOS) (AMSR-E) columnwater vapor (CWV) increases by;5 mmduring the shallow- deep transition phase, consistent with the idea of moisture preconditioning. Echo-top height of clouds rooted in the boundary layer increases sharply with CWV, with large variability in depth when CWV is between;46 and 68 mm. International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project cloud classifications reproduce these climatological relationships but correctly identify congestus-dominated scenes only about half the time. A version of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies Model E2 (GISS-E2) GCM with strengthened entrainment and rain evaporation that produces MJO-like variability also reproduces the shallow-deep convection transition, including the large variability of cloud-top height at intermediate CWV values. The variability is due to small grid-scale relative humidity and lapse rate anomalies for similar values of CWV. 1.

Role of mixed precipitating cloud systems on the typhoon rainfall

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. J. Pan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available L-band wind profiler data are utilized to diagnose the vertical structure of the typhoon precipitating cloud systems in Taiwan. For several typhoons, a pronounced bright band (BB around 5 km is commonly observed from the observation. Since strong convection within typhoon circulation may disturb and/or disrupt the melting layer, the BB shall not appear persistently. Hence, an understanding of the vertical structure of the BB region is important because it holds extensive hydrometeors information on the type of precipitation and its variability. Wind profiler observational results suggest that the mixture of convective and stratiform (embedded type clouds are mostly associated with typhoons. In the case of one typhoon, BB is appeared around 5.5 km with embedded precipitation and also BB height of 1 km higher than ordinary showery precipitation. This is evident from the long-term observations of wind profiler and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. The Doppler velocity profiles show hydrometers (ice/snow at 6 km but liquid below 5 km for typhoons and 4 km for showery precipitation. In the BB region the melting particles accelerations of 5.8 ms⁻¹ km⁻¹ and 3.2 ms⁻¹ km⁻¹ are observed for typhoon and showery precipitation, respectively.

The Diurnal Cycle of the Boundary Layer, Convection, Clouds, and Surface Radiation in a Coastal Monsoon Environment (Darwin Australia)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

May, Peter T.; Long, Charles N.; Protat, Alain

2012-08-01

The diurnal variation of convection and associated cloud and radiative properties remains a significant issue in global NWP and climate models. This study analyzes observed diurnal variability of convection in a coastal monsoonal environment examining the interaction of convective rain clouds, their associated cloud properties, and the impact on the surface radiation and corresponding boundary layer structure during periods where convection is suppressed or active on the large scale. The analysis uses data from the Tropical Warm Pool International Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE) as well as routine measurements from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program. Both active monsoonal and large-scale suppressed (buildup and break) conditions are examined and demonstrate that the diurnal variation of rainfall is much larger during the break periods and the spatial distribution of rainfall is very different between the monsoon and break regimes. During the active monsoon the total net radiative input to the surface is decreased by more than 3 times the amount than during the break regime - this total radiative cloud forcing is found to be dominated by the shortwave (SW) cloud effects because of the much larger optical thicknesses and persistence of long-lasting anvils and cirrus cloud decks associated with the monsoon regime. These differences in monsoon versus break surface radiative energy contribute to low-level air temperature differences in the boundary layer over the land surfaces.

Reconstruction of 3D Shapes of Opaque Cumulus Clouds from Airborne Multiangle Imaging: A Proof-of-Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, A. B.; Bal, G.; Chen, J.

2015-12-01

Operational remote sensing of microphysical and optical cloud properties is invariably predicated on the assumption of plane-parallel slab geometry for the targeted cloud. The sole benefit of this often-questionable assumption about the cloud is that it leads to one-dimensional (1D) radiative transfer (RT)---a textbook, computationally tractable model. We present new results as evidence that, thanks to converging advances in 3D RT, inverse problem theory, algorithm implementation, and computer hardware, we are at the dawn of a new era in cloud remote sensing where we can finally go beyond the plane-parallel paradigm. Granted, the plane-parallel/1D RT assumption is reasonable for spatially extended stratiform cloud layers, as well as the smoothly distributed background aerosol layers. However, these 1D RT-friendly scenarios exclude cases that are critically important for climate physics. 1D RT---whence operational cloud remote sensing---fails catastrophically for cumuliform clouds that have fully 3D outer shapes and internal structures driven by shallow or deep convection. For these situations, the first order of business in a robust characterization by remote sensing is to abandon the slab geometry framework and determine the 3D geometry of the cloud, as a first step toward bone fide 3D cloud tomography. With this specific goal in mind, we deliver a proof-of-concept for an entirely new kind of remote sensing applicable to 3D clouds. It is based on highly simplified 3D RT and exploits multi-angular suites of cloud images at high spatial resolution. Airborne sensors like AirMSPI readily acquire such data. The key element of the reconstruction algorithm is a sophisticated solution of the nonlinear inverse problem via linearization of the forward model and an iteration scheme supported, where necessary, by adaptive regularization. Currently, the demo uses a 2D setting to show how either vertical profiles or horizontal slices of the cloud can be accurately reconstructed

The Effect of Cirrus Clouds on Water Vapor Transport in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, L.; McCormick, M. P.; Anderson, J.

2017-12-01

Water vapor plays an important role in the Earth's radiation budget and stratospheric chemistry. It is widely accepted that a large percentage of water vapor entering the stratosphere travels through the tropical tropopause and is dehydrated by the cold tropopause temperature. The vertical transport of water vapor is also affected by the radiative effects of cirrus clouds in the tropical tropopause layer. This latter effect of cirrus clouds was investigated in this research. The work focuses on the tropical and mid-latitude region (50N-50S). Water vapor data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) and cirrus cloud data from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) instruments were used to investigate the relationship between the water vapor and the occurrence of cirrus cloud. A 10-degree in longitude by 10-degree in latitude resolution was chosen to bin the MLS and CALIPSO data. The result shows that the maximum water vapor in the upper troposphere (below 146 hPa) is matched very well with the highest frequency of cirrus cloud occurrences. Maximum water vapor in the lower stratosphere (100 hPa) is partly matched with the maximum cirrus cloud occurrence in the summer time. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Interpolated Outgoing Longwave Radiation data and NCEP-DOE Reanalysis 2 wind data were used also to investigate the relationship between the water vapor entering the stratosphere, deep convection, and wind. Results show that maximum water vapor at 100 hPa coincides with the northern hemisphere summer-time anticyclone. The effects from both single-layer cirrus clouds and cirrus clouds above the anvil top on the water vapor entering the stratosphere were also studied and will be presented.

Hydrothermal Diamond Anvil Cell (HDAC): From Visual Observation to X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Bassett, W. A.; Mibe, K.

2006-05-01

A fluid sample contained in a Re gasket between two diamond anvils can be subjected to pressures up to 2.5 GPa and temperatures up to 1200°C in a resistively heated hydrothermal diamond anvil cell (HDAC). Thermocouples are used to measure temperature. The constant-volume sample chamber permits isochoric measurements that can be used to determine pressure from the equation of state of H2O and to map phases and properties in P-T space. A movie of reactions between K-feldspar and water up to 2.5 GPa and 880°C illustrates the use of visual observations for mapping coexisting solution, melt, and solid phases. X-ray absorption spectroscopy of ZnBr2 in solution up to 500°C and 500 MPa shows hydrogen bond breaking in the hydration shells of the ZnBr42- and Br- ions with increasing temperature. In other studies the stability field of ikaite (CaCO3·6H2O) has been mapped by visual observation and Raman spectroscopy; the phases of montmorillonite have been mapped by X-ray diffraction; and the leaching of Pb from zircon has been measured by X-ray microprobe.

An Intelligent Monitoring Network for Detection of Cracks in Anvils of High-Press Apparatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Hao; Yan, Zhaoli; Yang, Jun

2018-04-09

Due to the endurance of alternating high pressure and temperature, the carbide anvils of the high-press apparatus, which are widely used in the synthetic diamond industry, are prone to crack. In this paper, an acoustic method is used to monitor the crack events, and the intelligent monitoring network is proposed to classify the sound samples. The pulse sound signals produced by such cracking are first extracted based on a short-time energy threshold. Then, the signals are processed with the proposed intelligent monitoring network to identify the operation condition of the anvil of the high-pressure apparatus. The monitoring network is an improved convolutional neural network that solves the problems that may occur in practice. The length of pulse sound excited by the crack growth is variable, so a spatial pyramid pooling layer is adopted to solve the variable-length input problem. An adaptive weighted algorithm for loss function is proposed in this method to handle the class imbalance problem. The good performance regarding the accuracy and balance of the proposed intelligent monitoring network is validated through the experiments finally.

Rapid vertical trace gas transport by an isolated midlatitude thunderstorm

Science.gov (United States)

Hauf, Thomas; Schulte, Peter; Alheit, Reiner; Schlager, Hans

1995-11-01

During the cloud dynamics and chemistry field experiment CLEOPATRA in the summer of 1992 in southern Germany, the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) (German Aerospace Research Establishment) research aircraft Falcon traversed four times the anvil of a severe, isolated thunderstorm. The first two traverses were at 8 km altitude and close to the anvil cloud base, while the second two traverses were at 10 km. During the 8-km traverse, measured ozone mixing ratios dropped by 13 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) from the ambient cloud free environment to the anvil cloud, while water vapor increased by 0.3 g kg-1. At the 10-km traverses, ozone dropped by 25 ppbv, while water vapor increased by 0.18 g kg-1. Three-dimensional numerical thunderstorm simulations were performed to understand the cause of these changes. The simulations included the transport of two chemical inert tracers. Ozone was assumed to be one of them. The initial ozone profile was composed from an ozone routine sounding and the in situ Falcon measurements prior to the thunderstorm development. The second tracer is typical for a surface released pollutant with a nonzero, constant value in the boundary layer but zero above it. The redistribution of both tracers by the storm is calculated and compared with the observations. For the anvil penetration at 10 km, the calculated difference in ozone mixing ratios is 21 ppbv, while for water vapor an increase of 0.25 g kg-1 was found, in good agreement with the observations. To validate the model results, the radar reflectivity was calculated from simulated fields of cloud water, rain, graupel, hail, and snow and ice crystals and compared with observed values. With respect to maximum reflectivity values and spatial scales, again, excellent agreement was achieved. It is concluded that the rapid transport from the boundary layer directly into the anvil level is the most likely cause of the observed ozone decrease and water vapor increase

A Modeling Study of the Spatial Structure of Electric Fields Generated by Electrified Clouds with Screening Layers

Science.gov (United States)

Biagi, C. J.; Cummins, K. L.

2015-12-01

The growing possibility of inexpensive airborne observations of electric fields using one or more small UAVs increases the importance of understanding what can be determined about cloud electrification and associated electric fields outside cloud boundaries. If important information can be inferred from carefully selected flight paths outside of a cloud, then the aircraft and its instrumentation will be much cheaper to develop and much safer to operate. These facts have led us to revisit this long-standing topic using quasi-static, finite-element modeling inside and outside arbitrarily shaped clouds with a variety of internal charge distributions. In particular, we examine the effect of screening layers on electric fields outside of electrified clouds by comparing modeling results for charged clouds having electrical conductivities that are both equal to and lower than the surrounding clear air. The comparisons indicate that the spatial structure of the electric field is approximately the same regardless of the difference in the conductivities between the cloud and clear air and the formation of a screening layer, even for altitude-dependent electrical conductivities. This result is consistent with the numerical modeling results reported by Driscoll et al [1992]. The similarity of the spatial structure of the electric field outside of clouds with and without a screening layer suggests that "bulk" properties related to cloud electrification might be determined using measurements of the electric field at multiple locations in space outside the cloud, particularly at altitude. Finally, for this somewhat simplified model, the reduction in electric field magnitude outside the cloud due to the presence of a screening layer exhibits a simple dependence on the difference in conductivity between the cloud and clear air. These results are particularly relevant for studying clouds that are not producing lightning, such as developing thunderstorms and decaying anvils

Acoustic travel time gauges for in-situ determination of pressure and temperature in multi-anvil apparatus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Xuebing; Chen, Ting; Qi, Xintong [Department of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794 (United States); Zou, Yongtao; Liebermann, Robert C.; Li, Baosheng [Mineral Physics Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794 (United States); Kung, Jennifer [Department of Earth Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Yu, Tony; Wang, Yanbin [GeoSoilEnviroCARS, Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637 (United States)

2015-08-14

In this study, we developed a new method for in-situ pressure determination in multi-anvil, high-pressure apparatus using an acoustic travel time approach within the framework of acoustoelasticity. The ultrasonic travel times of polycrystalline Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} were calibrated against NaCl pressure scale up to 15 GPa and 900 °C in a Kawai-type double-stage multi-anvil apparatus in conjunction with synchrotron X-radiation, thereby providing a convenient and reliable gauge for pressure determination at ambient and high temperatures. The pressures derived from this new travel time method are in excellent agreement with those from the fixed-point methods. Application of this new pressure gauge in an offline experiment revealed a remarkable agreement of the densities of coesite with those from the previous single crystal compression studies under hydrostatic conditions, thus providing strong validation for the current travel time pressure scale. The travel time approach not only can be used for continuous in-situ pressure determination at room temperature, high temperatures, during compression and decompression, but also bears a unique capability that none of the previous scales can deliver, i.e., simultaneous pressure and temperature determination with a high accuracy (±0.16 GPa in pressure and ±17 °C in temperature). Therefore, the new in-situ Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} pressure gauge is expected to enable new and expanded opportunities for offline laboratory studies of solid and liquid materials under high pressure and high temperature in multi-anvil apparatus.

Acoustic travel time gauges for in-situ determination of pressure and temperature in multi-anvil apparatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xuebing; Chen, Ting; Qi, Xintong; Zou, Yongtao; Liebermann, Robert C.; Li, Baosheng; Kung, Jennifer; Yu, Tony; Wang, Yanbin

2015-01-01

In this study, we developed a new method for in-situ pressure determination in multi-anvil, high-pressure apparatus using an acoustic travel time approach within the framework of acoustoelasticity. The ultrasonic travel times of polycrystalline Al 2 O 3 were calibrated against NaCl pressure scale up to 15 GPa and 900 °C in a Kawai-type double-stage multi-anvil apparatus in conjunction with synchrotron X-radiation, thereby providing a convenient and reliable gauge for pressure determination at ambient and high temperatures. The pressures derived from this new travel time method are in excellent agreement with those from the fixed-point methods. Application of this new pressure gauge in an offline experiment revealed a remarkable agreement of the densities of coesite with those from the previous single crystal compression studies under hydrostatic conditions, thus providing strong validation for the current travel time pressure scale. The travel time approach not only can be used for continuous in-situ pressure determination at room temperature, high temperatures, during compression and decompression, but also bears a unique capability that none of the previous scales can deliver, i.e., simultaneous pressure and temperature determination with a high accuracy (±0.16 GPa in pressure and ±17 °C in temperature). Therefore, the new in-situ Al 2 O 3 pressure gauge is expected to enable new and expanded opportunities for offline laboratory studies of solid and liquid materials under high pressure and high temperature in multi-anvil apparatus

The response of a simulated Mesoscale Convective System to increased aerosol pollution

Science.gov (United States)

Clavner, Michal

simulations aerosol concentrations were derived from the output of GEOS-Chem, a 3D chemical transport model. In the simulated MCS, the formation and propagation of the storm was not fundamentally modified by changes in the aerosol concentration, and the total MCS-produced precipitation was not significantly affected. However, the precipitation distribution (convective vs stratiform) and derecho-strength surface wind characteristics did vary among the simulations. The more polluted simulations exhibited higher precipitation rates, higher bulk precipitation efficiency, a larger area with heavier convective precipitation and a smaller area with lighter stratiform precipitation. These differences arose because aerosol pollution enhanced precipitation in the convective region while suppressing precipitation from the stratiform-anvil. Higher aerosol concentrations led to the invigoration of convective updrafts which supported the formation of larger rain drops, and lofted more liquid cloud mass to higher levels, thereby increasing both collision-coalescence and riming processes. The presence of greater aerosol concentrations in the free troposphere, as well as in the boundary layer, reduced both collision-coalescence and riming within the stratiform-anvil region. As a consequence, the more polluted simulations produced the smallest precipitation from the MCS stratiform-anvil region. In order to understand the impact of changes in aerosol concentrations on the derecho characteristics, the dynamical processes which produced the strong surface wind were determined by performing back-trajectory analysis during different periods of the simulated storm. The analysis showed that two main air flows contributed to the formation of the derecho winds at the surface; a rear-inflow jet and an up-down downdraft associated with a mesovortex at the gust font. The changes in aerosol concentrations impacted the simulated derecho event by altering the main flow contributing to the formation of the

Constraints from Airborne (210)Pb Observations on Aerosol Scavenging and Lifetime in a Global Chemical Transport Model

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bo; Liu, Hongyu; Crawford, James H.; Fairlie, Duncan T.; Chen, Gao; Dibb, Jack E.; Shah, Viral; Sulprizio, Melissa P.; Yantosca, Robert M.

2016-01-01

Lead-210 distribution and lifetime in the atmosphere are not sensitive to ice in-cloud scavenging in convective updraft. Ice in-cloud scavenging in stratiform clouds reduce tropospheric (210)Pb lifetime by approximately 1 day and results in better agreements with observed surface observations and aircraft measured profiles. However, the process results in significant underestimate of (210)Pb in UT/LS.

A cloud-scale chemical-transport simulation during EULINOX. A case study for July 21 1998.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramaroson, R.

2002-12-01

The main issues addressed by the European project EULINOX covered mainly the quantification of NOx production from lightning, the transport of NOx and surface emissions (e.g. CO) by convective systems, and the lightning distribution around thunderstorms. O3, CO, CO2, NOx, CN concentrations, J(NO2), meteorological variables and lightning have been observed and measured using ground systems and aircraft platforms during the project. Two aircraft have been operated: the DLR Falcon and the Do-228 providing the distribution of species in the PBL and at higher altitudes across the anvil along the jet tracks. July 21st 1998 was a special day during EULINOX : strong convection system, high electrical activities and a NO pic around 23 ppbv on board Falcon in the anvil. Thunderstorms associated with strong convective systems were encountered and well covered by the network of measurement systems as well as for the meteorology than for the chemistry and lightning localization. This work focuses on two objectives: how to describe the meteorology during EULINOX and to quantify the impact of the cloud scales on tropospheric NO and CO concentration. To reach this target, 2 types of simulation have been performed. The fist one uses the MM5 model in a 4 domain-nested version (ratio =3) to simulate the convective cloud system or isolated cell with a 1.5km by 1.5km resolution for the finest grid. The second run uses an off-line chemical transport model (MEDIUM) with a detailed chemistry assimilating in input the MM5 dynamics. On a broader scale, the general synoptic meteorology over Europe is well simulated by MM5. Over the finest domain, the model was able to generate a supercell storm but rather weak (vertical characteristics) and unstable compared to the observations. The cell depth is in a good agreement with observations with a horizontal position lightly shifted spatially. The chemical-transport simulation using MEDIUM including as input the MM5 meteorology output shows a

Can nudging be used to quantify model sensitivities in precipitation and cloud forcing?: NUDGING AND MODEL SENSITIVITIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Guangxing [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Atmospheric Science and Global Change Division, Richland Washington USA; Wan, Hui [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Atmospheric Science and Global Change Division, Richland Washington USA; Zhang, Kai [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Atmospheric Science and Global Change Division, Richland Washington USA; Qian, Yun [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Atmospheric Science and Global Change Division, Richland Washington USA; Ghan, Steven J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Atmospheric Science and Global Change Division, Richland Washington USA

2016-07-10

Efficient simulation strategies are crucial for the development and evaluation of high resolution climate models. This paper evaluates simulations with constrained meteorology for the quantification of parametric sensitivities in the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5). Two parameters are perturbed as illustrating examples: the convection relaxation time scale (TAU), and the threshold relative humidity for the formation of low-level stratiform clouds (rhminl). Results suggest that the fidelity and computational efficiency of the constrained simulations depend strongly on 3 factors: the detailed implementation of nudging, the mechanism through which the perturbed parameter affects precipitation and cloud, and the magnitude of the parameter perturbation. In the case of a strong perturbation in convection, temperature and/or wind nudging with a 6-hour relaxation time scale leads to non-negligible side effects due to the distorted interactions between resolved dynamics and parameterized convection, while a 1-year free running simulation can satisfactorily capture the annual mean precipitation sensitivity in terms of both global average and geographical distribution. In the case of a relatively weak perturbation the large-scale condensation scheme, results from 1-year free-running simulations are strongly affected by noise associated with internal variability, while nudging winds effectively reduces the noise, and reasonably reproduces the response of precipitation and cloud forcing to parameter perturbation. These results indicate that caution is needed when using nudged simulations to assess precipitation and cloud forcing sensitivities to parameter changes in general circulation models. We also demonstrate that ensembles of short simulations are useful for understanding the evolution of model sensitivities.

Wave Stresses in the Anvil Hammer Rods under Impact Including Ram Mass and Deformation Force of Forgings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. M. Sinitskiy

2016-01-01

Full Text Available When operating the anvil hammers there occur impacts of die tooling and as a consequence, virtually instantaneous impact stops of motion of drop hammer parts. Such operating conditions come with accelerated failures of the anvil hammer rods because of emerging significant wave stresses. Engineering practice widely uses variation, difference, and integral methods to calculate wave stresses. However, to use them a researcher has to acquire certain skills, and the special programs should be available. The paper considers a method for estimating the wave stress changes in the anvil hammer rods, which is based on the wave equation of the Laplace transform. It presents a procedure for generating differential equations and their solution using the operator method. These equations describe the wave processes of strain and stress propagation in the anvil hammer rod under non-rigid impact with the compliance obstacle of the drop hammer parts. The work defines how the piston and rod mass and also the mechanical and geometric parameters of the rod influence on the stress level in the rod sealing of the hammer ram. Analysis of the results shows that the stresses in the rod sealing are proportional to the total amount of wave stresses caused by the rod and piston impact included in the total weight of the system. The piston influence on the stresses in the rod under impact is in direct proportion to the ratio of its mass to the mass of the rod. Geometric parameters of the rod and speed of drop parts before the impact influence on the stress value as well. It was found that if the time of impact is less than the time of the shock wave running in forward and backward direction, the impact with a compliance obstacle is equivalent to that of with a rigid obstacle, and the dependence of the wave stresses follows the Zhukovsky formula of direct pressure shock. The presented method of stress calculation can be successfully used to select the optimal mass and the rod

World production and possible recovery of cobalt from the Kupferschiefer stratiform copper ore

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pazik Paulina M.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Cobalt is recognized as a strategic metal and also E-tech element, which is crucial for worlds development. An increasing demand for cobalt forces for searching of new resources that could be explored in European countries. There are many examples of cobalt recoveries, mostly from laterite and sulphide deposits. However, the accurate choice of the technology depends on many factors. The Kupferschiefer stratiform copper ore located in Poland is the biggest deposit of cobalt in Europe. Although KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. recovers many precious metals from this ore, cobalt is not recovered yet. This metal occurs as an accompanying element, mostly in the form of cobaltite (CaAsS, with the average content of 50–80 g/Mg. In this paper a possible recovery of cobalt from the Kupferschiefer ore, with the use of hydrometallurgical methods, was investigated.

Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jensen, MP; Petersen, WA; Del Genio, AD; Giangrande, SE; Heymsfield, A; Heymsfield, G; Hou, AY; Kollias, P; Orr, B; Rutledge, SA; Schwaller, MR; Zipser, E

2010-04-01

Convective processes play a critical role in the Earth’s energy balance through the redistribution of heat and moisture in the atmosphere and subsequent impacts on the hydrologic cycle. Global observation and accurate representation of these processes in numerical models is vital to improving our current understanding and future simulations of Earth’s climate system. Despite improvements in computing power, current operational weather and global climate models are unable to resolve the natural temporal and spatial scales that are associated with convective and stratiform precipitation processes; therefore, they must turn to parameterization schemes to represent these processes. In turn, the physical basis for these parameterization schemes needs to be evaluated for general application under a variety of atmospheric conditions. Analogously, space-based remote sensing algorithms designed to retrieve related cloud and precipitation information for use in hydrological, climate, and numerical weather prediction applications often rely on physical “parameterizations” that reliably translate indirectly related instrument measurements to the physical quantity of interest (e.g., precipitation rate). Importantly, both spaceborne retrieval algorithms and model convective parameterization schemes traditionally rely on field campaign data sets as a basis for evaluating and improving the physics of their respective approaches. The Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) will take place in central Oklahoma during the April–May 2011 period. The experiment is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Ground Validation (GV) program. The field campaign leverages the unprecedented observing infrastructure currently available in the central United States

Prominence of ichnologically influenced macroporosity in the karst Biscayne aquifer: Stratiform "super-K" zones

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, K.J.; Sukop, M.C.; Huang, H.; Alvarez, P.F.; Curran, H.A.; Renken, R.A.; Dixon, J.F.

2009-01-01

A combination of cyclostratigraphic, ichnologic, and borehole geophysical analyses of continuous core holes; tracer-test analyses; and lattice Boltzmann flow simulations was used to quantify biogenic macroporosity and permeability of the Biscayne aquifer, southeastern Florida. Biogenic macroporosity largely manifests as: (1) ichnogenic macroporosity primarily related to postdepositional burrowing activity by callianassid shrimp and fossilization of components of their complex burrow systems (Ophiomorpha); and (2) biomoldic macroporosity originating from dissolution of fossil hard parts, principally mollusk shells. Ophiomorpha-dominated ichno-fabric provides the greatest contribution to hydrologic characteristics in the Biscayne aquifer in a 345 km2 study area. Stratiform tabular-shaped units of thalassinidean-associated macroporosity are commonly confined to the lower part of upward-shallowing high-frequency cycles, throughout aggradational cycles, and, in one case, they stack vertically within the lower part of a high-frequency cycle set. Broad continuity of many of the macroporous units concentrates groundwater flow in extremely permeable passage-ways, thus making the aquifer vulnerable to long-distance transport of contaminants. Ichnogenic macroporosity represents an alternative pathway for concentrated groundwater flow that differs considerably from standard karst flow-system paradigms, which describe groundwater movement through fractures and cavernous dissolution features. Permeabilities were calculated using lattice Boltzmann methods (LBMs) applied to computer renderings assembled from X-ray computed tomography scans of various biogenic macroporous limestone samples. The highest simulated LBM permeabilities were about five orders of magnitude greater than standard laboratory measurements using air-permeability methods, which are limited in their application to extremely permeable macroporous rock samples. Based on their close conformance to analytical

A new diamond anvil cell for hydrothermal studies to 2.5 GPa and from -190 to 1200 °C

Science.gov (United States)

Bassett, W. A.; Shen, A. H.; Bucknum, M.; Chou, I.-Ming

1993-08-01

A new style of diamond anvil cell (DAC) has been designed and built for conducting research in fluids at pressures to 2.5 GPa and temperatures from -190 to 1200 °C. The new DAC has been used for optical microscope observations and synchrotron x-ray diffraction studies. Fringes produced by interference of laser light reflected from top and bottom anvil faces and from top and bottom sample faces provide a very sensitive means of monitoring the volume of sample chamber and for observing volume and refractive index changes in samples that have resulted from transitions and reactions. X-ray diffraction patterns of samples under hydrothermal conditions have been made by the energy dispersive method using synchrotron radiation. The new DAC has individual heaters and individual thermocouples for the upper and lower anvils that can be controlled and can maintain temperatures with an accuracy of ±0.5 °C. Low temperatures are achieved by introducing liquid nitrogen directly into the DAC. The equation of state of H2O and the α-β quartz transition are used to determine pressure with an accuracy of ±1% in the aqueous samples. The new DAC has been used to redetermine five isochores of H2O as well as the dehydration curves of brucite, Mg(OH)2, and muscovite, KAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH)2.

Image analysis as an improved melting criterion in laser-heated diamond anvil cell

OpenAIRE

Salem, Ran; Matityahu, Shlomi; Melchior, Aviva; Nikolaevsky, Mark; Noked, Ori; Sterer, Eran

2015-01-01

The precision of melting curve measurements using laser-heated diamond anvil cell (LHDAC) is largely limited by the correct and reliable determination of the onset of melting. We present a novel image analysis of speckle interference patterns in the LHDAC as a way to define quantitative measures which enable an objective determination of the melting transition. Combined with our low-temperature customized IR pyrometer, designed for measurements down to 500K, our setup allows studying the melt...

Formation of thick stratiform Fe-Ti oxide layers in layered intrusion and frequent replenishment of fractionated mafic magma: Evidence from the Panzhihua intrusion, SW China

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Xie-Yan; Qi, Hua-Wen; Hu, Rui-Zhong; Chen, Lie-Meng; Yu, Song-Yue; Zhang, Jia-Fei

2013-03-01

Panzhihua intrusion is one of the largest layered intrusions that hosts huge stratiform Fe-Ti oxide layers in the central part of the Emeishan large igneous province, SW China. Up to 60 m thick stratiform massive Fe-Ti oxide layers containing 85 modal% of magnetite and ilmenite and overlying magnetite gabbro compose cyclic units of the Lower Zone of the intrusion. The cyclic units of the Middle Zone consist of magnetite gabbro and overlying gabbro. In these cyclic units, contents of Fe2O3(t), TiO2 and Cr and Fe3+/Ti4+ ratio of the rocks decrease upward, Cr content of magnetite and forsterite percentage of olivine decrease as well. The Upper Zone consists of apatite gabbro characterized by enrichment of incompatible elements (e.g., 12-18 ppm La, 20-28 ppm Y) and increasing of Fe3+/Ti4+ ratio (from 1.3 to 2.3) upward. These features indicate that the Panzhihua intrusion was repeatedly recharged by more primitive magma and evolved magmas had been extracted. Calculations using MELTS indicate that extensive fractionation of olivine and clinopyroxene in deep level resulted in increasing Fe and Ti contents in the magma. When these Fe-Ti-enriched magmas were emplaced along the base of the Panzhihua intrusion, Fe-Ti oxides became an early crystallization phase, leading to a residual magma of lower density. We propose that the unusually thick stratiform Fe-Ti oxide layers resulted from coupling of gravity settling and sorting of the crystallized Fe-Ti oxides from Fe-Ti-enriched magmas and frequent magma replenishment along the floor of the magma chamber.

Precipitation Evaluation in the Central Peruvian Andes Using Radar Data and WRF Simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Y.; Scipion, D.; Moya, A.; Valdivia, J.; Villalobos, E.

2016-12-01

We present preliminary results of the case of study of stratiform and convective precipitation that occurred in the Observatory of Huancayo (3300 m.a.s.l.) on December 29th, 2015. The analyses were done using a Ka-band cloud-precipitation radar, a boundary layer tropospheric radar, an optical disdrometer, rain gauges, as well as other conventional instruments. We complemented the analysis using WRF with 4 domains: 18, 6, 2, and 0.6 km spatial resolution with Grell - Freitas and Kain - Fritz (Multi - Scale) cumulus parameterizations for all domains, and also settings these parameterizations only for the 18 and 6 km domains. Preliminary results show that stratiform rain occurred during early hours on Dec. 29 while at about 4pm local time there were convective rains with hail, lasted approximately 30 min. The clouds in stratiform rain did not exceed 6 km high above the surface; while for convective rain, the clouds reached up to 13 km a.s.l. The wind analysis from the BLTR indicate high turbulence before the rain event, this turbulence is better represented for stratiform rain, since for convective rains the signal is attenuated, this issue is still being studied. The 24 hours simulation shows that the WRF adequately reproduces the rainy event 29th, the convective precipitation was formed at Northwest of the Observatory at 21UTC and spreads into the valley. There are no major differences in precipitation between 2 and 0.6 km domains; however, the 0.6km domain has higher humidity in low levels and the modeled precipitation starts two hours earlier than observed.

Standard-free Pressure Measurement by Ultrasonic Interferometry in a Multi-Anvil Device

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, H. J.; Lathe, C.; Schilling, F. R.; Lauterjung, J.

2002-12-01

A key question to all high pressure research arises from the reliability of pressure standards. There is some indication and discussion of an uncertainty of 10-20% for higher pressures in all standards. Simultaneous and independent investigation of the dynamical (ultrasonic interferometry of elastic wave velocities) and static (XRD-measurement of the pressure-induced volume decline) compressibility on a sample reveal the possibility of a standard-free pressure calibration (see Getting, 1998) and, consequently an absolute pressure measurement. Ultrasonic interferometry is used to measure velocities of elastic compressional and shear waves in the multi-anvil high pressure device MAX80 at HASYLAB Hamburg enabling simultaneous XRD and ultrasonic experiments. Two of the six anvils were equipped with overtone polished lithium niobate transducers of 33.3 MHz natural frequency, for generation and detection of ultrasonic waves with a frequency sweep between 5 and 55 MHz. Different buffer - reflector combinations were tested to optimize the critical interference between both sample echoes. NaCl powder of 99.5 % purity (analytical grade by Merck) was used as starting material for manufacturing the samples used as pressure calibrant after Decker (1971). The medium grain size was 50 μm. The powder was pressed to a crude sample cylinder of 10 mm diameter and a length of 20 mm using a load of 6 tons resulting in an effective pressure of 0.25 to 0.3 GPa. The millimeter sized samples (diameter 2.4 mm and 1.6 mm length for 6 mm anvil truncation and diameter 3.1 mm and 1.1 mm length for 3.5 mm anvil truncation) for the high pressure experiments were shaped with a high-precision (+/- 0.5 μm) cylindrical grinding machine and polished at the front faces. From the ultrasonic wave velocity data we calculated the compressibility of NaCl. This requires in situ density data. Therefore the sample deformation during the high pressure experiments was analyzed in detail and the results were

A new diamond anvil cell for hydrothermal studies to 2.5 GPa and from -190 to 1200 °C

Science.gov (United States)

Bassett, William A.; Shen, A.H.; Bucknum, M.; Chou, I.-Ming

1993-01-01

A new style of diamond anvil cell(DAC) has been designed and built for conducting research in fluids at pressures to 2.5 GPa and temperatures from −190 to 1200 °C. The new DAC has been used for optical microscope observations and synchrotron x‐ray diffraction studies. Fringes produced by interference of laser light reflected from top and bottom anvil faces and from top and bottom sample faces provide a very sensitive means of monitoring the volume of sample chamber and for observing volume and refractive index changes in samples that have resulted from transitions and reactions. X‐ray diffraction patterns of samples under hydrothermal conditions have been made by the energy dispersive method using synchrotron radiation. The new DAC has individual heaters and individual thermocouples for the upper and lower anvils that can be controlled and can maintain temperatures with an accuracy of ±0.5 °C. Low temperatures are achieved by introducing liquid nitrogen directly into the DAC. The equation of state of H2O and the α‐β quartz transition are used to determine pressure with an accuracy of ±1% in the aqueous samples. The new DAC has been used to redetermine five isochores of H2O as well as the dehydration curves of brucite, Mg(OH)2, and muscovite, KAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH)2.

Experimental Investigation of Magnetic Superconducting and other Phase Transitions in Novel f-Electron Materials at Ultra-high Pressures using Designer Diamond Anvils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maple, M. Brian; Jeffries, Jason R.; Ho, Pei-Chun; Butch, Nicholas P.

2004-01-01

Pressure is often used as a controlled parameter for the investigation of condensed matter systems. In particular, pressure experiments can provide valuable information into the nature of superconductivity, magnetism, and the coexistence of these two phenomena. Some f-electron, heavy-fermion materials display interesting and novel behavior at moderately low pressures achievable with conventional experimental techniques; however, a growing number of condensed matter systems require ultrahigh pressure techniques, techniques that generate significantly higher pressures than conventional methods, to sufficiently explore their important properties. To that end, we have been funded to develop an ultrahigh pressure diamond anvil cell facility at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in order to investigate superconductivity, magnetism, non-Fermi liquid behavior, and other phenomena. Our goals for the first year of this grant were as follows: (a) set up and test a suitable refrigerator; (b) set up a laser and spectrometer fluorescence system to determine the pressure within the diamond anvil cell; (c) perform initial resistivity measurements at moderate pressures from room temperature to liquid helium temperatures (∼1K); (d) investigate f-electron materials within our current pressure capabilities to find candidate materials for high-pressure studies. During the past year, we have ordered almost all the components required to set up a diamond anvil cell facility at UCSD, we have received and implemented many of the components that have been ordered, we have performed low pressure research on several materials, and we have engaged in a collaborative effort with Sam Weir at Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) to investigate Au4V under ultrahigh pressure in a designer diamond anvil cell (dDAC). This report serves to highlight the progress we have made towards developing an ultrahigh pressure research facility at UCSD, the research performed in the past year, as

Physical retrieval of precipitation water contents from Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) data. Part 1: A cloud ensemble/radiative parameterization for sensor response (report version)

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, William S.; Raymond, William H.

1990-01-01

The physical retrieval of geophysical parameters based upon remotely sensed data requires a sensor response model which relates the upwelling radiances that the sensor observes to the parameters to be retrieved. In the retrieval of precipitation water contents from satellite passive microwave observations, the sensor response model has two basic components. First, a description of the radiative transfer of microwaves through a precipitating atmosphere must be considered, because it is necessary to establish the physical relationship between precipitation water content and upwelling microwave brightness temperature. Also the spatial response of the satellite microwave sensor (or antenna pattern) must be included in the description of sensor response, since precipitation and the associated brightness temperature field can vary over a typical microwave sensor resolution footprint. A 'population' of convective cells, as well as stratiform clouds, are simulated using a computationally-efficient multi-cylinder cloud model. Ensembles of clouds selected at random from the population, distributed over a 25 km x 25 km model domain, serve as the basis for radiative transfer calculations of upwelling brightness temperatures at the SSM/I frequencies. Sensor spatial response is treated explicitly by convolving the upwelling brightness temperature by the domain-integrated SSM/I antenna patterns. The sensor response model is utilized in precipitation water content retrievals.

Statistical properties of aerosol-cloud-precipitation interactions in South America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. A. Jones

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Given the complex interaction between aerosol, cloud, and atmospheric properties, it is difficult to extract their individual effects to observed rainfall amount. This research uses principle component analysis (PCA that combines Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS aerosol and cloud products, NCEP Reanalysis atmospheric products, and rainrate estimates from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM precipitation radar (PR to assess if aerosols affect warm rain processes. Data collected during September 2006 over the Amazon basin in South America during the biomass-burning season are used. The goal of this research is to combine these observations into a smaller number of variables through PCA with each new variable having a unique physical interpretation. In particular, we are concerned with PC variables whose weightings include aerosol optical thickness (AOT, as these may be an indicator of aerosol indirect effects. If they are indeed occurring, then PC values that include AOT should change as a function of rainrate.

To emphasize the advantage of PCA, changes in aerosol, cloud, and atmospheric observations are compared to rainrate. Comparing no-rain, rain, and heavy rain only (>5 mm h⁻¹ samples, we find that cloud thicknesses, humidity, and upward motion are all greater during rain and heavy rain conditions. However, no statistically significant difference in AOT exists between each sample, indicating that atmospheric conditions are more important to rainfall than aerosol concentrations as expected. If aerosols are affecting warm process clouds, it would be expected that stratiform precipitation would decrease as a function increasing aerosol concentration through either Twomey and/or semi-direct effects. PCA extracts the latter signal in a variable labeled PC2, which explains 15% of the total variance and is second in importance the variable (PC1 containing the broad atmospheric conditions. PC2

Time dependent charging of layer clouds in the global electric circuit

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Limin; Tinsley, Brian A.

2012-09-01

There is much observational data consistent with the hypothesis that the ionosphere-earth current density (Jz) in the global electric circuit, which is modulated by both solar activity and thunderstorm activity, affects atmospheric dynamics and cloud cover. One candidate mechanism involves Jz causing the accumulation of space charge on droplets and aerosol particles, that affects the rate of scavenging of the latter, notably those of Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) and Ice Forming Nuclei (IFN) (Tinsley, 2008, 2010). Space charge is the difference, per unit volume, between total positive and total negative electrical charge that is on droplets, aerosol particles (including the CCN and IFN) and air ions. The cumulative effects of the scavenging in stratiform clouds and aerosol layers in an air mass over the lifetime of the aerosol particles of 1-10 days affects the concentration and size distribution of the CCN, so that in subsequent episodes of cloud formation (including deep convective clouds) there can be effects on droplet size distribution, coagulation, precipitation processes, and even storm dynamics.Because the time scales for charging for some clouds can be long compared to cloud lifetimes, the amount of charge at a given time, and its effect on scavenging, depend more on the charging rate than on the equilibrium charge that would eventually be attained. To evaluate this, a new time-dependent charging model has been developed. The results show that for typical altostratus clouds with typical droplet radii 10 μm and aerosol particles of radius of 0.04 μm, the time constant for charging in response to a change in Jz is about 800 s, which is comparable to cloud formation and dissipation timescales for some cloud situations. The charging timescale is found to be strong functions of altitude and aerosol concentration, with the time constant for droplet charging at 2 km in air with a high concentration of aerosols being about an hour, and for clouds at 10 km in

CO sub 2 laser-heated diamond-anvil cell methodology revisited

CERN Document Server

Hearne, G; Zhao, J

2002-01-01

A description is given of CO sub 2 laser heating system for attaining high temperatures at pressure in a diamond-anvil cell (DAC). The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that a relatively inexpensive set-up, perhaps affordable to many high-pressure laboratories, may be commissioned for laser-heated DAC experiments to achieve comparable extreme P-T conditions to those attained with more sophisticated stations documented in the literature. A novel idea of using the analogue output of a CCD camera to estimate the peak temperature and map the temperature distribution across the hot-spot has been tested. In an additional initial experiment on cubic zirconia (c-ZrO sub 2) we present evidence from a Raman characterization of the sample that temperatures exceeding 4000 K have been obtained at pressure in the DAC.

Geochemistry of the furnace magnetite bed, Franklin, New Jersey, and the relationship between stratiform iron oxide ores and stratiform zinc oxide-silicate ores in the New Jersey highlands

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, C.A.; Skinner, B.J.

2003-01-01

The New Jersey Highlands terrace, which is an exposure of the Middle Proterozoic Grenville orogenic belt located in northeastern United States, contains stratiform zinc oxide-silicate deposits at Franklin and Sterling Hill and numerous massive magnetite deposits. The origins of the zinc and magnetite deposits have rarely been considered together, but a genetic link is suggested by the occurrence of the Furnace magnetite bed and small magnetite lenses immediately beneath the Franklin zinc deposit. The Furnace bed was metamorphosed and deformed along with its enclosing rocks during the Grenvillian orogeny, obscuring the original mineralogy and obliterating the original rock fabrics. The present mineralogy is manganiferous magnetite plus calcite. Trace hydrous silicates, some coexisting with fluorite, have fluorine contents that are among the highest ever observed in natural assemblages. Furnace bed calcite has ??13C values of -5 ?? 1 per mil relative to Peedee belemnite (PDB) and ??18O values of 11 to 20 per mil relative to Vienna-standard mean ocean water (VSMOW). The isotopic compositions do not vary as expected for an original siderite layer that decarbonated during metamorphism, but they are consistent with nearly isochemical metamorphism of an iron oxide + calcite protolith that is chemically and minerlogically similar to iron-rich sediments found near the Red Sea brine pools and isotopically similar to Superior-type banded iron formations. Other magniferous magnite + calcite bodies occur at approximately the same stratigraphic position as far 50 km from the zinc deposits. A model is presented in which the iron and zinc deposits formed along the western edge of a Middle Proterozoic marine basin. Zinc was transported by sulfate-stable brines and was precipitated under sulfate-stable conditions as zincian carbonates and Fe-Mn-Zn oxides and silicates. Whether the zincian assemblages settled from the water column or formed by replacement reactions in shallowly

Patterns of North African dust transport over the Atlantic: winter vs. summer, based on CALIPSO first year data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Ben-Ami

2009-10-01

Full Text Available One of the most important factors that determine the transported dust effect on the atmosphere is its vertical distribution. In this study the vertical structure of North African dust and stratiform low clouds is analyzed over the Atlantic Ocean for the 2006–2007 boreal winter (December–February and boreal summer of 2006 (June–August. By using the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO backscatter measurements over the dust routes, we describe the differences in dust transport between the seasons. We show a bi-modal distribution of the average dust plumes height in both seasons (it is less clear in the winter. The higher plume top height is 5.1±0.4 km, near the African coast line in the summer and 3.7±0.4 km in the winter. The lower plume merges with the marine boundary layer, in both seasons. Our study suggests that a significant part of the dust is transported near and within the marine boundary layer and interacts with low stratiform clouds.

Cloud-resolving model intercomparison of an MC3E squall line case: Part I-Convective updrafts: CRM Intercomparison of a Squall Line

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Jiwen [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland Washington USA; Han, Bin [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland Washington USA; School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing China; Varble, Adam [Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City Utah USA; Morrison, Hugh [National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder Colorado USA; North, Kirk [Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, McGill University, Montreal Quebec USA; Kollias, Pavlos [Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, McGill University, Montreal Quebec USA; School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook New York USA; Chen, Baojun [School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing China; Dong, Xiquan [Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona USA; Giangrande, Scott E. [Environmental and Climate Sciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton New York USA; Khain, Alexander [The Institute of the Earth Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem Israel; Lin, Yun [Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A& M University, College Station Texas USA; Mansell, Edward [NOAA/OAR/National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman Oklahoma USA; Milbrandt, Jason A. [Meteorological Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Dorval Canada; Stenz, Ronald [Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks North Dakota USA; Thompson, Gregory [National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder Colorado USA; Wang, Yuan [Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena California USA

2017-09-06

A constrained model intercomparison study of a mid-latitude mesoscale squall line is performed using the Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) model at 1-km horizontal grid spacing with eight cloud microphysics schemes, to understand specific processes that lead to the large spread of simulated cloud and precipitation at cloud-resolving scales, with a focus of this paper on convective cores. Various observational data are employed to evaluate the baseline simulations. All simulations tend to produce a wider convective area than observed, but a much narrower stratiform area, with most bulk schemes overpredicting radar reflectivity. The magnitudes of the virtual potential temperature drop, pressure rise, and the peak wind speed associated with the passage of the gust front are significantly smaller compared with the observations, suggesting simulated cool pools are weaker. Simulations also overestimate the vertical velocity and Ze in convective cores as compared with observational retrievals. The modeled updraft velocity and precipitation have a significant spread across the eight schemes even in this strongly dynamically-driven system. The spread of updraft velocity is attributed to the combined effects of the low-level perturbation pressure gradient determined by cold pool intensity and buoyancy that is not necessarily well correlated to differences in latent heating among the simulations. Variability of updraft velocity between schemes is also related to differences in ice-related parameterizations, whereas precipitation variability increases in no-ice simulations because of scheme differences in collision-coalescence parameterizations.

Constraining mass-diameter relations from hydrometeor images and cloud radar reflectivities in tropical continental and oceanic convective anvils

Science.gov (United States)

Fontaine, E.; Schwarzenboeck, A.; Delanoë, J.; Wobrock, W.; Leroy, D.; Dupuy, R.; Gourbeyre, C.; Protat, A.

2014-10-01

In this study the density of ice hydrometeors in tropical clouds is derived from a combined analysis of particle images from 2-D-array probes and associated reflectivities measured with a Doppler cloud radar on the same research aircraft. Usually, the mass-diameter m(D) relationship is formulated as a power law with two unknown coefficients (pre-factor, exponent) that need to be constrained from complementary information on hydrometeors, where absolute ice density measurement methods do not apply. Here, at first an extended theoretical study of numerous hydrometeor shapes simulated in 3-D and arbitrarily projected on a 2-D plan allowed to constrain the exponent βof the m(D) relationship from the exponent σ of the surface-diameterS(D)relationship, which is likewise written as a power law. Since S(D) always can be determined for real data from 2-D optical array probes or other particle imagers, the evolution of the m(D) exponent can be calculated. After that, the pre-factor α of m(D) is constrained from theoretical simulations of the radar reflectivities matching the measured reflectivities along the aircraft trajectory. The study was performed as part of the Megha-Tropiques satellite project, where two types of mesoscale convective systems (MCS) were investigated: (i) above the African continent and (ii) above the Indian Ocean. For the two data sets, two parameterizations are derived to calculate the vertical variability of m(D) coefficients α and β as a function of the temperature. Originally calculated (with T-matrix) and also subsequently parameterized m(D) relationships from this study are compared to other methods (from literature) of calculating m(D) in tropical convection. The significant benefit of using variable m(D) relations instead of a single m(D) relationship is demonstrated from the impact of all these m(D) relations on Z-CWC (Condensed Water Content) and Z-CWC-T-fitted parameterizations.

Empirical studies of the microwave radiometric response to rainfall in the tropics and midlatitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Petty, Grant W.; Katsaros, Kristina B.

1989-01-01

Results are presented from quantitative comparisons between satellite microwave radiometer observations and digital radar observations of equatorial convective cloud clusters and midlatitude frontal precipitation. Simultaneous data from the Winter Monsoon Experiment digital radar and the SMMR for December 1978 are analyzed. It is found that the most important differences between the microwave response to rainfall in the equatorial tropics and to stratiform rain in oceanic midlatitude fronts is caused by the different spatial characteristics of stratiform and convective rainfall and by the different background brightness temperature fields associated with tropical and midlatitude levels of atmospheric water vapor.

Instrumented anvil-on-rod impact experiments for validating constitutive strength model for simulating transient dynamic deformation response of metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, M.; Shen, T.; Thadhani, N.N.

2008-01-01

Instrumented anvil-on-rod impact experiments were performed to access the applicability of this approach for validating a constitutive strength model for dynamic, transient-state deformation and elastic-plastic wave interactions in vanadium, 21-6-9 stainless steel, titanium, and Ti-6Al-4V. In addition to soft-catching the impacted rod-shaped samples, their transient deformation states were captured by high-speed imaging, and velocity interferometry was used to record the sample back (free) surface velocity and monitor elastic-plastic wave interactions. Simulations utilizing AUTODYN-2D hydrocode with Steinberg-Guinan constitutive equation were used to generate simulated free surface velocity traces and final/transient deformation profiles for comparisons with experiments. The simulations were observed to under-predict the radial strain for bcc vanadium and fcc steel, but over-predict the radial strain for hcp titanium and Ti-6Al-4V. The correlations illustrate the applicability of the instrumented anvil-on-rod impact test as a method for providing robust model validation based on the entire deformation event, and not just the final deformed state

Radar rainfall estimation of stratiform winter precipitation in the Belgian Ardennes

Science.gov (United States)

Hazenberg, P.; Leijnse, H.; Uijlenhoet, R.

2011-02-01

Radars are known for their ability to obtain a wealth of information about spatial storm field characteristics. Unfortunately, rainfall estimates obtained by this instrument are known to be affected by multiple sources of error. Especially for stratiform precipitation systems, the quality of radar rainfall estimates starts to decrease at relatively close ranges. In the current study, the hydrological potential of weather radar is analyzed during a winter half-year for the hilly region of the Belgian Ardennes. A correction algorithm is proposed which corrects the radar data for errors related to attenuation, ground clutter, anomalous propagation, the vertical profile of reflectivity (VPR), and advection. No final bias correction with respect to rain gauge data was implemented because such an adjustment would not add to a better understanding of the quality of the radar data. The impact of the different corrections is assessed using rainfall information sampled by 42 hourly rain gauges. The largest improvement in the quality of the radar data is obtained by correcting for ground clutter. The impact of VPR correction and advection depends on the spatial variability and velocity of the precipitation system. Overall during the winter period, the radar underestimates the amount of precipitation as compared to the rain gauges. Remaining differences between both instruments can be attributed to spatial and temporal variability in the type of precipitation, which has not been taken into account.

Cloud Infrastructure & Applications - CloudIA

Science.gov (United States)

Sulistio, Anthony; Reich, Christoph; Doelitzscher, Frank

The idea behind Cloud Computing is to deliver Infrastructure-as-a-Services and Software-as-a-Service over the Internet on an easy pay-per-use business model. To harness the potentials of Cloud Computing for e-Learning and research purposes, and to small- and medium-sized enterprises, the Hochschule Furtwangen University establishes a new project, called Cloud Infrastructure & Applications (CloudIA). The CloudIA project is a market-oriented cloud infrastructure that leverages different virtualization technologies, by supporting Service-Level Agreements for various service offerings. This paper describes the CloudIA project in details and mentions our early experiences in building a private cloud using an existing infrastructure.

Microphysical Properties of Frozen Particles Inferred from Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI) Polarimetric Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Jie; Wu, Dongliang

2017-01-01

Scattering differences induced by frozen particle microphysical properties are investigated, using the vertically (V) and horizontally (H) polarized radiances from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI) 89 and 166GHz channels. It is the first study on global frozen particle microphysical properties that uses the dual-frequency microwave polarimetric signals. From the ice cloud scenes identified by the 183.3 3GHz channel brightness temperature (TB), we find that the scatterings of frozen particles are highly polarized with V-H polarimetric differences (PD) being positive throughout the tropics and the winter hemisphere mid-latitude jet regions, including PDs from the GMI 89 and 166GHz TBs, as well as the PD at 640GHz from the ER-2 Compact Scanning Submillimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer (CoSSIR) during the TC4 campaign. Large polarization dominantly occurs mostly near convective outflow region (i.e., anvils or stratiform precipitation), while the polarization signal is small inside deep convective cores as well as at the remote cirrus region. Neglecting the polarimetric signal would result in as large as 30 error in ice water path retrievals. There is a universal bell-curve in the PD TB relationship, where the PD amplitude peaks at 10K for all three channels in the tropics and increases slightly with latitude. Moreover, the 166GHz PD tends to increase in the case where a melting layer is beneath the frozen particles aloft in the atmosphere, while 89GHz PD is less sensitive than 166GHz to the melting layer. This property creates a unique PD feature for the identification of the melting layer and stratiform rain with passive sensors. Horizontally oriented non-spherical frozen particles are thought to produce the observed PD because of different ice scattering properties in the V and H polarizations. On the other hand, changes in the ice microphysical habitats or orientation due to turbulence mixing can also lead to a reduced PD in the deep

Journal of Earth System Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Journal of Earth System Science; Volume 119; Issue 5 ... Use of objective analysis to estimate winter temperature and precipitation at ... Numerical study for production of space charge within the stratiform cloud .... Estimates of source parameters of 4.9 Kharsali earthquake using waveform modelling.

Effect of shear strain on the α-ε phase transition of iron: a new approach in the rotational diamond anvil cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Yanzhang; Selvi, Emre; Levitas, Valery I; Hashemi, Javad

2006-01-01

The effect of shear strain on the iron α-ε phase transformation has been studied using a rotational diamond anvil cell (RDAC). The initial transition is observed to take place at the reduced pressure of 10.8 GPa under pressure and shear operation. Complete phase transformation was observed at 15.4 GPa. The rotation of an anvil causes limited pressure elevation and makes the pressure distribution symmetric in the sample chamber before the phase transition. However, it causes a significant pressure increase at the centre of the sample and brings about a large pressure gradient during the phase transformation. The resistance to the phase interface motion is enhanced due to strain hardening during the pressure and shear operations on iron and this further increases the transition pressure. The work of macroscopic shear stress and the work of the pressure and shear stress at the defect tips account for the pressure reduction of the iron phase transition

Formation of Massive Molecular Cloud Cores by Cloud-cloud Collision

OpenAIRE

Inoue, Tsuyoshi; Fukui, Yasuo

2013-01-01

Recent observations of molecular clouds around rich massive star clusters including NGC3603, Westerlund 2, and M20 revealed that the formation of massive stars could be triggered by a cloud-cloud collision. By using three-dimensional, isothermal, magnetohydrodynamics simulations with the effect of self-gravity, we demonstrate that massive, gravitationally unstable, molecular cloud cores are formed behind the strong shock waves induced by the cloud-cloud collision. We find that the massive mol...

Variations of Precipitation Structure and Microwave Tbs During the Evolution of a Hailstorm from TRMM Observations

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2007-01-01

In this paper, a hailstorm occurring on 9 May 1999 in Huanghuai region was studied by using the combined data from the precipitation radar (PR), microwave image (TMI), and visible infrared scanner (VIRS) on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. According to the 3-orbit observations of 5-h duration from the TRMM satellite, the variation characteristics of the precipitation structures as well as cloud top temperature and microwave signals of the precipitating cloud were comprehensively analyzed during the evolution of hailstorm. The results show that the precipitation is obviously converted from early hail cloud with strong convection into the later storm cloud with weak convection. For hail cloud, there exists some strong convective cells, and the heavy solid precipitation is shown at the middle-top levels so that the contribution of rainfall amount above the freezing-layer to the column precipitation amount is rather larger than that within the melting-layer. However, for storm cloud, the convective cells are surrounded by the large area of stratiform precipitation, and the precipitation thickness gradually decreases, and the rainfall above the freezing-layer obviously reduces and the contribution of rainfall amount within the melting-layer rapidly increases. Therefore, the larger ratio of rainfall amount above the freezing layer to column precipitation amount is, the more convective the cloud is; reversely, the larger proportion of rainfall below the melting layer is, the more stable the stratiform cloud is. The different changing trends of microwave signals at different precipitation stages show that it is better to consider the structures and stages of precipitating cloud to choose the optimal microwave channels to retrieve surface rainfall.

In situ experimental study of subduction zone fluids using diamond anvil cells

Science.gov (United States)

Bureau, H.; Foy, E.; Somogyi, A.; Munsch, P.; Simon, G.; Kubsky, S.

2008-12-01

Experiments carried out in diamond anvil cells combined with in situ synchrotron light source measurements represent the only one issue to observe and study fluid equilibria in real time, at the pressure and temperature conditions of the subduction zones. We will present new results recently obtained at the DIFFABS beam line (SOLEIL Synchrotron) aiming at studying equilibria between silica-rich hydrous melts and aqueous fluids in the presence of U, Th, Pb, Ba and Br. We used synchrotron X-Ray fluorescence analysis performed in situ in Bassett-modified hydrothermal diamond anvil cells in order to monitor the chemical transfers of the studied elements between the phases in equilibrium at different pressures (up to 1.6 GPa) and temperatures (up to 900°C). We have calculated the partition coefficients for each studied element (i): Difluid/melt = Cifluid/Cimelt. Results show that U and Th exhibit more affinities for the silica-rich hydrous fluids in the presence or absence of Br, considered here such as an analogue for Cl, (i.e. 0.4 > 10 after decompression) this coefficient decreases with pressure suggesting that Br would not be immediately washed out from the subducted plate during dehydration but may be recycled deeper in the mantle. These new data combined with previous ones obtained for Pb, Ba (Bureau et al., 2007, HPR vol 27, p. 235) and Rb, Sr, Zr (Bureau et al., 2004, Eos Trans. AGU, 85(47), V11C-05), allow us to propose a general outline of the fluid phase transfers through the subduction factory: (1) at shallow level: their nature and composition, the impact of the presence of halogens and the fertilizing role of such fluids in the mantle wedge, where the generation of arc magmas takes place (2) deeper in the mantle: where hydrous silica-rich supercritical fluids may also favour a deep recycling of a fraction of volatiles and trace elements present in the subducted oceanic crust.

Relationship between cloud radiative forcing, cloud fraction and cloud albedo, and new surface-based approach for determining cloud albedo

OpenAIRE

Y. Liu; W. Wu; M. P. Jensen; T. Toto

2011-01-01

This paper focuses on three interconnected topics: (1) quantitative relationship between surface shortwave cloud radiative forcing, cloud fraction, and cloud albedo; (2) surfaced-based approach for measuring cloud albedo; (3) multiscale (diurnal, annual and inter-annual) variations and covariations of surface shortwave cloud radiative forcing, cloud fraction, and cloud albedo. An analytical expression is first derived to quantify the relationship between cloud radiative forcing, cloud fractio...

Journal of Earth System Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

One dimensional numerical model has been developed to predict the production of space charge and variations in other electrical parameters within the low level stratiform type of cloud having very weak vertical motion.Non-linear coupled differential equations which govern ion concentrations,charged and neutral droplet ...

Space efficient opposed-anvil high-pressure cell and its application to optical and NMR measurements up to 9 GPa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitagawa, Kentaro; Gotou, Hirotada; Yagi, Takehiko; Yamada, Atsushi; Matsumoto, Takehiko; Uwatoko, Yoshiya; Takigawa, Masashi

2010-01-01

We have developed a new type of opposed-anvil high pressure cell with substantially improved space efficiency. The clamp cell and the gasket are made of non-magnetic Ni-Cr-Al alloy. Non-magnetic tungsten carbide (NMWC) is used for the anvils. The assembled cell with the dimension φ29 mm x 41 mm is capable of generating pressure up to 9 GPa over a relatively large volume of 7 mm 3 . Our cell is particularly suitable for those experiments which require large sample space to achieve good signal-to-noise ratio, such as the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiment. Argon is used as the pressure transmitting medium to obtain good hydrostaticity. The pressure was calibrated in situ by measuring the fluorescence from ruby through a transparent moissanite (6H-SiC) window. We have measured the pressure and temperature dependences of the 63 Cu nuclear-quadrupole-resonance (NQR) frequency of Cu 2 O, the in-plane Knight shift of metallic tin, and the Knight shift of platinum. These quantities can be used as reliable manometers to determine the pressure values in situ during the NMR/NQR experiments up to 9 GPa. (author)

Finite element modeling of melting and fluid flow in the laser-heated diamond-anvil cell

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez-Perez, N.; Rodriguez, J. F.; McWilliams, R. S.

2017-04-01

The laser-heated diamond anvil cell is widely used in the laboratory study of materials behavior at high-pressure and high-temperature, including melting curves and liquid properties at extreme conditions. Laser heating in the diamond cell has long been associated with fluid-like motion in samples, which is routinely used to determine melting points and is often described as convective in appearance. However, the flow behavior of this system is poorly understood. A quantitative treatment of melting and flow in the laser-heated diamond anvil cell is developed here to physically relate experimental motion to properties of interest, including melting points and viscosity. Numerical finite-element models are used to characterize the temperature distribution, melting, buoyancy, and resulting natural convection in samples. We find that continuous fluid motion in experiments can be explained most readily by natural convection. Fluid velocities, peaking near values of microns per second for plausible viscosities, are sufficiently fast to be detected experimentally, lending support to the use of convective motion as a criterion for melting. Convection depends on the physical properties of the melt and the sample geometry and is too sluggish to detect for viscosities significantly above that of water at ambient conditions, implying an upper bound on the melt viscosity of about 1 mPa s when convective motion is detected. A simple analytical relationship between melt viscosity and velocity suggests that direct viscosity measurements can be made from flow speeds, given the basic thermodynamic and geometric parameters of samples are known.

Artificial intelligence systems for rainy areas detection and convective cells' delineation for the south shore of Mediterranean Sea during day and nighttime using MSG satellite images

Science.gov (United States)

Tebbi, Mohsene Abdelfettah; Haddad, Boualem

2016-09-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of cloud classification by means of support vector machines using high resolution images from northern Algeria. The images were taken from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) on board of the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite. An automatic system was developed to operate during both day and nighttime by following two steps of data processing. The first aims to detect rainy areas in cloud systems, whereas the second delineates convective cells from stratiform ones. A set of 12 spectral parameters was selected to extract information about cloud properties, which are different from day to night. The training and validation steps of this study were performed by in-situ rainfall measurement data, collected during the rainy season of years 2011 and 2012 via automatic rain gauge stations distributed in northern Algeria. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) and support vector machine (SVM) were explored, by combining spectral parameters derived from MSG images. Better performances were obtained by the SVM classifier, in terms of Critical Success Index and Probability of Detection for rainy areas detection (CSI = 0.81, POD = 91%), and also for convective/stratiform delineation (CSI = 0.55, POD = 74%).

Instrumented Taylor anvil-on-rod impact tests for validating applicability of standard strength models to transient deformation states

Science.gov (United States)

Eakins, D. E.; Thadhani, N. N.

2006-10-01

Instrumented Taylor anvil-on-rod impact tests have been conducted on oxygen-free electronic copper to validate the accuracy of current strength models for predicting transient states during dynamic deformation events. The experiments coupled the use of high-speed digital photography to record the transient deformation states and laser interferometry to monitor the sample back (free surface) velocity as a measure of the elastic/plastic wave propagation through the sample length. Numerical continuum dynamics simulations of the impact and plastic wave propagation employing the Johnson-Cook [Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium on Ballistics, 1983, The Netherlands (Am. Def. Prep. Assoc. (ADPA)), pp. 541-547], Zerilli-Armstrong [J. Appl. Phys. C1, 1816 (1987)], and Steinberg-Guinan [J. Appl. Phys. 51, 1498 (1980)] constitutive equations were used to generate transient deformation profiles and the free surface velocity traces. While these simulations showed good correlation with the measured free surface velocity traces and the final deformed sample shape, varying degrees of deviations were observed between the photographed and calculated specimen profiles at intermediate deformation states. The results illustrate the usefulness of the instrumented Taylor anvil-on-rod impact technique for validating constitutive equations that can describe the path-dependent deformation response and can therefore predict the transient and final deformation states.

Patterns of North African dust transport over the Atlantic: winter vs. summer, based on CALIPSO first year data

OpenAIRE

Y. Ben-Ami; I. Koren; O. Altaratz

2009-01-01

One of the most important factors that determine the transported dust effect on the atmosphere is its vertical distribution. In this study the vertical structure of North African dust and stratiform low clouds is analyzed over the Atlantic Ocean for the 2006–2007 boreal winter (December–February) and boreal summer of 2006 (June–August). By using the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) backscatter measurements over the dust routes, we describe the differ...

Objective description of precipitation fields on the basis of a composition from synop- and satellite data

OpenAIRE

Langer, Ines

2010-01-01

This work will contribute to the scale-dependent verification of precipitation forecasts of the German Weather Service’s Lokal-Modell (LM). A new observational dataset separating stratiform and convective precipitation at a one-hour temporal resolution was produced for Germany for the year 2004. The underlaying idea of this work is to connect rain producing cloud types taken from synoptic observations and derived cloud types from Meteosat data by the interpolation scheme. The accuracy of the ...

Investigation of the relationships between DCS cloud properties, lifecycle, and precipitation with meteorological regimes and aerosol sources at the ARM SGP Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, Xiquan [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences; Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States). Dept. of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences

2016-10-26

In this proposed research, we will investigate how different meteorological regimes and aerosol sources affect DCS properties, diurnal and life cycles, and precipitation using multiple observational platforms (surface, satellite, and aircraft) and NARR reanalysis at the ARM SGP site. The Feng et al. (2011, 2012) DCS results will serve as a starting point for this proposed research, and help us to address some fundamental issues of DCSs, such as convective initiation, rain rate, areal extent (including stratiform and convective regions), and longevity. Convective properties will be stratified by meteorological regime (synoptic/mesoscale patterns) identified by reanalysis. Aerosol information obtained from the ARM SGP site will also be stratified by meteorological regimes to understand their effects on convection. Finally, the aircraft in-situ measurements and various radar observations and retrievals during the MC3E campaign will provide a “cloud-truth” dataset and are an invaluable data source for verifying the findings and investigating the proposed hypotheses in Objective 1.

Cloud-Top Entrainment in Stratocumulus Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Mellado, Juan Pedro

2017-01-01

Cloud entrainment, the mixing between cloudy and clear air at the boundary of clouds, constitutes one paradigm for the relevance of small scales in the Earth system: By regulating cloud lifetimes, meter- and submeter-scale processes at cloud boundaries can influence planetary-scale properties. Understanding cloud entrainment is difficult given the complexity and diversity of the associated phenomena, which include turbulence entrainment within a stratified medium, convective instabilities driven by radiative and evaporative cooling, shear instabilities, and cloud microphysics. Obtaining accurate data at the required small scales is also challenging, for both simulations and measurements. During the past few decades, however, high-resolution simulations and measurements have greatly advanced our understanding of the main mechanisms controlling cloud entrainment. This article reviews some of these advances, focusing on stratocumulus clouds, and indicates remaining challenges.

Quantitative structure factor and density measurements of high-pressure fluids in diamond anvil cells by x-ray diffraction: Argon and water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eggert, Jon H.; Weck, Gunnar; Loubeyre, Paul; Mezouar, Mohamed

2002-01-01

We report quantitatively accurate high-pressure, structure-factor measurements of fluids in diamond anvil cells (DAC's) using x-ray diffraction. In the analysis of our diffraction data, we found it possible (and necessary) to determine the density directly. Thus, we also present a diffraction-based determination of the equation of state for fluid water. The analysis of these measurements is difficult since the diamond anvils are many times as thick as the sample and excessive care must be taken in the background subtraction. Due to the novel nature of the experiment and the complexity of the analysis, this paper is concerned primarily with a careful exposition of our analytical methods. Our analysis is applicable to both atomic and molecular fluids and glasses, and we present results for the structure factor and density of two relatively low-Z liquids: argon and water. In order to validate our methods we present an extensive comparison of our measurements on water at P≅0 in a DAC to recent state-of-the-art x-ray and neutron diffraction experiments and to first-principles simulations at ambient conditions

Cloud type comparisons of AIRS, CloudSat, and CALIPSO cloud height and amount

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. H. Kahn

2008-03-01

Full Text Available The precision of the two-layer cloud height fields derived from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS is explored and quantified for a five-day set of observations. Coincident profiles of vertical cloud structure by CloudSat, a 94 GHz profiling radar, and the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO, are compared to AIRS for a wide range of cloud types. Bias and variability in cloud height differences are shown to have dependence on cloud type, height, and amount, as well as whether CloudSat or CALIPSO is used as the comparison standard. The CloudSat-AIRS biases and variability range from −4.3 to 0.5±1.2–3.6 km for all cloud types. Likewise, the CALIPSO-AIRS biases range from 0.6–3.0±1.2–3.6 km (−5.8 to −0.2±0.5–2.7 km for clouds ≥7 km (<7 km. The upper layer of AIRS has the greatest sensitivity to Altocumulus, Altostratus, Cirrus, Cumulonimbus, and Nimbostratus, whereas the lower layer has the greatest sensitivity to Cumulus and Stratocumulus. Although the bias and variability generally decrease with increasing cloud amount, the ability of AIRS to constrain cloud occurrence, height, and amount is demonstrated across all cloud types for many geophysical conditions. In particular, skill is demonstrated for thin Cirrus, as well as some Cumulus and Stratocumulus, cloud types infrared sounders typically struggle to quantify. Furthermore, some improvements in the AIRS Version 5 operational retrieval algorithm are demonstrated. However, limitations in AIRS cloud retrievals are also revealed, including the existence of spurious Cirrus near the tropopause and low cloud layers within Cumulonimbus and Nimbostratus clouds. Likely causes of spurious clouds are identified and the potential for further improvement is discussed.

A comparison of shock-cloud and wind-cloud interactions: effect of increased cloud density contrast on cloud evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Goldsmith, K. J. A.; Pittard, J. M.

2018-05-01

The similarities, or otherwise, of a shock or wind interacting with a cloud of density contrast χ = 10 were explored in a previous paper. Here, we investigate such interactions with clouds of higher density contrast. We compare the adiabatic hydrodynamic interaction of a Mach 10 shock with a spherical cloud of χ = 103 with that of a cloud embedded in a wind with identical parameters to the post-shock flow. We find that initially there are only minor morphological differences between the shock-cloud and wind-cloud interactions, compared to when χ = 10. However, once the transmitted shock exits the cloud, the development of a turbulent wake and fragmentation of the cloud differs between the two simulations. On increasing the wind Mach number, we note the development of a thin, smooth tail of cloud material, which is then disrupted by the fragmentation of the cloud core and subsequent `mass-loading' of the flow. We find that the normalized cloud mixing time (tmix) is shorter at higher χ. However, a strong Mach number dependence on tmix and the normalized cloud drag time, t_{drag}^' }, is not observed. Mach-number-dependent values of tmix and t_{drag}^' } from comparable shock-cloud interactions converge towards the Mach-number-independent time-scales of the wind-cloud simulations. We find that high χ clouds can be accelerated up to 80-90 per cent of the wind velocity and travel large distances before being significantly mixed. However, complete mixing is not achieved in our simulations and at late times the flow remains perturbed.

Cumulus Microphysics and Climate Sensitivity.

Science.gov (United States)

del Genio, Anthony D.; Kovari, William; Yao, Mao-Sung; Jonas, Jeffrey

2005-07-01

Precipitation processes in convective storms are potentially a major regulator of cloud feedback. An unresolved issue is how the partitioning of convective condensate between precipitation-size particles that fall out of updrafts and smaller particles that are detrained to form anvil clouds will change as the climate warms. Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) observations of tropical oceanic convective storms indicate higher precipitation efficiency at warmer sea surface temperature (SST) but also suggest that cumulus anvil sizes, albedos, and ice water paths become insensitive to warming at high temperatures. International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) data show that instantaneous cirrus and deep convective cloud fractions are positively correlated and increase with SST except at the highest temperatures, but are sensitive to variations in large-scale vertical velocity. A simple conceptual model based on a Marshall-Palmer drop size distribution, empirical terminal velocity-particle size relationships, and assumed cumulus updraft speeds reproduces the observed tendency for detrained condensate to approach a limiting value at high SST. These results suggest that the climatic behavior of observed tropical convective clouds is intermediate between the extremes required to support the thermostat and adaptive iris hypotheses.

Cloud Computing, Tieto Cloud Server Model

OpenAIRE

Suikkanen, Saara

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to find out what is cloud computing. To be able to make wise decisions when moving to cloud or considering it, companies need to understand what cloud is consists of. Which model suits best to they company, what should be taken into account before moving to cloud, what is the cloud broker role and also SWOT analysis of cloud? To be able to answer customer requirements and business demands, IT companies should develop and produce new service models. IT house T...

High-pressure raman study on single crystalline methane hydrate surrounded by methane in a diamond anvil cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohno, Y; Sasaki, S; Kume, T; Shimizu, H

2008-01-01

High-pressure Raman measurements have been performed for single crystalline methane hydrate (MH) surrounded by fluid or solid methane in a diamond anvil cell. We successfully obtained the pure O-H stretching and lattice vibration spectra in MH-sI and MH-II phases. In these Raman spectra, there is no Raman band from water or ice-VI. The observed pressure of phase transformation from MH-sI to MH-II is 0.9 GPa, which is the same result as methane hydrate surrounded by water

+Cloud: An Agent-Based Cloud Computing Platform

OpenAIRE

González, Roberto; Hernández de la Iglesia, Daniel; de la Prieta Pintado, Fernando; Gil González, Ana Belén

2017-01-01

Cloud computing is revolutionizing the services provided through the Internet, and is continually adapting itself in order to maintain the quality of its services. This study presents the platform +Cloud, which proposes a cloud environment for storing information and files by following the cloud paradigm. This study also presents Warehouse 3.0, a cloud-based application that has been developed to validate the services provided by +Cloud.

Rayleigh beacon for measuring the surface profile of a radio telescope.

Science.gov (United States)

Padin, S

2014-12-01

Millimeter-wavelength Rayleigh scattering from water droplets in a cloud is proposed as a means of generating a bright beacon for measuring the surface profile of a radio telescope. A λ=3  mm transmitter, with an output power of a few watts, illuminating a stratiform cloud, can generate a beacon with the same flux as Mars in 10 GHz bandwidth, but the beacon has a narrow line width, so it is extremely bright. The key advantage of the beacon is that it can be used at any time, and positioned anywhere in the sky, as long as there are clouds.

Silicon Photonics Cloud (SiCloud)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

DeVore, P. T. S.; Jiang, Y.; Lynch, M.

2015-01-01

Silicon Photonics Cloud (SiCloud.org) is the first silicon photonics interactive web tool. Here we report new features of this tool including mode propagation parameters and mode distribution galleries for user specified waveguide dimensions and wavelengths.......Silicon Photonics Cloud (SiCloud.org) is the first silicon photonics interactive web tool. Here we report new features of this tool including mode propagation parameters and mode distribution galleries for user specified waveguide dimensions and wavelengths....

Midlatitude Cirrus Clouds Derived from Hurricane Nora: A Case Study with Implications for Ice Crystal Nucleation and Shape.

Science.gov (United States)

Sassen, Kenneth; Arnott, W. Patrick; O'C. Starr, David; Mace, Gerald G.; Wang, Zhien; Poellot, Michael R.

2003-04-01

Hurricane Nora traveled up the Baja Peninsula coast in the unusually warm El Niño waters of September 1997 until rapidly decaying as it approached southern California on 24 September. The anvil cirrus blowoff from the final surge of tropical convection became embedded in subtropical flow that advected the cirrus across the western United States, where it was studied from the Facility for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (FARS) in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 25 September. A day later, the cirrus shield remnants were redirected southward by midlatitude circulations into the southern Great Plains, providing a case study opportunity for the research aircraft and ground-based remote sensors assembled at the Clouds and Radiation Testbed (CART) site in northern Oklahoma. Using these comprehensive resources and new remote sensing cloud retrieval algorithms, the microphysical and radiative cloud properties of this unusual cirrus event are uniquely characterized.Importantly, at both the FARS and CART sites the cirrus generated spectacular halos and arcs, which acted as a tracer for the hurricane cirrus, despite the limited lifetimes of individual ice crystals. Lidar depolarization data indicate widespread regions of uniform ice plate orientations, and in situ particle replicator data show a preponderance of pristine, solid hexagonal plates and columns. It is suggested that these unusual aspects are the result of the mode of cirrus particle nucleation, presumably involving the lofting of sea salt nuclei in strong thunderstorm updrafts into the upper troposphere. This created a reservoir of haze particles that continued to produce halide-salt-contaminated ice crystals during the extended period of cirrus cloud maintenance. The inference that marine microbiota are embedded in the replicas of some ice crystals collected over the CART site points to the longevity of marine effects. Various nucleation scenarios proposed for cirrus clouds based on this and other studies, and the

Anvil Points oil shale tailings management in Rifle, Colorado

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rudy, R.; Galli LaBerge, C.; McClurg, J. [Ecology and Environment Inc., Lancaster, NY (United States); Walsh Integrated, Lachine, PQ (Canada)

2009-07-01

This presentation summarized the oil shale tailings management program used at the Anvil Points mining site in Colorado. Decommissioning and reclamation of the site occurred between 1984 and 1986. The geology of the region is comprised of Tertiary bedrock sedimentary formations and Quaternary formations on the surface. Oil shales mined at the facility are from the Eocene Green River formation. While the site lies within big game winter ranges, the areas around the shale pile supports are not a significant nesting or feeding habitat for wildlife. No sensitive plants are located on the waste shale pile. The program currently includes revegetation test plots and the reclamation of an area where heating oil storage tanks were located. The dumping area is currently being monitored, and geophysical surveys are being conducted. Documents produced by mining activities are also being reviewed. Results of the study to date have indicated the presence of asbestos-containing materials, significant physical hazards, and significant cultural resources. An engineering evaluation and cost analysis has demonstrated that arsenic, beryllium, and iron exceed established soil screening levels. It was concluded that off-site removal actions will be conducted to prevent or reduce human exposure to the metals of concern. tabs., figs.

Cloud Processed CCN Suppress Stratus Cloud Drizzle

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, J. G.; Noble, S. R., Jr.

2017-12-01

Conversion of sulfur dioxide to sulfate within cloud droplets increases the sizes and decreases the critical supersaturation, Sc, of cloud residual particles that had nucleated the droplets. Since other particles remain at the same sizes and Sc a size and Sc gap is often observed. Hudson et al. (2015) showed higher cloud droplet concentrations (Nc) in stratus clouds associated with bimodal high-resolution CCN spectra from the DRI CCN spectrometer compared to clouds associated with unimodal CCN spectra (not cloud processed). Here we show that CCN spectral shape (bimodal or unimodal) affects all aspects of stratus cloud microphysics and drizzle. Panel A shows mean differential cloud droplet spectra that have been divided according to traditional slopes, k, of the 131 measured CCN spectra in the Marine Stratus/Stratocumulus Experiment (MASE) off the Central California coast. K is generally high within the supersaturation, S, range of stratus clouds (< 0.5%). Because cloud processing decreases Sc of some particles, it reduces k. Panel A shows higher concentrations of small cloud droplets apparently grown on lower k CCN than clouds grown on higher k CCN. At small droplet sizes the concentrations follow the k order of the legend, black, red, green, blue (lowest to highest k). Above 13 µm diameter the lines cross and the hierarchy reverses so that blue (highest k) has the highest concentrations followed by green, red and black (lowest k). This reversed hierarchy continues into the drizzle size range (panel B) where the most drizzle drops, Nd, are in clouds grown on the least cloud-processed CCN (blue), while clouds grown on the most processed CCN (black) have the lowest Nd. Suppression of stratus cloud drizzle by cloud processing is an additional 2nd indirect aerosol effect (IAE) that along with the enhancement of 1st IAE by higher Nc (panel A) are above and beyond original IAE. However, further similar analysis is needed in other cloud regimes to determine if MASE was

Recent variations of cloudiness over Russia from surface daytime observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chernokulsky, A V; Mokhov, I I; Bulygina, O N

2011-01-01

Changes of total and low cloud fraction and the occurrence of different cloud types over Russia were assessed. The analysis was based on visual observations from more than 1600 meteorological stations. Differences between the 2001-10 and 1991-2000 year ranges were evaluated. In general, cloud fraction has tended to increase during recent years. A major increase of total cloud fraction and a decrease of the number of days without clouds are revealed in spring and autumn mostly due to an increase of the occurrence of convective and non-precipitating stratiform clouds. In contrast, the occurrence of nimbostratus clouds has tended to decrease. In general, the ratio between the occurrence of cumulonimbus and nimbostratus clouds has increased for the period 2001-10 relative to 1991-2000. Over particular regions, a decrease of total cloud fraction and an increase of the number of days without clouds are noted.

Cloud vertical profiles derived from CALIPSO and CloudSat and a comparison with MODIS derived clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, S.; Sun-Mack, S.; Miller, W. F.; Rose, F. G.; Minnis, P.; Wielicki, B. A.; Winker, D. M.; Stephens, G. L.; Charlock, T. P.; Collins, W. D.; Loeb, N. G.; Stackhouse, P. W.; Xu, K.

2008-05-01

CALIPSO and CloudSat from the a-train provide detailed information of vertical distribution of clouds and aerosols. The vertical distribution of cloud occurrence is derived from one month of CALIPSO and CloudSat data as a part of the effort of merging CALIPSO, CloudSat and MODIS with CERES data. This newly derived cloud profile is compared with the distribution of cloud top height derived from MODIS on Aqua from cloud algorithms used in the CERES project. The cloud base from MODIS is also estimated using an empirical formula based on the cloud top height and optical thickness, which is used in CERES processes. While MODIS detects mid and low level clouds over the Arctic in April fairly well when they are the topmost cloud layer, it underestimates high- level clouds. In addition, because the CERES-MODIS cloud algorithm is not able to detect multi-layer clouds and the empirical formula significantly underestimates the depth of high clouds, the occurrence of mid and low-level clouds is underestimated. This comparison does not consider sensitivity difference to thin clouds but we will impose an optical thickness threshold to CALIPSO derived clouds for a further comparison. The effect of such differences in the cloud profile to flux computations will also be discussed. In addition, the effect of cloud cover to the top-of-atmosphere flux over the Arctic using CERES SSF and FLASHFLUX products will be discussed.

Tropical sea surface temperatures and the earth's orbital eccentricity cycles

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Gupta, S.M.; Fernandes, A.A.; Mohan, R.

The tropical oceanic warm pools are climatologically important regions because their sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are positively related to atmospheric greenhouse effect and the cumulonimbus-cirrus cloud anvil. Such a warm pool is also present...

Cloud-Resolving Modeling Intercomparison Study of a Squall Line Case from MC3E - Properties of Convective Core

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, J.; Han, B.; Varble, A.; Morrison, H.; North, K.; Kollias, P.; Chen, B.; Dong, X.; Giangrande, S. E.; Khain, A.; Lin, Y.; Mansell, E.; Milbrandt, J.; Stenz, R.; Thompson, G.; Wang, Y.

2016-12-01

The large spread in CRM model simulations of deep convection and aerosol effects on deep convective clouds (DCCs) makes it difficult to (1) further our understanding of deep convection and (2) define "benchmarks" and then limit their use in parameterization developments. A constrained model intercomparsion study on a mid-latitude mesoscale squall line is performed using the Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) model at 1-km horizontal grid spacing with eight cloud microphysics schemes to understand specific processes that lead to the large spreads of simulated convection and precipitation. Various observational data are employed to evaluate the baseline simulations. All simulations tend to produce a wider convective area but a much narrower stratiform area. The magnitudes of virtual potential temperature drop, pressure rise, and wind speed peak associated with the passage of the gust front are significantly smaller compared with the observations, suggesting simulated cool pools are weaker. Simulations generally overestimate the vertical velocity and radar reflectivity in convective cores compared with the retrievals. The modeled updraft velocity and precipitation have a significant spread across eight schemes. The spread of updraft velocity is the combination of both low-level pressure perturbation gradient (PPG) and buoyancy. Both PPG and thermal buoyancy are small for simulations of weak convection but both are large for those of strong convection. Ice-related parameterizations contribute majorly to the spread of updraft velocity, while they are not the reason for the large spread of precipitation. The understandings gained in this study can help to focus future observations and parameterization development.

Stratocumulus Cloud Top Radiative Cooling and Cloud Base Updraft Speeds

Science.gov (United States)

Kazil, J.; Feingold, G.; Balsells, J.; Klinger, C.

2017-12-01

Cloud top radiative cooling is a primary driver of turbulence in the stratocumulus-topped marine boundary. A functional relationship between cloud top cooling and cloud base updraft speeds may therefore exist. A correlation of cloud top radiative cooling and cloud base updraft speeds has been recently identified empirically, providing a basis for satellite retrieval of cloud base updraft speeds. Such retrievals may enable analysis of aerosol-cloud interactions using satellite observations: Updraft speeds at cloud base co-determine supersaturation and therefore the activation of cloud condensation nuclei, which in turn co-determine cloud properties and precipitation formation. We use large eddy simulation and an off-line radiative transfer model to explore the relationship between cloud-top radiative cooling and cloud base updraft speeds in a marine stratocumulus cloud over the course of the diurnal cycle. We find that during daytime, at low cloud water path (CWP correlated, in agreement with the reported empirical relationship. During the night, in the absence of short-wave heating, CWP builds up (CWP > 50 g m-2) and long-wave emissions from cloud top saturate, while cloud base heating increases. In combination, cloud top cooling and cloud base updrafts become weakly anti-correlated. A functional relationship between cloud top cooling and cloud base updraft speed can hence be expected for stratocumulus clouds with a sufficiently low CWP and sub-saturated long-wave emissions, in particular during daytime. At higher CWPs, in particular at night, the relationship breaks down due to saturation of long-wave emissions from cloud top.

Cloud networking understanding cloud-based data center networks

CERN Document Server

Lee, Gary

2014-01-01

Cloud Networking: Understanding Cloud-Based Data Center Networks explains the evolution of established networking technologies into distributed, cloud-based networks. Starting with an overview of cloud technologies, the book explains how cloud data center networks leverage distributed systems for network virtualization, storage networking, and software-defined networking. The author offers insider perspective to key components that make a cloud network possible such as switch fabric technology and data center networking standards. The final chapters look ahead to developments in architectures

Formation of giant molecular clouds in global spiral structures: the role of orbital dynamics and cloud-cloud collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, W.W. Jr.; Stewart, G.R.

1987-01-01

The different roles played by orbital dynamics and dissipative cloud-cloud collisions in the formation of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) in a global spiral structure are investigated. The interstellar medium (ISM) is simulated by a system of particles, representing clouds, which orbit in a spiral-perturbed, galactic gravitational field. The overall magnitude and width of the global cloud density distribution in spiral arms is very similar in the collisional and collisionless simulations. The results suggest that the assumed number density and size distribution of clouds and the details of individual cloud-cloud collisions have relatively little effect on these features. Dissipative cloud-cloud collisions play an important steadying role for the cloud system's global spiral structure. Dissipative cloud-cloud collisions also damp the relative velocity dispersion of clouds in massive associations and thereby aid in the effective assembling of GMC-like complexes

Evaluation of Passive Multilayer Cloud Detection Using Preliminary CloudSat and CALIPSO Cloud Profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Minnis, P.; Sun-Mack, S.; Chang, F.; Huang, J.; Nguyen, L.; Ayers, J. K.; Spangenberg, D. A.; Yi, Y.; Trepte, C. R.

2006-12-01

During the last few years, several algorithms have been developed to detect and retrieve multilayered clouds using passive satellite data. Assessing these techniques has been difficult due to the need for active sensors such as cloud radars and lidars that can "see" through different layers of clouds. Such sensors have been available only at a few surface sites and on aircraft during field programs. With the launch of the CALIPSO and CloudSat satellites on April 28, 2006, it is now possible to observe multilayered systems all over the globe using collocated cloud radar and lidar data. As part of the A- Train, these new active sensors are also matched in time ad space with passive measurements from the Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - EOS (AMSR-E). The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) has been developing and testing algorithms to detect ice-over-water overlapping cloud systems and to retrieve the cloud liquid path (LWP) and ice water path (IWP) for those systems. One technique uses a combination of the CERES cloud retrieval algorithm applied to MODIS data and a microwave retrieval method applied to AMSR-E data. The combination of a CO2-slicing cloud retireval technique with the CERES algorithms applied to MODIS data (Chang et al., 2005) is used to detect and analyze such overlapped systems that contain thin ice clouds. A third technique uses brightness temperature differences and the CERES algorithms to detect similar overlapped methods. This paper uses preliminary CloudSat and CALIPSO data to begin a global scale assessment of these different methods. The long-term goals are to assess and refine the algorithms to aid the development of an optimal combination of the techniques to better monitor ice 9and liquid water clouds in overlapped conditions.

Cloud Computing Fundamentals

Science.gov (United States)

Furht, Borko

In the introductory chapter we define the concept of cloud computing and cloud services, and we introduce layers and types of cloud computing. We discuss the differences between cloud computing and cloud services. New technologies that enabled cloud computing are presented next. We also discuss cloud computing features, standards, and security issues. We introduce the key cloud computing platforms, their vendors, and their offerings. We discuss cloud computing challenges and the future of cloud computing.

Hydrothermal studies in a new diamond anvil cell up to 10 GPa and from -190°C to 1200°C

Science.gov (United States)

Bassett, W. A.; Shen, A. H.; Bucknum, M.; Chou, I.-Ming

1993-06-01

The new hydrothermal diamond anvil cell (HDAC) has been designed for optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction at pressures up to 10 GPa and temperatures between -190°C and 1200°C. Laser light reffected from the top and bottom anvil faces and the top and bottom solid sample faces produce interference fringes that provide a very sensitive means of monitoring the volume of sample chamber and for observing volume and refractive index changes in solid samples due to transitions and reactions. Synchrotron radiation has been used to make X-ray diffraction patterns of samples under hydrothermal conditions. Individual heaters and individual thermocouples provide temperature control with an accuracy of ±0.5°C. Liquid nitrogen directly introduced into the HDAC has been used to reduce the sample temperature to -190°C. The α-β phase boundary of quartz has been used to calculate the transition pressures from measured transition temperatures. With this method we have redetermined 5 isochores of H2O up to 850°C and 1.2 GPa at which the solution rate of the quartz became so rapid that the quartz dissolved completely before the α-β transition could be observed. When silica solutions were cooled, opal spherules and rods formed.

Relationships among cloud occurrence frequency, overlap, and effective thickness derived from CALIPSO and CloudSat merged cloud vertical profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Seiji; Sun-Mack, Sunny; Miller, Walter F.; Rose, Fred G.; Chen, Yan; Minnis, Patrick; Wielicki, Bruce A.

2010-01-01

A cloud frequency of occurrence matrix is generated using merged cloud vertical profiles derived from the satellite-borne Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) and cloud profiling radar. The matrix contains vertical profiles of cloud occurrence frequency as a function of the uppermost cloud top. It is shown that the cloud fraction and uppermost cloud top vertical profiles can be related by a cloud overlap matrix when the correlation length of cloud occurrence, which is interpreted as an effective cloud thickness, is introduced. The underlying assumption in establishing the above relation is that cloud overlap approaches random overlap with increasing distance separating cloud layers and that the probability of deviating from random overlap decreases exponentially with distance. One month of Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) and CloudSat data (July 2006) support these assumptions, although the correlation length sometimes increases with separation distance when the cloud top height is large. The data also show that the correlation length depends on cloud top hight and the maximum occurs when the cloud top height is 8 to 10 km. The cloud correlation length is equivalent to the decorrelation distance introduced by Hogan and Illingworth (2000) when cloud fractions of both layers in a two-cloud layer system are the same. The simple relationships derived in this study can be used to estimate the top-of-atmosphere irradiance difference caused by cloud fraction, uppermost cloud top, and cloud thickness vertical profile differences.

Experimental Investigation of Magnetic Superconducting, and other Phase Transitions in Novel f-Electron Materials at Ultra-high Pressures Using Designer Diamond Anvils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maple, M. Brian

2005-01-01

Pressure is a powerful control parameter, owing to its ability to affect crystal and electronic structure without introducing defects, for the investigation of condensed matter systems. Some f-electron, heavy-fermion materials display interesting and novel behavior when exposed to pressures achievable with conventional experimental techniques; however, a growing number of condensed matter systems require extreme conditions such as ultrahigh pressures, high magnetic fields, and ultralow temperatures to sufficiently explore the important properties. To that end, we have been funded to develop an ultrahigh pressure facility at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in order to investigate superconductivity, magnetism, non-Fermi liquid behavior, and other phenomena under extreme conditions. Our goals for the second year of this grant were as follows: (a) perform electrical resistivity measurements on novel samples at a myriad of pressures using conventional piston-cylinder techniques, Bridgman anvil techniques, and diamond anvil cell technology; (b) install, commission, and operate an Oxford Kelvinox MX-100 dilution refrigerator for access to ultralow temperatures and high magnetic fields. (c) continue the development of diamond anvil cell (DAC) technology. During the past year, we have successfully installed the Oxford Kelvinox MX-100 dilution refrigerator and verified its operability down to 12 mK. We have begun an experimental program to systematically investigate the f-electron compound URu2Si2 under pressure and in the presence of magnetic fields. We have also continued our collaborative work with Sam Weir at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) on Au4V and implemented a new corollary study on Au1-xVx using ultrahigh pressures. We have continued developing our DAC facility by designing and constructing an apparatus for in situ pressure measurement as well as designing high pressure cells. This report serves to highlight the progress we have made

Clustering, randomness, and regularity in cloud fields: 2. Cumulus cloud fields

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, T.; Lee, J.; Weger, R. C.; Welch, R. M.

1992-12-01

During the last decade a major controversy has been brewing concerning the proper characterization of cumulus convection. The prevailing view has been that cumulus clouds form in clusters, in which cloud spacing is closer than that found for the overall cloud field and which maintains its identity over many cloud lifetimes. This "mutual protection hypothesis" of Randall and Huffman (1980) has been challenged by the "inhibition hypothesis" of Ramirez et al. (1990) which strongly suggests that the spatial distribution of cumuli must tend toward a regular distribution. A dilemma has resulted because observations have been reported to support both hypotheses. The present work reports a detailed analysis of cumulus cloud field spatial distributions based upon Landsat, Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer, and Skylab data. Both nearest-neighbor and point-to-cloud cumulative distribution function statistics are investigated. The results show unequivocally that when both large and small clouds are included in the cloud field distribution, the cloud field always has a strong clustering signal. The strength of clustering is largest at cloud diameters of about 200-300 m, diminishing with increasing cloud diameter. In many cases, clusters of small clouds are found which are not closely associated with large clouds. As the small clouds are eliminated from consideration, the cloud field typically tends towards regularity. Thus it would appear that the "inhibition hypothesis" of Ramirez and Bras (1990) has been verified for the large clouds. However, these results are based upon the analysis of point processes. A more exact analysis also is made which takes into account the cloud size distributions. Since distinct clouds are by definition nonoverlapping, cloud size effects place a restriction upon the possible locations of clouds in the cloud field. The net effect of this analysis is that the large clouds appear to be randomly distributed, with only weak tendencies towards

Cloud occurrences and cloud radiative effects (CREs) from CERES-CALIPSO-CloudSat-MODIS (CCCM) and CloudSat radar-lidar (RL) products

Science.gov (United States)

Ham, Seung-Hee; Kato, Seiji; Rose, Fred G.; Winker, David; L'Ecuyer, Tristan; Mace, Gerald G.; Painemal, David; Sun-Mack, Sunny; Chen, Yan; Miller, Walter F.

2017-08-01

Two kinds of cloud products obtained from Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO), CloudSat, and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are compared and analyzed in this study: Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES)-CALIPSO-CloudSat-MODIS (CCCM) product and CloudSat radar-lidar products such as GEOPROF-LIDAR and FLXHR-LIDAR. Compared to GEOPROF-LIDAR, low-level (40°). The difference occurs when hydrometeors are detected by CALIPSO lidar but are undetected by CloudSat radar. In the comparison of cloud radiative effects (CREs), global mean differences between CCCM and FLXHR-LIDAR are mostly smaller than 5 W m-2, while noticeable regional differences are found. For example, CCCM shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) CREs are larger than FXLHR-LIDAR along the west coasts of Africa and America because the GEOPROF-LIDAR algorithm misses shallow marine boundary layer clouds. In addition, FLXHR-LIDAR SW CREs are larger than the CCCM counterpart over tropical oceans away from the west coasts of America. Over midlatitude storm-track regions, CCCM SW and LW CREs are larger than the FLXHR-LIDAR counterpart.

Relation of Cloud Occurrence Frequency, Overlap, and Effective Thickness Derived from CALIPSO and CloudSat Merged Cloud Vertical Profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Seiji; Sun-Mack, Sunny; Miller, Walter F.; Rose, Fred G.; Chen, Yan; Minnis, Patrick; Wielicki, Bruce A.

2009-01-01

A cloud frequency of occurrence matrix is generated using merged cloud vertical profile derived from Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) and Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR). The matrix contains vertical profiles of cloud occurrence frequency as a function of the uppermost cloud top. It is shown that the cloud fraction and uppermost cloud top vertical pro les can be related by a set of equations when the correlation distance of cloud occurrence, which is interpreted as an effective cloud thickness, is introduced. The underlying assumption in establishing the above relation is that cloud overlap approaches the random overlap with increasing distance separating cloud layers and that the probability of deviating from the random overlap decreases exponentially with distance. One month of CALIPSO and CloudSat data support these assumptions. However, the correlation distance sometimes becomes large, which might be an indication of precipitation. The cloud correlation distance is equivalent to the de-correlation distance introduced by Hogan and Illingworth [2000] when cloud fractions of both layers in a two-cloud layer system are the same.

Contrasting Cloud Composition Between Coupled and Decoupled Marine Boundary Layer Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

WANG, Z.; Mora, M.; Dadashazar, H.; MacDonald, A.; Crosbie, E.; Bates, K. H.; Coggon, M. M.; Craven, J. S.; Xian, P.; Campbell, J. R.; AzadiAghdam, M.; Woods, R. K.; Jonsson, H.; Flagan, R. C.; Seinfeld, J.; Sorooshian, A.

2016-12-01

Marine stratocumulus clouds often become decoupled from the vertical layer immediately above the ocean surface. This study contrasts cloud chemical composition between coupled and decoupled marine stratocumulus clouds. Cloud water and droplet residual particle composition were measured in clouds off the California coast during three airborne experiments in July-August of separate years (E-PEACE 2011, NiCE 2013, BOAS 2015). Decoupled clouds exhibited significantly lower overall mass concentrations in both cloud water and droplet residual particles, consistent with reduced cloud droplet number concentration and sub-cloud aerosol (Dp > 100 nm) number concentration, owing to detachment from surface sources. Non-refractory sub-micrometer aerosol measurements show that coupled clouds exhibit higher sulfate mass fractions in droplet residual particles, owing to more abundant precursor emissions from the ocean and ships. Consequently, decoupled clouds exhibited higher mass fractions of organics, nitrate, and ammonium in droplet residual particles, owing to effects of long-range transport from more distant sources. Total cloud water mass concentration in coupled clouds was dominated by sodium and chloride, and their mass fractions and concentrations exceeded those in decoupled clouds. Conversely, with the exception of sea salt constituents (e.g., Cl, Na, Mg, K), cloud water mass fractions of all species examined were higher in decoupled clouds relative to coupled clouds. These results suggest that an important variable is the extent to which clouds are coupled to the surface layer when interpreting microphysical data relevant to clouds and aerosol particles.

Observations and High-Resolution Numerical Simulations of a Non-Developing Tropical Disturbance in the Western North Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-01

frozen condensate melts and evaporates as it falls, which tends to increase low-level moisture . Nguyen and Molinari (2012) examined the rapid...spherical particles of constant density, exponential size distributions, and constant intercept parameters. A comparison of ELDORA and model-derived...mid-troposphere, air cools, and a deep layer of subsidence forms. At the same time, condensational warming within the stratiform cloud deck

Context-aware distributed cloud computing using CloudScheduler

Science.gov (United States)

Seuster, R.; Leavett-Brown, CR; Casteels, K.; Driemel, C.; Paterson, M.; Ring, D.; Sobie, RJ; Taylor, RP; Weldon, J.

2017-10-01

The distributed cloud using the CloudScheduler VM provisioning service is one of the longest running systems for HEP workloads. It has run millions of jobs for ATLAS and Belle II over the past few years using private and commercial clouds around the world. Our goal is to scale the distributed cloud to the 10,000-core level, with the ability to run any type of application (low I/O, high I/O and high memory) on any cloud. To achieve this goal, we have been implementing changes that utilize context-aware computing designs that are currently employed in the mobile communication industry. Context-awareness makes use of real-time and archived data to respond to user or system requirements. In our distributed cloud, we have many opportunistic clouds with no local HEP services, software or storage repositories. A context-aware design significantly improves the reliability and performance of our system by locating the nearest location of the required services. We describe how we are collecting and managing contextual information from our workload management systems, the clouds, the virtual machines and our services. This information is used not only to monitor the system but also to carry out automated corrective actions. We are incrementally adding new alerting and response services to our distributed cloud. This will enable us to scale the number of clouds and virtual machines. Further, a context-aware design will enable us to run analysis or high I/O application on opportunistic clouds. We envisage an open-source HTTP data federation (for example, the DynaFed system at CERN) as a service that would provide us access to existing storage elements used by the HEP experiments.

AceCloud: Molecular Dynamics Simulations in the Cloud.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, M J; De Fabritiis, G

2015-05-26

We present AceCloud, an on-demand service for molecular dynamics simulations. AceCloud is designed to facilitate the secure execution of large ensembles of simulations on an external cloud computing service (currently Amazon Web Services). The AceCloud client, integrated into the ACEMD molecular dynamics package, provides an easy-to-use interface that abstracts all aspects of interaction with the cloud services. This gives the user the experience that all simulations are running on their local machine, minimizing the learning curve typically associated with the transition to using high performance computing services.

VMware private cloud computing with vCloud director

CERN Document Server

Gallagher, Simon

2013-01-01

It's All About Delivering Service with vCloud Director Empowered by virtualization, companies are not just moving into the cloud, they're moving into private clouds for greater security, flexibility, and cost savings. However, this move involves more than just infrastructure. It also represents a different business model and a new way to provide services. In this detailed book, VMware vExpert Simon Gallagher makes sense of private cloud computing for IT administrators. From basic cloud theory and strategies for adoption to practical implementation, he covers all the issues. You'll lea

An overview of the Stratospheric-Tropospheric Experiment: Radiation, Aerosols, and Ozone (STERAO)-Deep Convection experiment with results for the July 10, 1996 storm

Science.gov (United States)

Dye, J. E.; Ridley, B. A.; Skamarock, W.; Barth, M.; Venticinque, M.; Defer, E.; Blanchet, P.; Thery, C.; Laroche, P.; Baumann, K.; Hubler, G.; Parrish, D. D.; Ryerson, T.; Trainer, M.; Frost, G.; Holloway, J. S.; Matejka, T.; Bartels, D.; Fehsenfeld, F. C.; Tuck, A.; Rutledge, S. A.; Lang, T.; Stith, J.; Zerr, R.

2000-04-01

The Stratospheric-Tropospheric Experiment: Radiation, Aerosols and Ozone (STERAO)-Deep Convection Field Project with closely coordinated chemical, dynamical, electrical, and microphysical observations was conducted in northeastern Colorado during June and July of 1996 to investigate the production of NOx by lightning, the transport and redistribution of chemical species in the troposphere by thunderstorms, and the temporal evolution of intracloud and cloud-to-ground lightning for evolving storms on the Colorado high plains. Major observations were airborne chemical measurements in the boundary layer, middle and upper troposphere, and thunderstorm anvils; airborne and ground-based Doppler radar measurements; measurement of both intracloud (IC) and cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flash rates and locations; and multiparameter radar and in situ observations of microphysical structure. Cloud and mesoscale models are being used to synthesize and extend the observations. Herein we present an overview of the project and selected results for an isolated, severe storm that occurred on July 10. Time histories of reflectivity structure, IC and CG lightning flash rates, and chemical measurements in the boundary layer and in the anvil are presented showing large spatial and temporal variations. The observations for one period of time suggest that limited mixing of environmental air into the updraft core occurred during transport from cloud base to the anvil adjacent to the storm core. We deduce that the most likely contribution of lightning to the total NOx observed in the anvil is 60-90% with a minimum of 45%. For the July 10 storm the NOx produced by lightning was almost exclusively from IC flashes with a ratio of IC to total flashes >0.95 throughout most of the storm's lifetime. It is argued that in this storm and probably others, IC flashes can be major contributors to NOx production. Superposition of VHF lightning source locations on Doppler retrieved air motion fields for

Creating cloud-free Landsat ETM+ data sets in tropical landscapes: cloud and cloud-shadow removal

Science.gov (United States)

Sebastián Martinuzzi; William A. Gould; Olga M. Ramos Gonzalez

2007-01-01

Clouds and cloud shadows are common features of visible and infrared remotelysensed images collected from many parts of the world, particularly in humid and tropical regions. We have developed a simple and semiautomated method to mask clouds and shadows in Landsat ETM+ imagery, and have developed a recent cloud-free composite of multitemporal images for Puerto Rico and...

Zen of cloud learning cloud computing by examples on Microsoft Azure

CERN Document Server

Bai, Haishi

2014-01-01

Zen of Cloud: Learning Cloud Computing by Examples on Microsoft Azure provides comprehensive coverage of the essential theories behind cloud computing and the Windows Azure cloud platform. Sharing the author's insights gained while working at Microsoft's headquarters, it presents nearly 70 end-to-end examples with step-by-step guidance on implementing typical cloud-based scenarios.The book is organized into four sections: cloud service fundamentals, cloud solutions, devices and cloud, and system integration and project management. Each chapter contains detailed exercises that provide readers w

TURBULENCE DECAY AND CLOUD CORE RELAXATION IN MOLECULAR CLOUDS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Yang; Law, Chung K.; Xu, Haitao

2015-01-01

The turbulent motion within molecular clouds is a key factor controlling star formation. Turbulence supports molecular cloud cores from evolving to gravitational collapse and hence sets a lower bound on the size of molecular cloud cores in which star formation can occur. On the other hand, without a continuous external energy source maintaining the turbulence, such as in molecular clouds, the turbulence decays with an energy dissipation time comparable to the dynamic timescale of clouds, which could change the size limits obtained from Jean's criterion by assuming constant turbulence intensities. Here we adopt scaling relations of physical variables in decaying turbulence to analyze its specific effects on the formation of stars. We find that the decay of turbulence provides an additional approach for Jeans' criterion to be achieved, after which gravitational infall governs the motion of the cloud core. This epoch of turbulence decay is defined as cloud core relaxation. The existence of cloud core relaxation provides a more complete understanding of the effect of the competition between turbulence and gravity on the dynamics of molecular cloud cores and star formation

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CLOUD COMPUTING AND MOBILE CLOUD COMPUTING

OpenAIRE

Nidhi Rajak*, Diwakar Shukla

2018-01-01

Present era is of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and there are number of researches are going on Cloud Computing and Mobile Cloud Computing such security issues, data management, load balancing and so on. Cloud computing provides the services to the end user over Internet and the primary objectives of this computing are resource sharing and pooling among the end users. Mobile Cloud Computing is a combination of Cloud Computing and Mobile Computing. Here, data is stored in...

Hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell: Application to studies of geologic fluids

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, I.-Ming

2003-01-01

The hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell (HDAC) was designed to simulate the geologic conditions of crustal processes in the presence of water or other fluids. The HDAC has been used to apply external pressure to both synthetic and natural fluid inclusions in quartz to minimize problems caused by stretching or decrepitation of inclusions during microthermometric analysis. When the HDAC is loaded with a fluid sample, it can be considered as a large synthetic fluid inclusion and therefore, can be used to study the PVTX properties as well as phase relations of the sample fluid. Because the HDAC has a wide measurement pressure-temperature range and also allows in-situ optical observations, it has been used to study critical phenomena of various chemical systems, such as the geologically important hydrous silicate melts. It is possible, when the HDAC is combined with synchrotron X-ray sources, to obtain basic information on speciation and structure of metal including rare-earth elements (REE) complexes in hydrothermal solutions as revealed by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectra. Recent modifications of the HDAC minimize the loss of intensity of X-rays due to scattering and absorption by the diamonds. These modifications are especially important for studying elements with absorption edges below 10 keV and therefore particularly valuable for our understanding of transport and deposition of first-row transition elements and REE in hydrothermal environments.

Review of Cloud Computing and existing Frameworks for Cloud adoption

OpenAIRE

Chang, Victor; Walters, Robert John; Wills, Gary

2014-01-01

This paper presents a selected review for Cloud Computing and explains the benefits and risks of adopting Cloud Computing in a business environment. Although all the risks identified may be associated with two major Cloud adoption challenges, a framework is required to support organisations as they begin to use Cloud and minimise risks of Cloud adoption. Eleven Cloud Computing frameworks are investigated and a comparison of their strengths and limitations is made; the result of the comparison...

Cloud CCN feedback

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudson, J.G.

1992-01-01

Cloud microphysics affects cloud albedo precipitation efficiency and the extent of cloud feedback in response to global warming. Compared to other cloud parameters, microphysics is unique in its large range of variability and the fact that much of the variability is anthropogenic. Probably the most important determinant of cloud microphysics is the spectra of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) which display considerable variability and have a large anthropogenic component. When analyzed in combination three field observation projects display the interrelationship between CCN and cloud microphysics. CCN were measured with the Desert Research Institute (DRI) instantaneous CCN spectrometer. Cloud microphysical measurements were obtained with the National Center for Atmospheric Research Lockheed Electra. Since CCN and cloud microphysics each affect the other a positive feedback mechanism can result

Cloud Governance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berthing, Hans Henrik

Denne præsentation beskriver fordele og værdier ved anvendelse af Cloud Computing. Endvidere inddrager resultater fra en række internationale analyser fra ISACA om Cloud Computing.......Denne præsentation beskriver fordele og værdier ved anvendelse af Cloud Computing. Endvidere inddrager resultater fra en række internationale analyser fra ISACA om Cloud Computing....

Comparisons of Satellite-Deduced Overlapping Cloud Properties and CALIPSO CloudSat Data

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Fu-Lung; Minnis, Patrick; Lin, Bing; Sun-Mack, Sunny

2010-01-01

Introduction to the overlapped cloud properties derived from polar-orbiting (MODIS) and geostationary (GOES-12, -13, Meteosat-8, -9, etc.) meteorological satellites, which are produced at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) cloud research & development team (NASA lead scientist: Dr. Patrick Minnis). Comparison of the LaRC CERES MODIS Edition-3 overlapped cloud properties to the CALIPSO and the CloudSat active sensing data. High clouds and overlapped clouds occur frequently as deduced by CALIPSO (44 & 25%), CloudSat (25 & 4%), and MODIS (37 & 6%). Large fractions of optically-thin cirrus and overlapped clouds are deduced from CALIPSO, but much smaller fractions are from CloudSat and MODIS. For overlapped clouds, the averaged upper-layer CTHs are about 12.8 (CALIPSO), 10.9 (CloudSat) and 10 km (MODIS), and the averaged lower-layer CTHs are about 3.6 (CALIPSO), 3.2 (CloudSat) and 3.9 km (MODIS). Based on comparisons of upper and lower-layer cloud properties as deduced from the MODIS, CALIPSO and CloudSat data, more enhanced passive satellite methods for retrieving thin cirrus and overlapped cloud properties are needed and are under development.

Securing the Cloud Cloud Computer Security Techniques and Tactics

CERN Document Server

Winkler, Vic (JR)

2011-01-01

As companies turn to cloud computing technology to streamline and save money, security is a fundamental concern. Loss of certain control and lack of trust make this transition difficult unless you know how to handle it. Securing the Cloud discusses making the move to the cloud while securing your peice of it! The cloud offers felxibility, adaptability, scalability, and in the case of security-resilience. This book details the strengths and weaknesses of securing your company's information with different cloud approaches. Attacks can focus on your infrastructure, communications network, data, o

Physical Validation of GPM Retrieval Algorithms Over Land: An Overview of the Mid-Latitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E)

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Walter A.; Jensen, Michael P.

2011-01-01

network. As an exploratory effort to examine land-surface emissivity impacts on retrieval algorithms, and to demonstrate airborne soil moisture retrieval capabilities, the University of Tennessee Space Institute Piper aircraft carrying the MAPIR L-band radiometer was also flown during the latter half of the experiment in coordination with the ER-2. The observational strategy provided a means to sample the atmospheric column in a redundant framework that enables inter-calibration and constraint of measured and retrieved precipitation characteristics such as particle size distributions, or water contents- all within the umbrella of "proxy" satellite measurements (i.e., the ER-2). Complimenting the precipitation sampling framework, frequent and coincident launches of atmospheric soundings (e.g., 4-8/day) then provided a much larger mesoscale view of the thermodynamic and winds environment, a data set useful for initializing cloud models. The datasets collected represent a variety cloud and precipitation types including isolated cumulus clouds, severe thunderstorms, mesoscale convective systems, and widespread regions of light to moderate stratiform precipitation. We will present the MC3E experiment design, an overview of operations, and a summary of preliminary results.

Cloud management and security

CERN Document Server

Abbadi, Imad M

2014-01-01

Written by an expert with over 15 years' experience in the field, this book establishes the foundations of Cloud computing, building an in-depth and diverse understanding of the technologies behind Cloud computing. In this book, the author begins with an introduction to Cloud computing, presenting fundamental concepts such as analyzing Cloud definitions, Cloud evolution, Cloud services, Cloud deployment types and highlighting the main challenges. Following on from the introduction, the book is divided into three parts: Cloud management, Cloud security, and practical examples. Part one presents the main components constituting the Cloud and federated Cloud infrastructure(e.g., interactions and deployment), discusses management platforms (resources and services), identifies and analyzes the main properties of the Cloud infrastructure, and presents Cloud automated management services: virtual and application resource management services. Part two analyzes the problem of establishing trustworthy Cloud, discuss...

Cloud computing patterns fundamentals to design, build, and manage cloud applications

CERN Document Server

Fehling, Christoph; Retter, Ralph; Schupeck, Walter; Arbitter, Peter

2014-01-01

The current work provides CIOs, software architects, project managers, developers, and cloud strategy initiatives with a set of architectural patterns that offer nuggets of advice on how to achieve common cloud computing-related goals. The cloud computing patterns capture knowledge and experience in an abstract format that is independent of concrete vendor products. Readers are provided with a toolbox to structure cloud computing strategies and design cloud application architectures. By using this book cloud-native applications can be implemented and best suited cloud vendors and tooling for i

Military clouds: utilization of cloud computing systems at the battlefield

Science.gov (United States)

Süleyman, Sarıkürk; Volkan, Karaca; İbrahim, Kocaman; Ahmet, Şirzai

2012-05-01

Cloud computing is known as a novel information technology (IT) concept, which involves facilitated and rapid access to networks, servers, data saving media, applications and services via Internet with minimum hardware requirements. Use of information systems and technologies at the battlefield is not new. Information superiority is a force multiplier and is crucial to mission success. Recent advances in information systems and technologies provide new means to decision makers and users in order to gain information superiority. These developments in information technologies lead to a new term, which is known as network centric capability. Similar to network centric capable systems, cloud computing systems are operational today. In the near future extensive use of military clouds at the battlefield is predicted. Integrating cloud computing logic to network centric applications will increase the flexibility, cost-effectiveness, efficiency and accessibility of network-centric capabilities. In this paper, cloud computing and network centric capability concepts are defined. Some commercial cloud computing products and applications are mentioned. Network centric capable applications are covered. Cloud computing supported battlefield applications are analyzed. The effects of cloud computing systems on network centric capability and on the information domain in future warfare are discussed. Battlefield opportunities and novelties which might be introduced to network centric capability by cloud computing systems are researched. The role of military clouds in future warfare is proposed in this paper. It was concluded that military clouds will be indispensible components of the future battlefield. Military clouds have the potential of improving network centric capabilities, increasing situational awareness at the battlefield and facilitating the settlement of information superiority.

Clustering, randomness, and regularity in cloud fields. 4: Stratocumulus cloud fields

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, J.; Chou, J.; Weger, R. C.; Welch, R. M.

1994-01-01

To complete the analysis of the spatial distribution of boundary layer cloudiness, the present study focuses on nine stratocumulus Landsat scenes. The results indicate many similarities between stratocumulus and cumulus spatial distributions. Most notably, at full spatial resolution all scenes exhibit a decidedly clustered distribution. The strength of the clustering signal decreases with increasing cloud size; the clusters themselves consist of a few clouds (less than 10), occupy a small percentage of the cloud field area (less than 5%), contain between 20% and 60% of the cloud field population, and are randomly located within the scene. In contrast, stratocumulus in almost every respect are more strongly clustered than are cumulus cloud fields. For instance, stratocumulus clusters contain more clouds per cluster, occupy a larger percentage of the total area, and have a larger percentage of clouds participating in clusters than the corresponding cumulus examples. To investigate clustering at intermediate spatial scales, the local dimensionality statistic is introduced. Results obtained from this statistic provide the first direct evidence for regularity among large (more than 900 m in diameter) clouds in stratocumulus and cumulus cloud fields, in support of the inhibition hypothesis of Ramirez and Bras (1990). Also, the size compensated point-to-cloud cumulative distribution function statistic is found to be necessary to obtain a consistent description of stratocumulus cloud distributions. A hypothesis regarding the underlying physical mechanisms responsible for cloud clustering is presented. It is suggested that cloud clusters often arise from 4 to 10 triggering events localized within regions less than 2 km in diameter and randomly distributed within the cloud field. As the size of the cloud surpasses the scale of the triggering region, the clustering signal weakens and the larger cloud locations become more random.

Clustering, randomness, and regularity in cloud fields. 4. Stratocumulus cloud fields

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, J.; Chou, J.; Weger, R. C.; Welch, R. M.

1994-07-01

To complete the analysis of the spatial distribution of boundary layer cloudiness, the present study focuses on nine stratocumulus Landsat scenes. The results indicate many similarities between stratocumulus and cumulus spatial distributions. Most notably, at full spatial resolution all scenes exhibit a decidedly clustered distribution. The strength of the clustering signal decreases with increasing cloud size; the clusters themselves consist of a few clouds (less than 10), occupy a small percentage of the cloud field area (less than 5%), contain between 20% and 60% of the cloud field population, and are randomly located within the scene. In contrast, stratocumulus in almost every respect are more strongly clustered than are cumulus cloud fields. For instance, stratocumulus clusters contain more clouds per cluster, occupy a larger percentage of the total area, and have a larger percentage of clouds participating in clusters than the corresponding cumulus examples. To investigate clustering at intermediate spatial scales, the local dimensionality statistic is introduced. Results obtained from this statistic provide the first direct evidence for regularity among large (>900 m in diameter) clouds in stratocumulus and cumulus cloud fields, in support of the inhibition hypothesis of Ramirez and Bras (1990). Also, the size compensated point-to-cloud cumulative distribution function statistic is found to be necessary to obtain a consistent description of stratocumulus cloud distributions. A hypothesis regarding the underlying physical mechanisms responsible for cloud clustering is presented. It is suggested that cloud clusters often arise from 4 to 10 triggering events localized within regions less than 2 km in diameter and randomly distributed within the cloud field. As the size of the cloud surpasses the scale of the triggering region, the clustering signal weakens and the larger cloud locations become more random.

Cloud blueprints for integrating and managing cloud federations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papazoglou, M.; Heisel, M.

2012-01-01

Contemporary cloud technologies face insurmountable obstacles. They follow a pull-based, producer-centric trajectory to development where cloud consumers have to ‘squeeze and bolt’ applications onto cloud APIs. They also introduce a monolithic SaaS/PaaS/IaaS stack where a one-size-fits-all mentality

Galaxy CloudMan: delivering cloud compute clusters.

Science.gov (United States)

Afgan, Enis; Baker, Dannon; Coraor, Nate; Chapman, Brad; Nekrutenko, Anton; Taylor, James

2010-12-21

Widespread adoption of high-throughput sequencing has greatly increased the scale and sophistication of computational infrastructure needed to perform genomic research. An alternative to building and maintaining local infrastructure is "cloud computing", which, in principle, offers on demand access to flexible computational infrastructure. However, cloud computing resources are not yet suitable for immediate "as is" use by experimental biologists. We present a cloud resource management system that makes it possible for individual researchers to compose and control an arbitrarily sized compute cluster on Amazon's EC2 cloud infrastructure without any informatics requirements. Within this system, an entire suite of biological tools packaged by the NERC Bio-Linux team (http://nebc.nerc.ac.uk/tools/bio-linux) is available for immediate consumption. The provided solution makes it possible, using only a web browser, to create a completely configured compute cluster ready to perform analysis in less than five minutes. Moreover, we provide an automated method for building custom deployments of cloud resources. This approach promotes reproducibility of results and, if desired, allows individuals and labs to add or customize an otherwise available cloud system to better meet their needs. The expected knowledge and associated effort with deploying a compute cluster in the Amazon EC2 cloud is not trivial. The solution presented in this paper eliminates these barriers, making it possible for researchers to deploy exactly the amount of computing power they need, combined with a wealth of existing analysis software, to handle the ongoing data deluge.

Cloud blueprint : A model-driven approach to configuring federated clouds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papazoglou, M.; Abello, A.; Bellatreche, L.; Benatallah, B.

2012-01-01

Current cloud solutions are fraught with problems. They introduce a monolithic cloud stack that imposes vendor lock-in and donot permit developers to mix and match services freely from diverse cloud service tiers and configure them dynamically to address application needs. Cloud blueprinting is a

A climatological study of sea breeze clouds in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula (Alicante, Spain)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azorin-Molina, C. [Grupo de Climatologia, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Cataluna (Spain)]. E-mail: cazorin@ceam.es; Sanchez-Lorenzo, A. [Grupo de Climatologia, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Cataluna (Spain); Calbo, J. [Grupo de Fisica Ambiental, Universidad de Girona, Campus Montilivi, Cataluna (Spain)

2009-01-15

Sea breezes blow under anticyclonic weather types, weak surface pressure gradients, intense solar radiation and relatively cloud-free skies. Generally, total cloud cover must be less than 4/8 in order to cause a thermal and pressure difference between land and sea air which allows the development of this local wind circulation. However, many numerical and observational studies have analyzed the ability of sea breezes to generate clouds in the convective internal boundary layer and in the sea breeze convergence zone. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to statistically analyze the impact of sea breezes on cloud types in the convective internal boundary layer and in the sea breeze convergence zone. The study area is located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula (province of Alicante, Spain) and the survey corresponds to a 6-yr study period (2000-2005). This climatological study is mainly based on surface cloud observations at the Alicante-Ciudad Jardin station (central coastal plain) and on an extensive cloud observation field campaign at the Villena-Ciudad station (Prebetic mountain ranges) over a 3-yr study period (2003-2005). The results confirm the hypothesis that the effect of sea breezes on cloud genera is to increase the frequency of low (Stratus) and convective (Cumulus) clouds. Sea breezes trigger the formation of thunderstorm clouds (Cumulonimbus) at the sea breeze convergence zone, which also have a secondary impact on high-level (Cirrus, Cirrocumulus, Cirrostratus), medium-level (Altostratus, Altocumulus) and low-level clouds (Stratus, Stratocumulus, Nimbostratus) associated with the Cumulonimbus clouds (e.g., Cumulonimbus anvil). [Spanish] Las brisas marinas soplan bajo tipos de tiempo anticiclonicos, debiles gradientes de presion atmosferica, radiacion solar intensa y cielos practicamente despejados. Por lo general, la cobertura nubosa total debe ser inferior a 4/8 para que se genere un diferencial termico y de presion entre el aire sobre las

Thin Cloud Detection Method by Linear Combination Model of Cloud Image

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, L.; Li, J.; Wang, Y.; Xiao, Y.; Zhang, W.; Zhang, S.

2018-04-01

The existing cloud detection methods in photogrammetry often extract the image features from remote sensing images directly, and then use them to classify images into cloud or other things. But when the cloud is thin and small, these methods will be inaccurate. In this paper, a linear combination model of cloud images is proposed, by using this model, the underlying surface information of remote sensing images can be removed. So the cloud detection result can become more accurate. Firstly, the automatic cloud detection program in this paper uses the linear combination model to split the cloud information and surface information in the transparent cloud images, then uses different image features to recognize the cloud parts. In consideration of the computational efficiency, AdaBoost Classifier was introduced to combine the different features to establish a cloud classifier. AdaBoost Classifier can select the most effective features from many normal features, so the calculation time is largely reduced. Finally, we selected a cloud detection method based on tree structure and a multiple feature detection method using SVM classifier to compare with the proposed method, the experimental data shows that the proposed cloud detection program in this paper has high accuracy and fast calculation speed.

Modified Cooling System for Low Temperature Experiments in a 3000 Ton Multi-Anvil Press

Science.gov (United States)

Secco, R.; Yong, W.

2017-12-01

A new modified cooling system for a 3000-ton multi-anvil press has been developed to reach temperatures below room temperature at high pressures. The new system is much simpler in design, easier to make and use, and has the same cooling capability as the previous design (Secco and Yong, RSI, 2016). The key component of the new system is a steel ring surrounding the module wedges that contains liquid nitrogen (LN2) which flows freely through an entrance port to flood the interior of the pressure module. Upper and lower O-rings on the ring seal in the liquid while permitting modest compression and an thermally insulating layer of foam is attached to the outside of the ring. The same temperature of 220 K reached with two different cooling systems suggests that thermal equilibrium is reached between the removal of heat by LN2 and the influx of heat through the massive steel components of this press.

Six-axis multi-anvil press for high-pressure, high-temperature neutron diffraction experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sano-Furukawa, A., E-mail: sano.asami@jaea.go.jp; Hattori, T. [Quantum Beam Science Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Arima, H. [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Yamada, A. [The University of Shiga Prefecture, Shiga 522-8533 (Japan); Tabata, S.; Kondo, M.; Nakamura, A. [Sumitomo Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., Ehime 792-0001 (Japan); Kagi, H.; Yagi, T. [Geochemical Research Center, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

2014-11-15

We developed a six-axis multi-anvil press, ATSUHIME, for high-pressure and high-temperature in situ time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction experiments. The press has six orthogonally oriented hydraulic rams that operate individually to compress a cubic sample assembly. Experiments indicate that the press can generate pressures up to 9.3 GPa and temperatures up to 2000 K using a 6-6-type cell assembly, with available sample volume of about 50 mm{sup 3}. Using a 6-8-type cell assembly, the available conditions expand to 16 GPa and 1273 K. Because the six-axis press has no guide blocks, there is sufficient space around the sample to use the aperture for diffraction and place an incident slit, radial collimators, and a neutron imaging camera close to the sample. Combination of the six-axis press and the collimation devices realized high-quality diffraction pattern with no contamination from the heater or the sample container surrounding the sample. This press constitutes a new tool for using neutron diffraction to study the structures of crystals and liquids under high pressures and temperatures.

Essentials of cloud computing

CERN Document Server

Chandrasekaran, K

2014-01-01

ForewordPrefaceComputing ParadigmsLearning ObjectivesPreambleHigh-Performance ComputingParallel ComputingDistributed ComputingCluster ComputingGrid ComputingCloud ComputingBiocomputingMobile ComputingQuantum ComputingOptical ComputingNanocomputingNetwork ComputingSummaryReview PointsReview QuestionsFurther ReadingCloud Computing FundamentalsLearning ObjectivesPreambleMotivation for Cloud ComputingThe Need for Cloud ComputingDefining Cloud ComputingNIST Definition of Cloud ComputingCloud Computing Is a ServiceCloud Computing Is a Platform5-4-3 Principles of Cloud computingFive Essential Charact

Improvement of Systematic Bias of mean state and the intraseasonal variability of CFSv2 through superparameterization and revised cloud-convection-radiation parameterization

Science.gov (United States)

Mukhopadhyay, P.; Phani Murali Krishna, R.; Goswami, Bidyut B.; Abhik, S.; Ganai, Malay; Mahakur, M.; Khairoutdinov, Marat; Dudhia, Jimmy

2016-05-01

such betterment in model mean state has been found to be due to the systematic improvement in moisture field, temperature profile and moist instability. The model also has better simulated the cloud and rainfall relation. This initiative demonstrates the role of cloud processes on the mean state of coupled GCM. As the superparameterization approach is computationally expensive, so in another approach, the conventional Simplified Arakawa Schubert (SAS) scheme is replaced by a revised SAS scheme (RSAS) and also the old and simplified cloud scheme of Zhao-Karr (1997) has been replaced by WSM6 in CFSV2 (hereafter CFS-CR). The primary objective of such modifications is to improve the distribution of convective rain in the model by using RSAS and the grid-scale or the large scale nonconvective rain by WSM6. The WSM6 computes the tendency of six class (water vapour, cloud water, ice, snow, graupel, rain water) hydrometeors at each of the model grid and contributes in the low, middle and high cloud fraction. By incorporating WSM6, for the first time in a global climate model, we are able to show a reasonable simulation of cloud ice and cloud liquid water distribution vertically and spatially as compared to Cloudsat observations. The CFS-CR has also showed improvement in simulating annual rainfall cycle and intraseasonal variability over the ISM region. These improvements in CFS-CR are likely to be associated with improvement of the convective and stratiform rainfall distribution in the model. These initiatives clearly address a long standing issue of resolving the cloud processes in climate model and demonstrate that the improved cloud and convective process paramterizations can eventually reduce the systematic bias and improve the model fidelity.

CLOUD PARAMETERIZATIONS, CLOUD PHYSICS, AND THEIR CONNECTIONS: AN OVERVIEW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LIU, Y.; DAUM, P.H.; CHAI, S.K.; LIU, F.

2002-01-01

This paper consists of three parts. The first part is concerned with the parameterization of cloud microphysics in climate models. We demonstrate the crucial importance of spectral dispersion of the cloud droplet size distribution in determining radiative properties of clouds (e.g., effective radius), and underline the necessity of specifying spectral dispersion in the parameterization of cloud microphysics. It is argued that the inclusion of spectral dispersion makes the issue of cloud parameterization essentially equivalent to that of the droplet size distribution function, bringing cloud parameterization to the forefront of cloud physics. The second part is concerned with theoretical investigations into the spectral shape of droplet size distributions in cloud physics. After briefly reviewing the mainstream theories (including entrainment and mixing theories, and stochastic theories), we discuss their deficiencies and the need for a paradigm shift from reductionist approaches to systems approaches. A systems theory that has recently been formulated by utilizing ideas from statistical physics and information theory is discussed, along with the major results derived from it. It is shown that the systems formalism not only easily explains many puzzles that have been frustrating the mainstream theories, but also reveals such new phenomena as scale-dependence of cloud droplet size distributions. The third part is concerned with the potential applications of the systems theory to the specification of spectral dispersion in terms of predictable variables and scale-dependence under different fluctuating environments

Secure cloud computing

CERN Document Server

Jajodia, Sushil; Samarati, Pierangela; Singhal, Anoop; Swarup, Vipin; Wang, Cliff

2014-01-01

This book presents a range of cloud computing security challenges and promising solution paths. The first two chapters focus on practical considerations of cloud computing. In Chapter 1, Chandramouli, Iorga, and Chokani describe the evolution of cloud computing and the current state of practice, followed by the challenges of cryptographic key management in the cloud. In Chapter 2, Chen and Sion present a dollar cost model of cloud computing and explore the economic viability of cloud computing with and without security mechanisms involving cryptographic mechanisms. The next two chapters addres

Comparison of Cloud Properties from CALIPSO-CloudSat and Geostationary Satellite Data

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, L.; Minnis, P.; Chang, F.; Winker, D.; Sun-Mack, S.; Spangenberg, D.; Austin, R.

2007-01-01

Cloud properties are being derived in near-real time from geostationary satellite imager data for a variety of weather and climate applications and research. Assessment of the uncertainties in each of the derived cloud parameters is essential for confident use of the products. Determination of cloud amount, cloud top height, and cloud layering is especially important for using these real -time products for applications such as aircraft icing condition diagnosis and numerical weather prediction model assimilation. Furthermore, the distribution of clouds as a function of altitude has become a central component of efforts to evaluate climate model cloud simulations. Validation of those parameters has been difficult except over limited areas where ground-based active sensors, such as cloud radars or lidars, have been available on a regular basis. Retrievals of cloud properties are sensitive to the surface background, time of day, and the clouds themselves. Thus, it is essential to assess the geostationary satellite retrievals over a variety of locations. The availability of cloud radar data from CloudSat and lidar data from CALIPSO make it possible to perform those assessments over each geostationary domain at 0130 and 1330 LT. In this paper, CloudSat and CALIPSO data are matched with contemporaneous Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), Multi-functional Transport Satellite (MTSAT), and Meteosat-8 data. Unlike comparisons with cloud products derived from A-Train imagers, this study considers comparisons of nadir active sensor data with off-nadir retrievals. These matched data are used to determine the uncertainties in cloud-top heights and cloud amounts derived from the geostationary satellite data using the Clouds and the Earth s Radiant Energy System (CERES) cloud retrieval algorithms. The CERES multi-layer cloud detection method is also evaluated to determine its accuracy and limitations in the off-nadir mode. The results will be useful for

Role of orbital dynamics and cloud-cloud collisions in the formation of giant molecular clouds in global spiral structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, W.W. Jr.; Stewart, G.R.

1987-01-01

The role of orbit crowding and cloud-cloud collisions in the formation of GMCs and their organization in global spiral structure is investigated. Both N-body simulations of the cloud system and a detailed analysis of individual particle orbits are used to develop a conceptual understanding of how individual clouds participate in the collective density response. Detailed comparisons are made between a representative cloud-particle simulation in which the cloud particles collide inelastically with one another and give birth to and subsequently interact with young star associations and stripped down simulations in which the cloud particles are allowed to follow ballistic orbits in the absence of cloud-cloud collisions or any star formation processes. Orbit crowding is then related to the behavior of individual particle trajectories in the galactic potential field. The conceptual picture of how GMCs are formed in the clumpy ISMs of spiral galaxies is formulated, and the results are compared in detail with those published by other authors. 68 references

CLOUD COMPUTING SECURITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ştefan IOVAN

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Cloud computing reprentes the software applications offered as a service online, but also the software and hardware components from the data center.In the case of wide offerd services for any type of client, we are dealing with a public cloud. In the other case, in wich a cloud is exclusively available for an organization and is not available to the open public, this is consider a private cloud [1]. There is also a third type, called hibrid in which case an user or an organization might use both services available in the public and private cloud. One of the main challenges of cloud computing are to build the trust and ofer information privacy in every aspect of service offerd by cloud computingle. The variety of existing standards, just like the lack of clarity in sustenability certificationis not a real help in building trust. Also appear some questions marks regarding the efficiency of traditionsecurity means that are applied in the cloud domain. Beside the economic and technology advantages offered by cloud, also are some advantages in security area if the information is migrated to cloud. Shared resources available in cloud includes the survey, use of the "best practices" and technology for advance security level, above all the solutions offered by the majority of medium and small businesses, big companies and even some guvermental organizations [2].

Formation of massive, dense cores by cloud-cloud collisions

Science.gov (United States)

Takahira, Ken; Shima, Kazuhiro; Habe, Asao; Tasker, Elizabeth J.

2018-05-01

We performed sub-parsec (˜ 0.014 pc) scale simulations of cloud-cloud collisions of two idealized turbulent molecular clouds (MCs) with different masses in the range of (0.76-2.67) × 104 M_{⊙} and with collision speeds of 5-30 km s-1. Those parameters are larger than in Takahira, Tasker, and Habe (2014, ApJ, 792, 63), in which study the colliding system showed a partial gaseous arc morphology that supports the NANTEN observations of objects indicated to be colliding MCs using numerical simulations. Gas clumps with density greater than 10-20 g cm-3 were identified as pre-stellar cores and tracked through the simulation to investigate the effects of the mass of colliding clouds and the collision speeds on the resulting core population. Our results demonstrate that the smaller cloud property is more important for the results of cloud-cloud collisions. The mass function of formed cores can be approximated by a power-law relation with an index γ = -1.6 in slower cloud-cloud collisions (v ˜ 5 km s-1), and is in good agreement with observation of MCs. A faster relative speed increases the number of cores formed in the early stage of collisions and shortens the gas accretion phase of cores in the shocked region, leading to the suppression of core growth. The bending point appears in the high-mass part of the core mass function and the bending point mass decreases with increase in collision speed for the same combination of colliding clouds. The higher-mass part of the core mass function than the bending point mass can be approximated by a power law with γ = -2-3 that is similar to the power index of the massive part of the observed stellar initial mass function. We discuss implications of our results for the massive-star formation in our Galaxy.

Using High Frequency Passive Microwave, A-train, and TRMM Data to Evaluate Hydrometer Structure in the NASA GEOS-5 Data Assimilation System

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Franklin; Bacmeister, Julio; Bosilovich, Michael; Pittman, Jasna

2007-01-01

Validating water vapor and prognostic condensate in global models remains a challenging research task. Model parameterizations are still subject to a large number of tunable parameters; furthermore, accurate and representative in situ observations are very sparse, and satellite observations historically have significant quantitative uncertainties. Progress on improving cloud / hydrometeor fields in models stands to benefit greatly from the growing inventory ofA-Train data sets. ill the present study we are using a variety of complementary satellite retrievals of hydrometeors to examine condensate produced by the emerging NASA Modem Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, MERRA, and its associated atmospheric general circulation model GEOS5. Cloud and precipitation are generated by both grid-scale prognostic equations and by the Relaxed Arakawa-Schubert (RAS) diagnostic convective parameterization. The high frequency channels (89 to 183.3 GHz) from AMSU-B and MRS on NOAA polar orbiting satellites are being used to evaluate the climatology and variability of precipitating ice from tropical convective anvils. Vertical hydrometeor structure from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and CloudSat radars are used to develop statistics on vertical hydrometeor structure in order to better interpret the extensive high frequency passive microwave climatology. Cloud liquid and ice water path data retrieved from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, MODIS, are used to investigate relationships between upper level cloudiness and tropical deep convective anvils. Together these data are used to evaluate cloud / ice water path, gross aspects of vertical hydrometeor structure, and the relationship between cloud extent and surface precipitation that the MERRA reanalysis must capture.

Cloud Collaboration: Cloud-Based Instruction for Business Writing Class

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Charlie; Yu, Wei-Chieh Wayne; Wang, Jenny

2014-01-01

Cloud computing technologies, such as Google Docs, Adobe Creative Cloud, Dropbox, and Microsoft Windows Live, have become increasingly appreciated to the next generation digital learning tools. Cloud computing technologies encourage students' active engagement, collaboration, and participation in their learning, facilitate group work, and support…

Comparison Between CCCM and CloudSat Radar-Lidar (RL) Cloud and Radiation Products

Science.gov (United States)

Ham, Seung-Hee; Kato, Seiji; Rose, Fred G.; Sun-Mack, Sunny

2015-01-01

To enhance cloud properties, LaRC and CIRA developed each combination algorithm for obtained properties from passive, active and imager in A-satellite constellation. When comparing global cloud fraction each other, LaRC-produced CERES-CALIPSO-CloudSat-MODIS (CCCM) products larger low-level cloud fraction over tropic ocean, while CIRA-produced Radar-Lidar (RL) shows larger mid-level cloud fraction for high latitude region. The reason for different low-level cloud fraction is due to different filtering method of lidar-detected cloud layers. Meanwhile difference in mid-level clouds is occurred due to different priority of cloud boundaries from lidar and radar.

Continuous growth of cloud droplets in cumulus cloud

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gotoh, Toshiyuki; Suehiro, Tamotsu; Saito, Izumi

2016-01-01

A new method to seamlessly simulate the continuous growth of droplets advected by turbulent flow inside a cumulus cloud was developed from first principle. A cubic box ascending with a mean updraft inside a cumulus cloud was introduced and the updraft velocity was self-consistently determined in such a way that the mean turbulent velocity within the box vanished. All the degrees of freedom of the cloud droplets and turbulence fields were numerically integrated. The box ascended quickly inside the cumulus cloud due to the updraft and the mean radius of the droplets grew from 10 to 24 μ m for about 10 min. The turbulent flow tended to slow down the time evolutions of the updraft velocity, the box altitude and the mean cloud droplet radius. The size distribution of the cloud droplets in the updraft case was narrower than in the absence of the updraft. It was also found that the wavenumeber spectra of the variances of the temperature and water vapor mixing ratio were nearly constant in the low wavenumber range. The future development of the new method was argued. (paper)

Hidden in the Clouds: New Ideas in Cloud Computing

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2013-01-01

Abstract: Cloud computing has become a hot topic. But 'cloud' is no newer in 2013 than MapReduce was in 2005: We've been doing both for years. So why is cloud more relevant today than it ever has been? In this presentation, we will introduce the (current) central thesis of cloud computing, and explore how and why (or even whether) the concept has evolved. While we will cover a little light background, our primary focus will be on the consequences, corollaries and techniques introduced by some of the leading cloud developers and organizations. We each have a different deployment model, different applications and workloads, and many of us are still learning to efficiently exploit the platform services offered by a modern implementation. The discussion will offer the opportunity to share these experiences and help us all to realize the benefits of cloud computing to the fullest degree. Please bring questions and opinions, and be ready to share both!   Bio: S...

Cloud Computing

CERN Document Server

Antonopoulos, Nick

2010-01-01

Cloud computing has recently emerged as a subject of substantial industrial and academic interest, though its meaning and scope is hotly debated. For some researchers, clouds are a natural evolution towards the full commercialisation of grid systems, while others dismiss the term as a mere re-branding of existing pay-per-use technologies. From either perspective, 'cloud' is now the label of choice for accountable pay-per-use access to third party applications and computational resources on a massive scale. Clouds support patterns of less predictable resource use for applications and services a

The CLOUD experiment

CERN Multimedia

Maximilien Brice

2006-01-01

The Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets (CLOUD) experiment as shown by Jasper Kirkby (spokesperson). Kirkby shows a sketch to illustrate the possible link between galactic cosmic rays and cloud formations. The CLOUD experiment uses beams from the PS accelerator at CERN to simulate the effect of cosmic rays on cloud formations in the Earth's atmosphere. It is thought that cosmic ray intensity is linked to the amount of low cloud cover due to the formation of aerosols, which induce condensation.

Clouds of Venus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knollenberg, R G [Particle Measuring Systems, Inc., 1855 South 57th Court, Boulder, Colorado 80301, U.S.A.; Hansen, J [National Aeronautics and Space Administration, New York (USA). Goddard Inst. for Space Studies; Ragent, B [National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Moffett Field, Calif. (USA). Ames Research Center; Martonchik, J [Jet Propulsion Lab., Pasadena, Calif. (USA); Tomasko, M [Arizona Univ., Tucson (USA)

1977-05-01

The current state of knowledge of the Venusian clouds is reviewed. The visible clouds of Venus are shown to be quite similar to low level terrestrial hazes of strong anthropogenic influence. Possible nucleation and particle growth mechanisms are presented. The Pioneer Venus experiments that emphasize cloud measurements are described and their expected findings are discussed in detail. The results of these experiments should define the cloud particle composition, microphysics, thermal and radiative heat budget, rough dynamical features and horizontal and vertical variations in these and other parameters. This information should be sufficient to initialize cloud models which can be used to explain the cloud formation, decay, and particle life cycle.

ASTER cloud coverage reassessment using MODIS cloud mask products

Science.gov (United States)

Tonooka, Hideyuki; Omagari, Kunjuro; Yamamoto, Hirokazu; Tachikawa, Tetsushi; Fujita, Masaru; Paitaer, Zaoreguli

2010-10-01

In the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection radiometer (ASTER) Project, two kinds of algorithms are used for cloud assessment in Level-1 processing. The first algorithm based on the LANDSAT-5 TM Automatic Cloud Cover Assessment (ACCA) algorithm is used for a part of daytime scenes observed with only VNIR bands and all nighttime scenes, and the second algorithm based on the LANDSAT-7 ETM+ ACCA algorithm is used for most of daytime scenes observed with all spectral bands. However, the first algorithm does not work well for lack of some spectral bands sensitive to cloud detection, and the two algorithms have been less accurate over snow/ice covered areas since April 2008 when the SWIR subsystem developed troubles. In addition, they perform less well for some combinations of surface type and sun elevation angle. We, therefore, have developed the ASTER cloud coverage reassessment system using MODIS cloud mask (MOD35) products, and have reassessed cloud coverage for all ASTER archived scenes (>1.7 million scenes). All of the new cloud coverage data are included in Image Management System (IMS) databases of the ASTER Ground Data System (GDS) and NASA's Land Process Data Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) and used for ASTER product search by users, and cloud mask images are distributed to users through Internet. Daily upcoming scenes (about 400 scenes per day) are reassessed and inserted into the IMS databases in 5 to 7 days after each scene observation date. Some validation studies for the new cloud coverage data and some mission-related analyses using those data are also demonstrated in the present paper.

Moving HammerCloud to CERN's private cloud

CERN Document Server

Barrand, Quentin

2013-01-01

HammerCloud is a testing framework for the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid. Currently deployed on about 20 hand-managed machines, it was desirable to move it to the Agile Infrastructure, CERN's OpenStack-based private cloud.

Cloud Robotics Platforms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Busra Koken

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Cloud robotics is a rapidly evolving field that allows robots to offload computation-intensive and storage-intensive jobs into the cloud. Robots are limited in terms of computational capacity, memory and storage. Cloud provides unlimited computation power, memory, storage and especially collaboration opportunity. Cloud-enabled robots are divided into two categories as standalone and networked robots. This article surveys cloud robotic platforms, standalone and networked robotic works such as grasping, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM and monitoring.

Cloud ERP and Cloud Accounting Software in Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianina MIHAI

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, Cloud Computing becomes a more and more fashionable concept in the IT environment. There is no unanimous opinion on the definition of this concept, as it covers several versions of the newly emerged stage in the IT. But in fact, Cloud Computing should not suggest anything else than simplicity. Thus, in short, simple terms, Cloud Computing can be defined as a solution to use external IT resources (servers, storage media, applications and services, via Internet. Cloud computing is nothing more than the promise of an easy accessible technology. If the promise will eventually turn into something certain yet remains to be seen. In our opinion it is too early to make an assertion. In this article, our purpose is to find out what is the Romanian offer of ERP and Accounting software applications in Cloud and / or as services in SaaS version. Thus, we conducted an extensive study whose results we’ll present in the following.

Security prospects through cloud computing by adopting multiple clouds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Meiko; Schwenk, Jörg; Bohli, Jens Matthias

2011-01-01

Clouds impose new security challenges, which are amongst the biggest obstacles when considering the usage of cloud services. This triggered a lot of research activities in this direction, resulting in a quantity of proposals targeting the various security threats. Besides the security issues coming...... with the cloud paradigm, it can also provide a new set of unique features which open the path towards novel security approaches, techniques and architectures. This paper initiates this discussion by contributing a concept which achieves security merits by making use of multiple distinct clouds at the same time....

Radiative properties of clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Twomey, S.

1993-01-01

The climatic effects of condensation nuclei in the formation of cloud droplets and the subsequent role of the cloud droplets as contributors to the planetary short-wave albedo is emphasized. Microphysical properties of clouds, which can be greatly modified by the degree of mixing with cloud-free air from outside, are discussed. The effect of clouds on visible radiation is assessed through multiple scattering of the radiation. Cloudwater or ice absorbs more with increasing wavelength in the near-infrared region, with water vapor providing the stronger absorption over narrower wavelength bands. Cloud thermal infrared absorption can be solely related to liquid water content at least for shallow clouds and clouds in the early development state. Three-dimensional general circulation models have been used to study the climatic effect of clouds. It was found for such studies (which did not consider variations in cloud albedo) that the cooling effects due to the increase in planetary short-wave albedo from clouds were offset by heating effects due to thermal infrared absorption by the cloud. Two permanent direct effects of increased pollution are discussed in this chapter: (a) an increase of absorption in the visible and near infrared because of increased amounts of elemental carbon, which gives rise to a warming effect climatically, and (b) an increased optical thickness of clouds due to increasing cloud droplet number concentration caused by increasing cloud condensation nuclei number concentration, which gives rise to a cooling effect climatically. An increase in cloud albedo from 0.7 to 0.87 produces an appreciable climatic perturbation of cooling up to 2.5 K at the ground, using a hemispheric general circulation model. Effects of pollution on cloud thermal infrared absorption are negligible

Melting of KCl and pressure calibration from in situ ionic conductivity measurements in a multi-anvil apparatus

Science.gov (United States)

Li, J.; Dong, J.; Zhu, F.

2017-12-01

Melting plays an unparalleled role in planetary differentiation processes including the formation of metallic cores, basaltic crusts, and atmospheres. Knowledge of the melting behavior of Earth materials provides critical constraints for establishing the Earth's thermal structure, interpreting regional seismic anomalies, and understanding the nature of chemical heterogeneity. Measuring the melting points of compressed materials, however, have remained challenging mainly because melts are often mobile and reactive, and temperature and pressure gradients across millimeter or micron-sized samples introduce large uncertainties in melting detection. Here the melting curve of KCl was determined through in situ ionic conductivity measurements, using the multi-anvil apparatus at the University of Michigan. The method improves upon the symmetric configuration that was used recently for studying the melting behaviors of NaCl, Na2CO3, and CaCO3 (Li and Li 2015 American Mineralogist, Li et al. 2017 Earth and Planetary Science Letters). In the new configuration, the thermocouple and electrodes are placed together with the sample at the center of a cylindrical heater where the temperature is the highest along the axis, in order to minimize uncertainties in temperature measurements and increase the stability of the sample and electrodes. With 1% reproducibility in melting point determination at pressures up to 20 GPa, this method allows us to determine the sample pressure to oil load relationship at high temperatures during multiple heating and cooling cycles, on the basis of the well-known melting curves of ionic compounds. This approach enables more reliable pressure measurements than relying on a small number of fixed-point phase transitions. The new data on KCl bridge the gap between the piston-cylinder results up to 4 GPa (Pistorius 1965 J. of Physics and Chemistry of Solids) and several diamond-anvil cell data points above 20 GPa (Boehler et al. 1996 Physical Review). We

CLOUD STORAGE SERVICES

OpenAIRE

Yan, Cheng

2017-01-01

Cloud computing is a hot topic in recent research and applications. Because it is widely used in various fields. Up to now, Google, Microsoft, IBM, Amazon and other famous co partnership have proposed their cloud computing application. Look upon cloud computing as one of the most important strategy in the future. Cloud storage is the lower layer of cloud computing system which supports the service of the other layers above it. At the same time, it is an effective way to store and manage heavy...

CloudSat observations of cloud-type distribution over the Indian summer monsoon region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. V. Subrahmanyam

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The three-dimensional distribution of various cloud types over the Indian summer monsoon (ISM region using five years (2006–2010 of CloudSat observations during June-July-August-September months is discussed for the first time. As the radiative properties, latent heat released and microphysical properties of clouds differ largely depending on the cloud type, it becomes important to know what types of clouds occur over which region. In this regard, the present analysis establishes the three-dimensional distribution of frequency of occurrence of stratus (St, stratocumulus (Sc, nimbostratus (Ns, cumulus (Cu, altocumulus (Ac, altostratus (As, cirrus (Ci and deep convective (DC clouds over the ISM region. The results show that the various cloud types preferentially occur over some regions of the ISM, which are consistent during all the years of observations. It is found that the DC clouds frequently occur over northeast of Bay of Bengal (BoB, Ci clouds over a wide region of south BoB–Indian peninsula–equatorial Indian Ocean, and Sc clouds over the north Arabian Sea. Ac clouds preferentially occur over land, and a large amount of As clouds are found over BoB. The occurrence of both St and Ns clouds over the study region is much lower than all other cloud types.The interannual variability of all these clouds including their vertical distribution is discussed. It is envisaged that the present study opens up possibilities to quantify the feedback of individual cloud type in the maintenance of the ISM through radiative forcing and latent heat release.

VMware vCloud security

CERN Document Server

Sarkar, Prasenjit

2013-01-01

VMware vCloud Security provides the reader with in depth knowledge and practical exercises sufficient to implement a secured private cloud using VMware vCloud Director and vCloud Networking and Security.This book is primarily for technical professionals with system administration and security administration skills with significant VMware vCloud experience who want to learn about advanced concepts of vCloud security and compliance.

Virtual Environment User Interfaces to Support RLV and Space Station Simulations in the ANVIL Virtual Reality Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Dumas, Joseph D., II

1998-01-01

Several virtual reality I/O peripherals were successfully configured and integrated as part of the author's 1997 Summer Faculty Fellowship work. These devices, which were not supported by the developers of VR software packages, use new software drivers and configuration files developed by the author to allow them to be used with simulations developed using those software packages. The successful integration of these devices has added significant capability to the ANVIL lab at MSFC. In addition, the author was able to complete the integration of a networked virtual reality simulation of the Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator System docking Space Station modules which was begun as part of his 1996 Fellowship. The successful integration of this simulation demonstrates the feasibility of using VR technology for ground-based training as well as on-orbit operations.

Cloud-Based RFID Mutual Authentication Protocol without Leaking Location Privacy to the Cloud

OpenAIRE

Dong, Qingkuan; Tong, Jiaqing; Chen, Yuan

2015-01-01

With the rapid developments of the IoT (Internet of Things) and the cloud computing, cloud-based RFID systems attract more attention. Users can reduce their cost of deploying and maintaining the RFID system by purchasing cloud services. However, the security threats of cloud-based RFID systems are more serious than those of traditional RFID systems. In cloud-based RFID systems, the connection between the reader and the cloud database is not secure and cloud service provider is not trusted. Th...

Cloud Computing Bible

CERN Document Server

Sosinsky, Barrie

2010-01-01

The complete reference guide to the hot technology of cloud computingIts potential for lowering IT costs makes cloud computing a major force for both IT vendors and users; it is expected to gain momentum rapidly with the launch of Office Web Apps later this year. Because cloud computing involves various technologies, protocols, platforms, and infrastructure elements, this comprehensive reference is just what you need if you'll be using or implementing cloud computing.Cloud computing offers significant cost savings by eliminating upfront expenses for hardware and software; its growing popularit

Integrated cloud-aerosol-radiation product using CERES, MODIS, CALIPSO, and CloudSat data

Science.gov (United States)

Sun-Mack, Sunny; Minnis, Patrick; Chen, Yan; Gibson, Sharon; Yi, Yuhong; Trepte, Qing; Wielicki, Bruce; Kato, Seiji; Winker, Dave; Stephens, Graeme; Partain, Philip

2007-10-01

This paper documents the development of the first integrated data set of global vertical profiles of clouds, aerosols, and radiation using the combined NASA A-Train data from the Aqua Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO), and CloudSat. As part of this effort, cloud data from the CALIPSO lidar and the CloudSat radar are merged with the integrated column cloud properties from the CERES-MODIS analyses. The active and passive datasets are compared to determine commonalities and differences in order to facilitate the development of a 3-dimensional cloud and aerosol dataset that will then be integrated into the CERES broadband radiance footprint. Preliminary results from the comparisons for April 2007 reveal that the CERES-MODIS global cloud amounts are, on average, 0.14 less and 0.15 greater than those from CALIPSO and CloudSat, respectively. These new data will provide unprecedented ability to test and improve global cloud and aerosol models, to investigate aerosol direct and indirect radiative forcing, and to validate the accuracy of global aerosol, cloud, and radiation data sets especially in polar regions and for multi-layered cloud conditions.

IBM SmartCloud essentials

CERN Document Server

Schouten, Edwin

2013-01-01

A practical, user-friendly guide that provides an introduction to cloud computing using IBM SmartCloud, along with a thorough understanding of resource management in a cloud environment.This book is great for anyone who wants to get a grasp of what cloud computing is and what IBM SmartCloud has to offer. If you are an IT specialist, IT architect, system administrator, or a developer who wants to thoroughly understand the cloud computing resource model, this book is ideal for you. No prior knowledge of cloud computing is expected.

Cloud Computing Governance Lifecycle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soňa Karkošková

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Externally provisioned cloud services enable flexible and on-demand sourcing of IT resources. Cloud computing introduces new challenges such as need of business process redefinition, establishment of specialized governance and management, organizational structures and relationships with external providers and managing new types of risk arising from dependency on external providers. There is a general consensus that cloud computing in addition to challenges brings many benefits but it is unclear how to achieve them. Cloud computing governance helps to create business value through obtain benefits from use of cloud computing services while optimizing investment and risk. Challenge, which organizations are facing in relation to governing of cloud services, is how to design and implement cloud computing governance to gain expected benefits. This paper aims to provide guidance on implementation activities of proposed Cloud computing governance lifecycle from cloud consumer perspective. Proposed model is based on SOA Governance Framework and consists of lifecycle for implementation and continuous improvement of cloud computing governance model.

Continued rise of the cloud advances and trends in cloud computing

CERN Document Server

Mahmood, Zaigham

2014-01-01

Cloud computing is no-longer a novel paradigm, but instead an increasingly robust and established technology, yet new developments continue to emerge in this area. Continued Rise of the Cloud: Advances and Trends in Cloud Computing captures the state of the art in cloud technologies, infrastructures, and service delivery and deployment models. The book provides guidance and case studies on the development of cloud-based services and infrastructures from an international selection of expert researchers and practitioners. A careful analysis is provided of relevant theoretical frameworks, prac

Uncover the Cloud for Geospatial Sciences and Applications to Adopt Cloud Computing

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, C.; Huang, Q.; Xia, J.; Liu, K.; Li, J.; Xu, C.; Sun, M.; Bambacus, M.; Xu, Y.; Fay, D.

2012-12-01

Cloud computing is emerging as the future infrastructure for providing computing resources to support and enable scientific research, engineering development, and application construction, as well as work force education. On the other hand, there is a lot of doubt about the readiness of cloud computing to support a variety of scientific research, development and educations. This research is a project funded by NASA SMD to investigate through holistic studies how ready is the cloud computing to support geosciences. Four applications with different computing characteristics including data, computing, concurrent, and spatiotemporal intensities are taken to test the readiness of cloud computing to support geosciences. Three popular and representative cloud platforms including Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure, and NASA Nebula as well as a traditional cluster are utilized in the study. Results illustrates that cloud is ready to some degree but more research needs to be done to fully implemented the cloud benefit as advertised by many vendors and defined by NIST. Specifically, 1) most cloud platform could help stand up new computing instances, a new computer, in a few minutes as envisioned, therefore, is ready to support most computing needs in an on demand fashion; 2) the load balance and elasticity, a defining characteristic, is ready in some cloud platforms, such as Amazon EC2, to support bigger jobs, e.g., needs response in minutes, while some are not ready to support the elasticity and load balance well. All cloud platform needs further research and development to support real time application at subminute level; 3) the user interface and functionality of cloud platforms vary a lot and some of them are very professional and well supported/documented, such as Amazon EC2, some of them needs significant improvement for the general public to adopt cloud computing without professional training or knowledge about computing infrastructure; 4) the security is a big concern in

Determining ice water content from 2D crystal images in convective cloud systems

Science.gov (United States)

Leroy, Delphine; Coutris, Pierre; Fontaine, Emmanuel; Schwarzenboeck, Alfons; Strapp, J. Walter

2016-04-01

larger than 0.3g/m3 with an error close to 20%. Fontaine, E., A. Schwarzenboeck, J. Delanoë, W. Wobrock, D. Leroy, R. Dupuy, C. Gourbeyre, and A. Protat, 2014: Constraining mass-diameter relations from hydrometeor images and cloud radar reflectivities in tropical continental and oceanic convective anvils. Atmos Chem Phys, 14, 11367-11392, doi:10.5194/acp-14-11367-2014. Leroy, D., E. Fontaine, A. Schwarzenboeck and J.W. Strapp : Ice Crystal Sizes in High Ice Water Content Clouds. Part 1: Mass-size Relationships Derived from Particle Images and TWC for Various Crystal Diameter Definitions and Impact on Median Mass Diameter. Submitted to Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 2015.

Community Cloud Computing

Science.gov (United States)

Marinos, Alexandros; Briscoe, Gerard

Cloud Computing is rising fast, with its data centres growing at an unprecedented rate. However, this has come with concerns over privacy, efficiency at the expense of resilience, and environmental sustainability, because of the dependence on Cloud vendors such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft. Our response is an alternative model for the Cloud conceptualisation, providing a paradigm for Clouds in the community, utilising networked personal computers for liberation from the centralised vendor model. Community Cloud Computing (C3) offers an alternative architecture, created by combing the Cloud with paradigms from Grid Computing, principles from Digital Ecosystems, and sustainability from Green Computing, while remaining true to the original vision of the Internet. It is more technically challenging than Cloud Computing, having to deal with distributed computing issues, including heterogeneous nodes, varying quality of service, and additional security constraints. However, these are not insurmountable challenges, and with the need to retain control over our digital lives and the potential environmental consequences, it is a challenge we must pursue.

Cloud Computing Law

CERN Document Server

Millard, Christopher

2013-01-01

This book is about the legal implications of cloud computing. In essence, ‘the cloud’ is a way of delivering computing resources as a utility service via the internet. It is evolving very rapidly with substantial investments being made in infrastructure, platforms and applications, all delivered ‘as a service’. The demand for cloud resources is enormous, driven by such developments as the deployment on a vast scale of mobile apps and the rapid emergence of ‘Big Data’. Part I of this book explains what cloud computing is and how it works. Part II analyses contractual relationships between cloud service providers and their customers, as well as the complex roles of intermediaries. Drawing on primary research conducted by the Cloud Legal Project at Queen Mary University of London, cloud contracts are analysed in detail, including the appropriateness and enforceability of ‘take it or leave it’ terms of service, as well as the scope for negotiating cloud deals. Specific arrangements for public sect...

Experimental issues in in-situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction at high pressure and temperature by using a laser-heated diamond-anvil cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, C.S.

1997-01-01

An integrated technique of diamond-anvil cell, laser-heating and synchrotron x-ray diffraction technologies is capable of structural investigation of condensed matter in an extended region of high pressures and temperatures above 100 GPa and 3000 K. The feasibility of this technique to obtain reliable data, however, strongly depends on several experimental issues, including optical and x-ray setups, thermal gradients, pressure homogeneity, preferred orientation, and chemical reaction. In this paper, we discuss about these experimental issues together with future perspectives of this technique for obtaining accurate data

Chapter 3: Evaluating the impacts of carbonaceous aerosols on clouds and climate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menon, Surabi; Del Genio, Anthony D.

2007-09-03

other models as well (cf. Jacobson, 2002) but the relative impacts on convective and stratiform processes were not separated. Other changes to atmospheric stability and thermodynamical quantities due to aerosol absorption are also known to be important in modifying cloud macro/micro properties. Linkages between convection and boreal biomass burning can also impact the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, radiation and cloud microphysical properties via transport of tropospheric aerosols to the lower stratosphere during extreme convection (Fromm and Servranckx 2003). Relevant questions regarding the impact of biomass aerosols on convective cloud properties include the effects of vertical transport of aerosols, spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall, vertical shift in latent heat release, phase shift of precipitation, circulation and their impacts on radiation. Over land surfaces, a decrease in surface shortwave radiation ({approx} 3-6 W m{sup -2} per decade) has been observed between 1960 to 1990, whereas, increases of 0.4 K in land temperature during the same period that occurred have resulted in speculations that evaporation and precipitation should also have decreased (Wild et al. 2004). However, precipitation records for the same period over land do not indicate any significant trend (Beck et al. 2005). The changes in precipitation are thought to be related to increased moisture advection from the oceans (Wild et al. 2004), which may well have some contributions from aerosol-radiation-convection coupling that could modify circulation patterns and hence moisture advection in specific regions. Other important aspects of aerosol effects, besides the direct, semi-direct, microphysical and thermodynamical impacts include alteration of surface albedos, especially snow and ice covered surfaces, due to absorbing aerosols. These effects are uncertain (Jacobson, 2004) but may produce as much as 0.3 W m{sup -2} forcing in the Northern hemisphere that could

Tropical High Cloud Fraction Controlled by Cloud Lifetime Rather Than Clear-sky Convergence

Science.gov (United States)

Seeley, J.; Jeevanjee, N.; Romps, D. M.

2016-12-01

Observations and simulations show a peak in cloud fraction below the tropopause. This peak is usually attributed to a roughly co-located peak in radiatively-driven clear-sky convergence, which is presumed to force convective detrainment and thus promote large cloud fraction. Using simulations of radiative-convective equilibrium forced by various radiative cooling profiles, we refute this mechanism by showing that an upper-tropospheric peak in cloud fraction persists even in simulations with no peak in clear-sky convergence. Instead, cloud fraction profiles seem to be controlled by cloud lifetimes — i.e., how long it takes for clouds to dissipate after they have detrained. A simple model of cloud evaporation shows that the small saturation deficit in the upper troposphere greatly extends cloud lifetimes there, while the large saturation deficit in the lower troposphere causes condensate to evaporate quickly. Since cloud mass flux must go to zero at the tropopause, a peak in cloud fraction emerges at a "sweet spot" below the tropopause where cloud lifetimes are long and there is still sufficient mass flux to be detrained.

Cloud Computing: A study of cloud architecture and its patterns

OpenAIRE

Mandeep Handa,; Shriya Sharma

2015-01-01

Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. Cloud computing is a paradigm shift following the shift from mainframe to client–server in the early 1980s. Cloud computing can be defined as accessing third party software and services on web and paying as per usage. It facilitates scalability and virtualized resources over Internet as a service providing cost effective and scalable solution to customers. Cloud computing has...

Quantifying Diurnal Cloud Radiative Effects by Cloud Type in the Tropical Western Pacific

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burleyson, Casey D.; Long, Charles N.; Comstock, Jennifer M.

2015-06-01

Cloud radiative effects are examined using long-term datasets collected at the three Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facilities in the tropical western Pacific. We quantify the surface radiation budget, cloud populations, and cloud radiative effects by partitioning the data by cloud type, time of day, and as a function of large scale modes of variability such as El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phase and wet/dry seasons at Darwin. The novel facet of our analysis is that we break aggregate cloud radiative effects down by cloud type across the diurnal cycle. The Nauru cloud populations and subsequently the surface radiation budget are strongly impacted by ENSO variability whereas the cloud populations over Manus only shift slightly in response to changes in ENSO phase. The Darwin site exhibits large seasonal monsoon related variations. We show that while deeper convective clouds have a strong conditional influence on the radiation reaching the surface, their limited frequency reduces their aggregate radiative impact. The largest source of shortwave cloud radiative effects at all three sites comes from low clouds. We use the observations to demonstrate that potential model biases in the amplitude of the diurnal cycle and mean cloud frequency would lead to larger errors in the surface energy budget compared to biases in the timing of the diurnal cycle of cloud frequency. Our results provide solid benchmarks to evaluate model simulations of cloud radiative effects in the tropics.

Image analysis of speckle patterns as a probe of melting transitions in laser-heated diamond anvil cell experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Salem, Ran; Matityahu, Shlomi; Melchior, Aviva; Nikolaevsky, Mark; Noked, Ori; Sterer, Eran

2015-09-01

The precision of melting curve measurements using laser-heated diamond anvil cell (LHDAC) is largely limited by the correct and reliable determination of the onset of melting. We present a novel image analysis of speckle interference patterns in the LHDAC as a way to define quantitative measures which enable an objective determination of the melting transition. Combined with our low-temperature customized IR pyrometer, designed for measurements down to 500 K, our setup allows studying the melting curve of materials with low melting temperatures, with relatively high precision. As an application, the melting curve of Te was measured up to 35 GPa. The results are found to be in good agreement with previous data obtained at pressures up to 10 GPa.

Molecular clouds near supernova remnants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wootten, H.A.

1978-01-01

The physical properties of molecular clouds near supernova remnants were investigated. Various properties of the structure and kinematics of these clouds are used to establish their physical association with well-known remmnants. An infrared survey of the most massive clouds revealed embedded objects, probably stars whose formation was induced by the supernova blast wave. In order to understand the relationship between these and other molecular clouds, a control group of clouds was also observed. Excitation models for dense regions of all the clouds are constructed to evaluate molecular abundances in these regions. Those clouds that have embedded stars have lower molecular abundances than the clouds that do not. A cloud near the W28 supernova remnant also has low abundances. Molecular abundances are used to measure an important parameter, the electron density, which is not directly observable. In some clouds extensive deuterium fractionation is observed which confirms electron density measurements in those clouds. Where large deuterium fractionation is observed, the ionization rate in the cloud interior can also be measured. The electron density and ionization rate in the cloud near W28 are higher than in most clouds. The molecular abundances and electron densities are functions of the chemical and dynamical state of evolution of the cloud. Those clouds with lowest abundances are probably the youngest clouds. As low-abundance clouds, some clouds near supernova remnants may have been recently swept from the local interstellar material. Supernova remnants provide sites for star formation in ambient clouds by compressing them, and they sweep new clouds from more diffuse local matter

AIRS-CloudSat cloud mask, radar reflectivities, and cloud classification matchups V3.2

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This is AIRS-CloudSat collocated subset, in NetCDF 4 format. These data contain collocated: AIRS Level 1b radiances spectra, CloudSat radar reflectivities, and MODIS...

Cloud Computing (1/2)

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2012-01-01

Cloud computing, the recent years buzzword for distributed computing, continues to attract and keep the interest of both the computing and business world. These lectures aim at explaining "What is Cloud Computing?" identifying and analyzing it's characteristics, models, and applications. The lectures will explore different "Cloud definitions" given by different authors and use them to introduce the particular concepts. The main cloud models (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS), cloud types (public, private, hybrid), cloud standards and security concerns will be presented. The borders between Cloud Computing and Grid Computing, Server Virtualization, Utility Computing will be discussed and analyzed.

Cloud Computing (2/2)

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2012-01-01

Cloud computing, the recent years buzzword for distributed computing, continues to attract and keep the interest of both the computing and business world. These lectures aim at explaining "What is Cloud Computing?" identifying and analyzing it's characteristics, models, and applications. The lectures will explore different "Cloud definitions" given by different authors and use them to introduce the particular concepts. The main cloud models (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS), cloud types (public, private, hybrid), cloud standards and security concerns will be presented. The borders between Cloud Computing and Grid Computing, Server Virtualization, Utility Computing will be discussed and analyzed.

Marine cloud brightening

OpenAIRE

Latham, John; Bower, Keith; Choularton, Tom; Coe, Hugh; Connolly, Paul; Cooper, Gary; Craft, Tim; Foster, Jack; Gadian, Alan; Galbraith, Lee; Iacovides, Hector; Johnston, David; Launder, Brian; Leslie, Brian; Meyer, John

2012-01-01

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could—subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identi...

Cloud4Psi: cloud computing for 3D protein structure similarity searching.

Science.gov (United States)

Mrozek, Dariusz; Małysiak-Mrozek, Bożena; Kłapciński, Artur

2014-10-01

Popular methods for 3D protein structure similarity searching, especially those that generate high-quality alignments such as Combinatorial Extension (CE) and Flexible structure Alignment by Chaining Aligned fragment pairs allowing Twists (FATCAT) are still time consuming. As a consequence, performing similarity searching against large repositories of structural data requires increased computational resources that are not always available. Cloud computing provides huge amounts of computational power that can be provisioned on a pay-as-you-go basis. We have developed the cloud-based system that allows scaling of the similarity searching process vertically and horizontally. Cloud4Psi (Cloud for Protein Similarity) was tested in the Microsoft Azure cloud environment and provided good, almost linearly proportional acceleration when scaled out onto many computational units. Cloud4Psi is available as Software as a Service for testing purposes at: http://cloud4psi.cloudapp.net/. For source code and software availability, please visit the Cloud4Psi project home page at http://zti.polsl.pl/dmrozek/science/cloud4psi.htm. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

CloudTPS: Scalable Transactions for Web Applications in the Cloud

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhou, W.; Pierre, G.E.O.; Chi, C.-H.

2010-01-01

NoSQL Cloud data services provide scalability and high availability properties for web applications but at the same time they sacrifice data consistency. However, many applications cannot afford any data inconsistency. CloudTPS is a scalable transaction manager to allow cloud database services to

Lost in Cloud

Science.gov (United States)

Maluf, David A.; Shetye, Sandeep D.; Chilukuri, Sri; Sturken, Ian

2012-01-01

Cloud computing can reduce cost significantly because businesses can share computing resources. In recent years Small and Medium Businesses (SMB) have used Cloud effectively for cost saving and for sharing IT expenses. With the success of SMBs, many perceive that the larger enterprises ought to move into Cloud environment as well. Government agency s stove-piped environments are being considered as candidates for potential use of Cloud either as an enterprise entity or pockets of small communities. Cloud Computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than as a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility over a network. Underneath the offered services, there exists a modern infrastructure cost of which is often spread across its services or its investors. As NASA is considered as an Enterprise class organization, like other enterprises, a shift has been occurring in perceiving its IT services as candidates for Cloud services. This paper discusses market trends in cloud computing from an enterprise angle and then addresses the topic of Cloud Computing for NASA in two possible forms. First, in the form of a public Cloud to support it as an enterprise, as well as to share it with the commercial and public at large. Second, as a private Cloud wherein the infrastructure is operated solely for NASA, whether managed internally or by a third-party and hosted internally or externally. The paper addresses the strengths and weaknesses of both paradigms of public and private Clouds, in both internally and externally operated settings. The content of the paper is from a NASA perspective but is applicable to any large enterprise with thousands of employees and contractors.

RenderSelect: a Cloud Broker Framework for Cloud Renderfarm Services

OpenAIRE

Ruby, Annette J; Aisha, Banu W; Subash, Chandran P

2016-01-01

In the 3D studios the animation scene files undergo a process called as rendering, where the 3D wire frame models are converted into 3D photorealistic images. As the rendering process is both a computationally intensive and a time consuming task, the cloud services based rendering in cloud render farms is gaining popularity among the animators. Though cloud render farms offer many benefits, the animators hesitate to move from their traditional offline rendering to cloud services based render ...

Comparison of cloud optical depth and cloud mask applying BRDF model-based background surface reflectance

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, H. W.; Yeom, J. M.; Woo, S. H.

2017-12-01

Over the thin cloud region, satellite can simultaneously detect the reflectance from thin clouds and land surface. Since the mixed reflectance is not the exact cloud information, the background surface reflectance should be eliminated to accurately distinguish thin cloud such as cirrus. In the previous research, Kim et al (2017) was developed the cloud masking algorithm using the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI), which is one of significant instruments for Communication, Ocean, and Meteorology Satellite (COMS). Although GOCI has 8 spectral channels including visible and near infra-red spectral ranges, the cloud masking has quantitatively reasonable result when comparing with MODIS cloud mask (Collection 6 MYD35). Especially, we noticed that this cloud masking algorithm is more specialized in thin cloud detections through the validation with Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) data. Because this cloud masking method was concentrated on eliminating background surface effects from the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance. Applying the difference between TOA reflectance and the bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model-based background surface reflectance, cloud areas both thick cloud and thin cloud can be discriminated without infra-red channels which were mostly used for detecting clouds. Moreover, when the cloud mask result was utilized as the input data when simulating BRDF model and the optimized BRDF model-based surface reflectance was used for the optimized cloud masking, the probability of detection (POD) has higher value than POD of the original cloud mask. In this study, we examine the correlation between cloud optical depth (COD) and its cloud mask result. Cloud optical depths mostly depend on the cloud thickness, the characteristic of contents, and the size of cloud contents. COD ranges from less than 0.1 for thin clouds to over 1000 for the huge cumulus due to scattering by droplets. With

A Framework to Improve Communication and Reliability Between Cloud Consumer and Provider in the Cloud

OpenAIRE

Vivek Sridhar

2014-01-01

Cloud services consumers demand reliable methods for choosing appropriate cloud service provider for their requirements. Number of cloud consumer is increasing day by day and so cloud providers, hence requirement for a common platform for interacting between cloud provider and cloud consumer is also on the raise. This paper introduces Cloud Providers Market Platform Dashboard. This will act as not only just cloud provider discoverability but also provide timely report to consumer on cloud ser...

Moving towards Cloud Security

OpenAIRE

Edit Szilvia Rubóczki; Zoltán Rajnai

2015-01-01

Cloud computing hosts and delivers many different services via Internet. There are a lot of reasons why people opt for using cloud resources. Cloud development is increasing fast while a lot of related services drop behind, for example the mass awareness of cloud security. However the new generation upload videos and pictures without reason to a cloud storage, but only few know about data privacy, data management and the proprietary of stored data in the cloud. In an enterprise environment th...

Cloud Computing Value Chains: Understanding Businesses and Value Creation in the Cloud

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammed, Ashraf Bany; Altmann, Jörn; Hwang, Junseok

Based on the promising developments in Cloud Computing technologies in recent years, commercial computing resource services (e.g. Amazon EC2) or software-as-a-service offerings (e.g. Salesforce. com) came into existence. However, the relatively weak business exploitation, participation, and adoption of other Cloud Computing services remain the main challenges. The vague value structures seem to be hindering business adoption and the creation of sustainable business models around its technology. Using an extensive analyze of existing Cloud business models, Cloud services, stakeholder relations, market configurations and value structures, this Chapter develops a reference model for value chains in the Cloud. Although this model is theoretically based on porter's value chain theory, the proposed Cloud value chain model is upgraded to fit the diversity of business service scenarios in the Cloud computing markets. Using this model, different service scenarios are explained. Our findings suggest new services, business opportunities, and policy practices for realizing more adoption and value creation paths in the Cloud.

Cloud vertical structure, precipitation, and cloud radiative effects over Tibetan Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Y.; Yan, Y.; Lu, J.

2017-12-01

The vertical structure of clouds and its connection with precipitation and cloud radiative effects (CRE) over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are analyzed and compared with its neighboring land and tropical oceans based on CloudSat and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) products and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation data. Unique characteristics of cloud vertical structure and CRE over the TP are found. The cloud amount shows seasonal variation over the TP, which presents a single peak (located in 7-11 km) during January to April and two peaks (located in 5-8 km and 11-17 km separately) after mid-June, and then resumes to one peak (located in 5-10 km) after mid-August. Topography-induced restriction on moisture supply leads to a compression effect on clouds, i.e., the reduction in both cloud thickness and number of cloud layers, over the TP. The topography-induced compression effect is also shown in the range in the variation of cloud thickness and cloud-top height corresponding to different precipitation intensity, which is much smaller over the TP than its neighboring regions. In summer, cloud ice particles over the TP are mostly located at lower altitude (5-10 km) with richer variety of sizes and aggregation in no rain conditions compared to other regions. Ice water content becomes abundant and the number concentration tends to be dense at higher levels when precipitation is enhanced. The longwave CRE in the atmosphere over the TP is a net cooling effect. The vertical structure of CRE over the TP is unique compared to other regions: there exists a strong cooling layer of net CRE at the altitude of 8 km, from June to the beginning of October; the net radiative heating layer above the surface is shallower but stronger underneath 7 km and with a stronger seasonal variation over the TP.

The Magellanic clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

As the two galaxies nearest to our own, the Magellanic Clouds hold a special place in studies of the extragalactic distance scale, of stellar evolution and the structure of galaxies. In recent years, results from the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) and elsewhere have shown that it is possible to begin understanding the three dimensional structure of the Clouds. Studies of Magellanic Cloud Cepheids have continued, both to investigate the three-dimensional structure of the Clouds and to learn more about Cepheids and their use as extragalactic distance indicators. Other research undertaken at SAAO includes studies on Nova LMC 1988 no 2 and red variables in the Magellanic Clouds

Cloud Computing Quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anamaria Şiclovan

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Cloud computing was and it will be a new way of providing Internet services and computers. This calculation approach is based on many existing services, such as the Internet, grid computing, Web services. Cloud computing as a system aims to provide on demand services more acceptable as price and infrastructure. It is exactly the transition from computer to a service offered to the consumers as a product delivered online. This paper is meant to describe the quality of cloud computing services, analyzing the advantages and characteristics offered by it. It is a theoretical paper.Keywords: Cloud computing, QoS, quality of cloud computing

Cloud Infrastructure Security

OpenAIRE

Velev , Dimiter; Zlateva , Plamena

2010-01-01

Part 4: Security for Clouds; International audience; Cloud computing can help companies accomplish more by eliminating the physical bonds between an IT infrastructure and its users. Users can purchase services from a cloud environment that could allow them to save money and focus on their core business. At the same time certain concerns have emerged as potential barriers to rapid adoption of cloud services such as security, privacy and reliability. Usually the information security professiona...

Cloud security mechanisms

OpenAIRE

2014-01-01

Cloud computing has brought great benefits in cost and flexibility for provisioning services. The greatest challenge of cloud computing remains however the question of security. The current standard tools in access control mechanisms and cryptography can only partly solve the security challenges of cloud infrastructures. In the recent years of research in security and cryptography, novel mechanisms, protocols and algorithms have emerged that offer new ways to create secure services atop cloud...

Spectral Dependence of MODIS Cloud Droplet Effective Radius Retrievals for Marine Boundary Layer Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhibo; Platnick, Steven E.; Ackerman, Andrew S.; Cho, Hyoun-Myoung

2014-01-01

Low-level warm marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds cover large regions of Earth's surface. They have a significant role in Earth's radiative energy balance and hydrological cycle. Despite the fundamental role of low-level warm water clouds in climate, our understanding of these clouds is still limited. In particular, connections between their properties (e.g. cloud fraction, cloud water path, and cloud droplet size) and environmental factors such as aerosol loading and meteorological conditions continue to be uncertain or unknown. Modeling these clouds in climate models remains a challenging problem. As a result, the influence of aerosols on these clouds in the past and future, and the potential impacts of these clouds on global warming remain open questions leading to substantial uncertainty in climate projections. To improve our understanding of these clouds, we need continuous observations of cloud properties on both a global scale and over a long enough timescale for climate studies. At present, satellite-based remote sensing is the only means of providing such observations.

Risk in the Clouds?: Security Issues Facing Government Use of Cloud Computing

Science.gov (United States)

Wyld, David C.

Cloud computing is poised to become one of the most important and fundamental shifts in how computing is consumed and used. Forecasts show that government will play a lead role in adopting cloud computing - for data storage, applications, and processing power, as IT executives seek to maximize their returns on limited procurement budgets in these challenging economic times. After an overview of the cloud computing concept, this article explores the security issues facing public sector use of cloud computing and looks to the risk and benefits of shifting to cloud-based models. It concludes with an analysis of the challenges that lie ahead for government use of cloud resources.

GIANT MOLECULAR CLOUD FORMATION IN DISK GALAXIES: CHARACTERIZING SIMULATED VERSUS OBSERVED CLOUD CATALOGS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benincasa, Samantha M.; Pudritz, Ralph E.; Wadsley, James [Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1 (Canada); Tasker, Elizabeth J. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0810 (Japan)

2013-10-10

We present the results of a study of simulated giant molecular clouds (GMCs) formed in a Milky Way-type galactic disk with a flat rotation curve. This simulation, which does not include star formation or feedback, produces clouds with masses ranging between 10{sup 4} M{sub ☉} and 10{sup 7} M{sub ☉}. We compare our simulated cloud population to two observational surveys: the Boston University-Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory Galactic Ring Survey and the BIMA All-Disk Survey of M33. An analysis of the global cloud properties as well as a comparison of Larson's scaling relations is carried out. We find that simulated cloud properties agree well with the observed cloud properties, with the closest agreement occurring between the clouds at comparable resolution in M33. Our clouds are highly filamentary—a property that derives both from their formation due to gravitational instability in the sheared galactic environment, as well as to cloud-cloud gravitational encounters. We also find that the rate at which potentially star-forming gas accumulates within dense regions—wherein n{sub thresh} ≥ 10{sup 4} cm{sup –3}—is 3% per 10 Myr, in clouds of roughly 10{sup 6} M{sub ☉}. This suggests that star formation rates in observed clouds are related to the rates at which gas can be accumulated into dense subregions within GMCs via filamentary flows. The most internally well-resolved clouds are chosen for listing in a catalog of simulated GMCs—the first of its kind. The cataloged clouds are available as an extracted data set from the global simulation.

Comparison of Monthly Mean Cloud Fraction and Cloud Optical depth Determined from Surface Cloud Radar, TOVS, AVHRR, and MODIS over Barrow, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Uttal, Taneil; Frisch, Shelby; Wang, Xuan-Ji; Key, Jeff; Schweiger, Axel; Sun-Mack, Sunny; Minnis, Patrick

2005-01-01

A one year comparison is made of mean monthly values of cloud fraction and cloud optical depth over Barrow, Alaska (71 deg 19.378 min North, 156 deg 36.934 min West) between 35 GHz radar-based retrievals, the TOVS Pathfinder Path-P product, the AVHRR APP-X product, and a MODIS based cloud retrieval product from the CERES-Team. The data sets represent largely disparate spatial and temporal scales, however, in this paper, the focus is to provide a preliminary analysis of how the mean monthly values derived from these different data sets compare, and determine how they can best be used separately, and in combination to provide reliable estimates of long-term trends of changing cloud properties. The radar and satellite data sets described here incorporate Arctic specific modifications that account for cloud detection challenges specific to the Arctic environment. The year 2000 was chosen for this initial comparison because the cloud radar data was particularly continuous and reliable that year, and all of the satellite retrievals of interest were also available for the year 2000. Cloud fraction was chosen as a comparison variable as accurate detection of cloud is the primary product that is necessary for any other cloud property retrievals. Cloud optical depth was additionally selected as it is likely the single cloud property that is most closely correlated to cloud influences on surface radiation budgets.

Star clouds of Magellan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tucker, W.

1981-01-01

The Magellanic Clouds are two irregular galaxies belonging to the local group which the Milky Way belongs to. By studying the Clouds, astronomers hope to gain insight into the origin and composition of the Milky Way. The overall structure and dynamics of the Clouds are clearest when studied in radio region of the spectrum. One benefit of directly observing stellar luminosities in the Clouds has been the discovery of the period-luminosity relation. Also, the Clouds are a splendid laboratory for studying stellar evolution. It is believed that both Clouds may be in the very early stage in the development of a regular, symmetric galaxy. This raises a paradox because some of the stars in the star clusters of the Clouds are as old as the oldest stars in our galaxy. An explanation for this is given. The low velocity of the Clouds with respect to the center of the Milky Way shows they must be bound to it by gravity. Theories are given on how the Magellanic Clouds became associated with the galaxy. According to current ideas the Clouds orbits will decay and they will spiral into the Galaxy

Factors influencing the organizational adoption of cloud computing: a survey among cloud workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Stieninger

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Cloud computing presents an opportunity for organizations to leverage affordable, scalable, and agile technologies. However, even with the demonstrated value of cloud computing, organizations have been hesitant to adopt such technologies. Based on a multi-theoretical research model, this paper provides an empirical study targeted to better understand the adoption of cloud services. An online survey addressing the factors derived from literature for three specific popular cloud application types (cloud storage, cloud mail and cloud office was undertaken. The research model was analyzed by using variance-based structural equation modelling. Results show that the factors of compatibility, relative advantage, security and trust, as well as, a lower level of complexity lead to a more positive attitude towards cloud adoption. Complexity, compatibility, image and security and trust have direct and indirect effects on relative advantage. These factors further explain a large part of the attitude towards cloud adoption but not of its usage.

Star formation induced by cloud-cloud collisions and galactic giant molecular cloud evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Masato I. N.; Kobayashi, Hiroshi; Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro; Fukui, Yasuo

2018-05-01

Recent millimeter/submillimeter observations towards nearby galaxies have started to map the whole disk and to identify giant molecular clouds (GMCs) even in the regions between galactic spiral structures. Observed variations of GMC mass functions in different galactic environments indicates that massive GMCs preferentially reside along galactic spiral structures whereas inter-arm regions have many small GMCs. Based on the phase transition dynamics from magnetized warm neutral medium to molecular clouds, Kobayashi et al. (2017, ApJ, 836, 175) proposes a semi-analytical evolutionary description for GMC mass functions including a cloud-cloud collision (CCC) process. Their results show that CCC is less dominant in shaping the mass function of GMCs than the accretion of dense H I gas driven by the propagation of supersonic shock waves. However, their formulation does not take into account the possible enhancement of star formation by CCC. Millimeter/submillimeter observations within the Milky Way indicate the importance of CCC in the formation of star clusters and massive stars. In this article, we reformulate the time-evolution equation largely modified from Kobayashi et al. (2017, ApJ, 836, 175) so that we additionally compute star formation subsequently taking place in CCC clouds. Our results suggest that, although CCC events between smaller clouds are more frequent than the ones between massive GMCs, CCC-driven star formation is mostly driven by massive GMCs ≳ 10^{5.5} M_{⊙} (where M⊙ is the solar mass). The resultant cumulative CCC-driven star formation may amount to a few 10 percent of the total star formation in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies.

Hybrid cloud for dummies

CERN Document Server

Hurwitz, Judith; Halper, Fern; Kirsch, Dan

2012-01-01

Understand the cloud and implement a cloud strategy for your business Cloud computing enables companies to save money by leasing storage space and accessing technology services through the Internet instead of buying and maintaining equipment and support services. Because it has its own unique set of challenges, cloud computing requires careful explanation. This easy-to-follow guide shows IT managers and support staff just what cloud computing is, how to deliver and manage cloud computing services, how to choose a service provider, and how to go about implementation. It also covers security and

Cloud Robotics Model

OpenAIRE

Mester, Gyula

2015-01-01

Cloud Robotics was born from the merger of service robotics and cloud technologies. It allows robots to benefit from the powerful computational, storage, and communications resources of modern data centres. Cloud robotics allows robots to take advantage of the rapid increase in data transfer rates to offload tasks without hard real time requirements. Cloud Robotics has rapidly gained momentum with initiatives by companies such as Google, Willow Garage and Gostai as well as more than a dozen a...

Quantitative Measures of Immersion in Cloud and the Biogeography of Cloud Forests

Science.gov (United States)

Lawton, R. O.; Nair, U. S.; Ray, D.; Regmi, A.; Pounds, J. A.; Welch, R. M.

2010-01-01

Sites described as tropical montane cloud forests differ greatly, in part because observers tend to differ in their opinion as to what constitutes frequent and prolonged immersion in cloud. This definitional difficulty interferes with hydrologic analyses, assessments of environmental impacts on ecosystems, and biogeographical analyses of cloud forest communities and species. Quantitative measurements of cloud immersion can be obtained on site, but the observations are necessarily spatially limited, although well-placed observers can examine 10 50 km of a mountain range under rainless conditions. Regional analyses, however, require observations at a broader scale. This chapter discusses remote sensing and modeling approaches that can provide quantitative measures of the spatiotemporal patterns of cloud cover and cloud immersion in tropical mountain ranges. These approaches integrate remote sensing tools of various spatial resolutions and frequencies of observation, digital elevation models, regional atmospheric models, and ground-based observations to provide measures of cloud cover, cloud base height, and the intersection of cloud and terrain. This combined approach was applied to the Monteverde region of northern Costa Rica to illustrate how the proportion of time the forest is immersed in cloud may vary spatially and temporally. The observed spatial variation was largely due to patterns of airflow over the mountains. The temporal variation reflected the diurnal rise and fall of the orographic cloud base, which was influenced in turn by synoptic weather conditions, the seasonal movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the north-easterly trade winds. Knowledge of the proportion of the time that sites are immersed in clouds should facilitate ecological comparisons and biogeographical analyses, as well as land use planning and hydrologic assessments in areas where intensive on-site work is not feasible.

Cloud fraction and cloud base measurements from scanning Doppler lidar during WFIP-2

Science.gov (United States)

Bonin, T.; Long, C.; Lantz, K. O.; Choukulkar, A.; Pichugina, Y. L.; McCarty, B.; Banta, R. M.; Brewer, A.; Marquis, M.

2017-12-01

The second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP-2) consisted of an 18-month field deployment of a variety of instrumentation with the principle objective of validating and improving NWP forecasts for wind energy applications in complex terrain. As a part of the set of instrumentation, several scanning Doppler lidars were installed across the study domain to primarily measure profiles of the mean wind and turbulence at high-resolution within the planetary boundary layer. In addition to these measurements, Doppler lidar observations can be used to directly quantify the cloud fraction and cloud base, since clouds appear as a high backscatter return. These supplementary measurements of clouds can then be used to validate cloud cover and other properties in NWP output. Herein, statistics of the cloud fraction and cloud base height from the duration of WFIP-2 are presented. Additionally, these cloud fraction estimates from Doppler lidar are compared with similar measurements from a Total Sky Imager and Radiative Flux Analysis (RadFlux) retrievals at the Wasco site. During mostly cloudy to overcast conditions, estimates of the cloud radiating temperature from the RadFlux methodology are also compared with Doppler lidar measured cloud base height.

Satellite retrieval of cloud condensation nuclei concentrations by using clouds as CCN chambers

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenfeld, Daniel; Zheng, Youtong; Hashimshoni, Eyal; Pöhlker, Mira L.; Jefferson, Anne; Pöhlker, Christopher; Yu, Xing; Zhu, Yannian; Liu, Guihua; Yue, Zhiguo; Fischman, Baruch; Li, Zhanqing; Giguzin, David; Goren, Tom; Artaxo, Paulo; Pöschl, Ulrich

2016-01-01

Quantifying the aerosol/cloud-mediated radiative effect at a global scale requires simultaneous satellite retrievals of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations and cloud base updraft velocities (Wb). Hitherto, the inability to do so has been a major cause of high uncertainty regarding anthropogenic aerosol/cloud-mediated radiative forcing. This can be addressed by the emerging capability of estimating CCN and Wb of boundary layer convective clouds from an operational polar orbiting weather satellite. Our methodology uses such clouds as an effective analog for CCN chambers. The cloud base supersaturation (S) is determined by Wb and the satellite-retrieved cloud base drop concentrations (Ndb), which is the same as CCN(S). Validation against ground-based CCN instruments at Oklahoma, at Manaus, and onboard a ship in the northeast Pacific showed a retrieval accuracy of ±25% to ±30% for individual satellite overpasses. The methodology is presently limited to boundary layer not raining convective clouds of at least 1 km depth that are not obscured by upper layer clouds, including semitransparent cirrus. The limitation for small solar backscattering angles of <25° restricts the satellite coverage to ∼25% of the world area in a single day. PMID:26944081

Cloud computing basics

CERN Document Server

Srinivasan, S

2014-01-01

Cloud Computing Basics covers the main aspects of this fast moving technology so that both practitioners and students will be able to understand cloud computing. The author highlights the key aspects of this technology that a potential user might want to investigate before deciding to adopt this service. This book explains how cloud services can be used to augment existing services such as storage, backup and recovery. Addressing the details on how cloud security works and what the users must be prepared for when they move their data to the cloud. Also this book discusses how businesses could prepare for compliance with the laws as well as industry standards such as the Payment Card Industry.

Moving towards Cloud Security

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edit Szilvia Rubóczki

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Cloud computing hosts and delivers many different services via Internet. There are a lot of reasons why people opt for using cloud resources. Cloud development is increasing fast while a lot of related services drop behind, for example the mass awareness of cloud security. However the new generation upload videos and pictures without reason to a cloud storage, but only few know about data privacy, data management and the proprietary of stored data in the cloud. In an enterprise environment the users have to know the rule of cloud usage, however they have little knowledge about traditional IT security. It is important to measure the level of their knowledge, and evolve the training system to develop the security awareness. The article proves the importance of suggesting new metrics and algorithms for measuring security awareness of corporate users and employees to include the requirements of emerging cloud security.

Cloud Usage Patterns : A Formalism for Description of Cloud Usage Scenarios

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Milenkoski, Aleksandar; Iosup, Alexandru; Kounev, Samuel; Sachs, Kai; Rygielski, Piotr; Ding, Jason; Cirne, Walfredo; Rosenberg, Florian

2014-01-01

Cloud computing is becoming an increasingly lucrative branch of the existing information and communication technologies (ICT). Enabling a debate about cloud usage scenarios can help with attracting new customers, sharing best-practices, and designing new cloud services. In contrast to previous

Mobile Clouds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fitzek, Frank; Katz, Marcos

A mobile cloud is a cooperative arrangement of dynamically connected communication nodes sharing opportunistic resources. In this book, authors provide a comprehensive and motivating overview of this rapidly emerging technology. The book explores how distributed resources can be shared by mobile...... users in very different ways and for various purposes. The book provides many stimulating examples of resource-sharing applications. Enabling technologies for mobile clouds are also discussed, highlighting the key role of network coding. Mobile clouds have the potential to enhance communications...... performance, improve utilization of resources and create flexible platforms to share resources in very novel ways. Energy efficient aspects of mobile clouds are discussed in detail, showing how being cooperative can bring mobile users significant energy saving. The book presents and discusses multiple...

pCloud: A Cloud-based Power Market Simulation Environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rudkevich, Aleksandr; Goldis, Evgeniy

2012-12-02

This research conducted by the Newton Energy Group, LLC (NEG) is dedicated to the development of pCloud: a Cloud-based Power Market Simulation Environment. pCloud is offering power industry stakeholders the capability to model electricity markets and is organized around the Software as a Service (SaaS) concept -- a software application delivery model in which software is centrally hosted and provided to many users via the internet. During the Phase I of this project NEG developed a prototype design for pCloud as a SaaS-based commercial service offering, system architecture supporting that design, ensured feasibility of key architecture's elements, formed technological partnerships and negotiated commercial agreements with partners, conducted market research and other related activities and secured funding for continue development of pCloud between the end of Phase I and beginning of Phase II, if awarded. Based on the results of Phase I activities, NEG has established that the development of a cloud-based power market simulation environment within the Windows Azure platform is technologically feasible, can be accomplished within the budget and timeframe available through the Phase II SBIR award with additional external funding. NEG believes that pCloud has the potential to become a game-changing technology for the modeling and analysis of electricity markets. This potential is due to the following critical advantages of pCloud over its competition: - Standardized access to advanced and proven power market simulators offered by third parties. - Automated parallelization of simulations and dynamic provisioning of computing resources on the cloud. This combination of automation and scalability dramatically reduces turn-around time while offering the capability to increase the number of analyzed scenarios by a factor of 10, 100 or even 1000. - Access to ready-to-use data and to cloud-based resources leading to a reduction in software, hardware, and IT costs

Cloud computing strategies

CERN Document Server

Chorafas, Dimitris N

2011-01-01

A guide to managing cloud projects, Cloud Computing Strategies provides the understanding required to evaluate the technology and determine how it can be best applied to improve business and enhance your overall corporate strategy. Based on extensive research, it examines the opportunities and challenges that loom in the cloud. It explains exactly what cloud computing is, what it has to offer, and calls attention to the important issues management needs to consider before passing the point of no return regarding financial commitments.

ATLAS Cloud R&D

Science.gov (United States)

Panitkin, Sergey; Barreiro Megino, Fernando; Caballero Bejar, Jose; Benjamin, Doug; Di Girolamo, Alessandro; Gable, Ian; Hendrix, Val; Hover, John; Kucharczyk, Katarzyna; Medrano Llamas, Ramon; Love, Peter; Ohman, Henrik; Paterson, Michael; Sobie, Randall; Taylor, Ryan; Walker, Rodney; Zaytsev, Alexander; Atlas Collaboration

2014-06-01

The computing model of the ATLAS experiment was designed around the concept of grid computing and, since the start of data taking, this model has proven very successful. However, new cloud computing technologies bring attractive features to improve the operations and elasticity of scientific distributed computing. ATLAS sees grid and cloud computing as complementary technologies that will coexist at different levels of resource abstraction, and two years ago created an R&D working group to investigate the different integration scenarios. The ATLAS Cloud Computing R&D has been able to demonstrate the feasibility of offloading work from grid to cloud sites and, as of today, is able to integrate transparently various cloud resources into the PanDA workload management system. The ATLAS Cloud Computing R&D is operating various PanDA queues on private and public resources and has provided several hundred thousand CPU days to the experiment. As a result, the ATLAS Cloud Computing R&D group has gained a significant insight into the cloud computing landscape and has identified points that still need to be addressed in order to fully utilize this technology. This contribution will explain the cloud integration models that are being evaluated and will discuss ATLAS' learning during the collaboration with leading commercial and academic cloud providers.

THE CALIFORNIA MOLECULAR CLOUD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lada, Charles J.; Lombardi, Marco; Alves, Joao F.

2009-01-01

We present an analysis of wide-field infrared extinction maps of a region in Perseus just north of the Taurus-Auriga dark cloud complex. From this analysis we have identified a massive, nearby, but previously unrecognized, giant molecular cloud (GMC). Both a uniform foreground star density and measurements of the cloud's velocity field from CO observations indicate that this cloud is likely a coherent structure at a single distance. From comparison of foreground star counts with Galactic models, we derive a distance of 450 ± 23 pc to the cloud. At this distance the cloud extends over roughly 80 pc and has a mass of ∼ 10 5 M sun , rivaling the Orion (A) molecular cloud as the largest and most massive GMC in the solar neighborhood. Although surprisingly similar in mass and size to the more famous Orion molecular cloud (OMC) the newly recognized cloud displays significantly less star formation activity with more than an order of magnitude fewer young stellar objects than found in the OMC, suggesting that both the level of star formation and perhaps the star formation rate in this cloud are an order of magnitude or more lower than in the OMC. Analysis of extinction maps of both clouds shows that the new cloud contains only 10% the amount of high extinction (A K > 1.0 mag) material as is found in the OMC. This, in turn, suggests that the level of star formation activity and perhaps the star formation rate in these two clouds may be directly proportional to the total amount of high extinction material and presumably high density gas within them and that there might be a density threshold for star formation on the order of n(H 2 ) ∼ a few x 10 4 cm -3 .

On Cloud-based Oversubscription

OpenAIRE

Householder, Rachel; Arnold, Scott; Green, Robert

2014-01-01

Rising trends in the number of customers turning to the cloud for their computing needs has made effective resource allocation imperative for cloud service providers. In order to maximize profits and reduce waste, providers have started to explore the role of oversubscribing cloud resources. However, the benefits of cloud-based oversubscription are not without inherent risks. This paper attempts to unveil the incentives, risks, and techniques behind oversubscription in a cloud infrastructure....

Intercomparison of model simulations of mixed-phase clouds observed during the ARM Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment. Part II: Multi-layered cloud

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morrison, H; McCoy, R B; Klein, S A; Xie, S; Luo, Y; Avramov, A; Chen, M; Cole, J; Falk, M; Foster, M; Genio, A D; Harrington, J; Hoose, C; Khairoutdinov, M; Larson, V; Liu, X; McFarquhar, G; Poellot, M; Shipway, B; Shupe, M; Sud, Y; Turner, D; Veron, D; Walker, G; Wang, Z; Wolf, A; Xu, K; Yang, F; Zhang, G

2008-02-27

Results are presented from an intercomparison of single-column and cloud-resolving model simulations of a deep, multi-layered, mixed-phase cloud system observed during the ARM Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment. This cloud system was associated with strong surface turbulent sensible and latent heat fluxes as cold air flowed over the open Arctic Ocean, combined with a low pressure system that supplied moisture at mid-level. The simulations, performed by 13 single-column and 4 cloud-resolving models, generally overestimate the liquid water path and strongly underestimate the ice water path, although there is a large spread among the models. This finding is in contrast with results for the single-layer, low-level mixed-phase stratocumulus case in Part I of this study, as well as previous studies of shallow mixed-phase Arctic clouds, that showed an underprediction of liquid water path. The overestimate of liquid water path and underestimate of ice water path occur primarily when deeper mixed-phase clouds extending into the mid-troposphere were observed. These results suggest important differences in the ability of models to simulate Arctic mixed-phase clouds that are deep and multi-layered versus shallow and single-layered. In general, models with a more sophisticated, two-moment treatment of the cloud microphysics produce a somewhat smaller liquid water path that is closer to observations. The cloud-resolving models tend to produce a larger cloud fraction than the single-column models. The liquid water path and especially the cloud fraction have a large impact on the cloud radiative forcing at the surface, which is dominated by the longwave flux for this case.

CloudSat-Constrained Cloud Ice Water Path and Cloud Top Height Retrievals from MHS 157 and 183.3 GHz Radiances

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, J.; Wu, D. L.

2014-01-01

Ice water path (IWP) and cloud top height (ht) are two of the key variables in determining cloud radiative and thermodynamical properties in climate models. Large uncertainty remains among IWP measurements from satellite sensors, in large part due to the assumptions made for cloud microphysics in these retrievals. In this study, we develop a fast algorithm to retrieve IWP from the 157, 183.3+/-3 and 190.3 GHz radiances of the Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS) such that the MHS cloud ice retrieval is consistent with CloudSat IWP measurements. This retrieval is obtained by constraining the empirical forward models between collocated and coincident measurements of CloudSat IWP and MHS cloud-induced radiance depression (Tcir) at these channels. The empirical forward model is represented by a lookup table (LUT) of Tcir-IWP relationships as a function of ht and the frequency channel.With ht simultaneously retrieved, the IWP is found to be more accurate. The useful range of the MHS IWP retrieval is between 0.5 and 10 kg/sq m, and agrees well with CloudSat in terms of the normalized probability density function (PDF). Compared to the empirical model, current operational radiative transfer models (RTMs) still have significant uncertainties in characterizing the observed Tcir-IWP relationships. Therefore, the empirical LUT method developed here remains an effective approach to retrieving ice cloud properties from the MHS-like microwave channels.

Cloud Computing for radiologists.

Science.gov (United States)

Kharat, Amit T; Safvi, Amjad; Thind, Ss; Singh, Amarjit

2012-07-01

Cloud computing is a concept wherein a computer grid is created using the Internet with the sole purpose of utilizing shared resources such as computer software, hardware, on a pay-per-use model. Using Cloud computing, radiology users can efficiently manage multimodality imaging units by using the latest software and hardware without paying huge upfront costs. Cloud computing systems usually work on public, private, hybrid, or community models. Using the various components of a Cloud, such as applications, client, infrastructure, storage, services, and processing power, Cloud computing can help imaging units rapidly scale and descale operations and avoid huge spending on maintenance of costly applications and storage. Cloud computing allows flexibility in imaging. It sets free radiology from the confines of a hospital and creates a virtual mobile office. The downsides to Cloud computing involve security and privacy issues which need to be addressed to ensure the success of Cloud computing in the future.

Cloud Computing for radiologists

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kharat, Amit T; Safvi, Amjad; Thind, SS; Singh, Amarjit

2012-01-01

Cloud computing is a concept wherein a computer grid is created using the Internet with the sole purpose of utilizing shared resources such as computer software, hardware, on a pay-per-use model. Using Cloud computing, radiology users can efficiently manage multimodality imaging units by using the latest software and hardware without paying huge upfront costs. Cloud computing systems usually work on public, private, hybrid, or community models. Using the various components of a Cloud, such as applications, client, infrastructure, storage, services, and processing power, Cloud computing can help imaging units rapidly scale and descale operations and avoid huge spending on maintenance of costly applications and storage. Cloud computing allows flexibility in imaging. It sets free radiology from the confines of a hospital and creates a virtual mobile office. The downsides to Cloud computing involve security and privacy issues which need to be addressed to ensure the success of Cloud computing in the future

Cloud computing for radiologists

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amit T Kharat

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Cloud computing is a concept wherein a computer grid is created using the Internet with the sole purpose of utilizing shared resources such as computer software, hardware, on a pay-per-use model. Using Cloud computing, radiology users can efficiently manage multimodality imaging units by using the latest software and hardware without paying huge upfront costs. Cloud computing systems usually work on public, private, hybrid, or community models. Using the various components of a Cloud, such as applications, client, infrastructure, storage, services, and processing power, Cloud computing can help imaging units rapidly scale and descale operations and avoid huge spending on maintenance of costly applications and storage. Cloud computing allows flexibility in imaging. It sets free radiology from the confines of a hospital and creates a virtual mobile office. The downsides to Cloud computing involve security and privacy issues which need to be addressed to ensure the success of Cloud computing in the future.

Cloud detection, classification and motion estimation using geostationary satellite imagery for cloud cover forecast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escrig, H.; Batlles, F.J.; Alonso, J.; Baena, F.M.; Bosch, J.L.; Salbidegoitia, I.B.; Burgaleta, J.I.

2013-01-01

Considering that clouds are the greatest causes to solar radiation blocking, short term cloud forecasting can help power plant operation and therefore improve benefits. Cloud detection, classification and motion vector determination are key to forecasting sun obstruction by clouds. Geostationary satellites provide cloud information covering wide areas, allowing cloud forecast to be performed for several hours in advance. Herein, the methodology developed and tested in this study is based on multispectral tests and binary cross correlations followed by coherence and quality control tests over resulting motion vectors. Monthly synthetic surface albedo image and a method to reject erroneous correlation vectors were developed. Cloud classification in terms of opacity and height of cloud top is also performed. A whole-sky camera has been used for validation, showing over 85% of agreement between the camera and the satellite derived cloud cover, whereas error in motion vectors is below 15%. - Highlights: ► A methodology for detection, classification and movement of clouds is presented. ► METEOSAT satellite images are used to obtain a cloud mask. ► The prediction of cloudiness is estimated with 90% in overcast conditions. ► Results for partially covered sky conditions showed a 75% accuracy. ► Motion vectors are estimated from the clouds with a success probability of 86%

CloudMC: a cloud computing application for Monte Carlo simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Miras, H; Jiménez, R; Miras, C; Gomà, C

2013-04-21

This work presents CloudMC, a cloud computing application-developed in Windows Azure®, the platform of the Microsoft® cloud-for the parallelization of Monte Carlo simulations in a dynamic virtual cluster. CloudMC is a web application designed to be independent of the Monte Carlo code in which the simulations are based-the simulations just need to be of the form: input files → executable → output files. To study the performance of CloudMC in Windows Azure®, Monte Carlo simulations with penelope were performed on different instance (virtual machine) sizes, and for different number of instances. The instance size was found to have no effect on the simulation runtime. It was also found that the decrease in time with the number of instances followed Amdahl's law, with a slight deviation due to the increase in the fraction of non-parallelizable time with increasing number of instances. A simulation that would have required 30 h of CPU on a single instance was completed in 48.6 min when executed on 64 instances in parallel (speedup of 37 ×). Furthermore, the use of cloud computing for parallel computing offers some advantages over conventional clusters: high accessibility, scalability and pay per usage. Therefore, it is strongly believed that cloud computing will play an important role in making Monte Carlo dose calculation a reality in future clinical practice.

Security Problems in Cloud Computing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rola Motawie

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Cloud is a pool of computing resources which are distributed among cloud users. Cloud computing has many benefits like scalability, flexibility, cost savings, reliability, maintenance and mobile accessibility. Since cloud-computing technology is growing day by day, it comes with many security problems. Securing the data in the cloud environment is most critical challenges which act as a barrier when implementing the cloud. There are many new concepts that cloud introduces, such as resource sharing, multi-tenancy, and outsourcing, create new challenges for the security community. In this work, we provide a comparable study of cloud computing privacy and security concerns. We identify and classify known security threats, cloud vulnerabilities, and attacks.

Cloud Computing Explained

Science.gov (United States)

Metz, Rosalyn

2010-01-01

While many talk about the cloud, few actually understand it. Three organizations' definitions come to the forefront when defining the cloud: Gartner, Forrester, and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST). Although both Gartner and Forrester provide definitions of cloud computing, the NIST definition is concise and uses…

CloudSafetyNet: Detecting Data Leakage between Cloud Tenants

OpenAIRE

Pietzuch, PR; Priebe, C; Muthukumaran, D; O'Keeffe, D; Eyers, D; Shand, B; Kapitza, R

2014-01-01

01.12.14 KB. Ok to add accepted version to spiral. Copyright ? 2014 by the Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. (ACM).When tenants deploy applications under the control of third-party cloud providers, they must trust the providers security mechanisms for inter-tenant isolation, resource sharing and access control. Despite a providers best efforts, accidental data leakage may occur due to misconfigurations or bugs in the cloud platform. Especially in Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) clouds...

A Heuristic Parameterization for the Integrated Vertical Overlap of Cumulus and Stratus

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sungsu

2017-10-01

The author developed a heuristic parameterization to handle the contrasting vertical overlap structures of cumulus and stratus in an integrated way. The parameterization assumes that cumulus is maximum-randomly overlapped with adjacent cumulus; stratus is maximum-randomly overlapped with adjacent stratus; and radiation and precipitation areas at each model interface are grouped into four categories, that is, convective, stratiform, mixed, and clear areas. For simplicity, thermodynamic scalars within individual portions of cloud, radiation, and precipitation areas are assumed to be internally homogeneous. The parameterization was implemented into the Seoul National University Atmosphere Model version 0 (SAM0) in an offline mode and tested over the globe. The offline control simulation reasonably reproduces the online surface precipitation flux and longwave cloud radiative forcing (LWCF). Although the cumulus fraction is much smaller than the stratus fraction, cumulus dominantly contributes to precipitation production in the tropics. For radiation, however, stratus is dominant. Compared with the maximum overlap, the random overlap of stratus produces stronger LWCF and, surprisingly, more precipitation flux due to less evaporation of convective precipitation. Compared with the maximum overlap, the random overlap of cumulus simulates stronger LWCF and weaker precipitation flux. Compared with the control simulation with separate cumulus and stratus, the simulation with a single-merged cloud substantially enhances the LWCF in the tropical deep convection and midlatitude storm track regions. The process-splitting treatment of convective and stratiform precipitation with an independent precipitation approximation (IPA) simulates weaker surface precipitation flux than the control simulation in the tropical region.

Modeling of Cloud/Radiation Processes for Cirrus Cloud Formation

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Liou, K

1997-01-01

This technical report includes five reprints and pre-prints of papers associated with the modeling of cirrus cloud and radiation processes as well as remote sensing of cloud optical and microphysical...

THE MASS-SIZE RELATION FROM CLOUDS TO CORES. II. SOLAR NEIGHBORHOOD CLOUDS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kauffmann, J.; Shetty, R.; Goodman, A. A.; Pillai, T.; Myers, P. C.

2010-01-01

We measure the mass and size of cloud fragments in several molecular clouds continuously over a wide range of spatial scales (0.05 ∼ 2 , is not well suited to describe the derived mass-size data. Solar neighborhood clouds not forming massive stars (∼ sun ; Pipe Nebula, Taurus, Perseus, and Ophiuchus) obey m(r) ≤ 870 M sun (r/pc) 1.33 . In contrast to this, clouds forming massive stars (Orion A, G10.15 - 0.34, G11.11 - 0.12) do exceed the aforementioned relation. Thus, this limiting mass-size relation may approximate a threshold for the formation of massive stars. Across all clouds, cluster-forming cloud fragments are found to be-at given radius-more massive than fragments devoid of clusters. The cluster-bearing fragments are found to roughly obey a mass-size law m ∝ r 1.27 (where the exponent is highly uncertain in any given cloud, but is certainly smaller than 1.5).

Searchable Encryption in Cloud Storage

OpenAIRE

Ren-Junn Hwang; Chung-Chien Lu; Jain-Shing Wu

2014-01-01

Cloud outsource storage is one of important services in cloud computing. Cloud users upload data to cloud servers to reduce the cost of managing data and maintaining hardware and software. To ensure data confidentiality, users can encrypt their files before uploading them to a cloud system. However, retrieving the target file from the encrypted files exactly is difficult for cloud server. This study proposes a protocol for performing multikeyword searches for encrypted cloud data by applying ...

Sound speed and thermal property measurements of inert materials: laser spectroscopy and the diamond-anvil cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaug, J.M.

1997-07-01

An indispensable companion to dynamical physics experimentation, static high-pressure diamond-anvil cell research continues to evolve, with laser diagnostic, as an accurate and versatile experimental deep planetary properties have bootstrapped each other in a process that has produced even higher pressures; consistently improved calibrations of temperature and pressure under static and dynamic conditions; and unprecedented data and understanding of materials, their elasticity, equations of state (EOS), and transport properties under extreme conditions. A collection of recent pressure and/or temperature dependent acoustic and thermal measurements and deduced mechanical properties and EOS data are summarized for a wide range of materials including H2, H2O, H2S, D2S, CO2, CH4, N2O, CH3OH,, SiO2, synthetic lubricants, PMMA, single crystal silicates, and ceramic superconductors. Room P&T sound speed measurements are presented for the first time on single crystals of beta-HMX. New high-pressure and temperature diamond cell designed and pressure calibrant materials are reviewed.

A stochastic cloud model for cloud and ozone retrievals from UV measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efremenko, Dmitry S.; Schüssler, Olena; Doicu, Adrian; Loyola, Diego

2016-01-01

The new generation of satellite instruments provides measurements in and around the Oxygen A-band on a global basis and with a relatively high spatial resolution. These data are commonly used for the determination of cloud properties. A stochastic model and radiative transfer model, previously developed by the authors, is used as the forward model component in retrievals of cloud parameters and ozone total and partial columns. The cloud retrieval algorithm combines local and global optimization routines, and yields a retrieval accuracy of about 1% and a fast computational time. Retrieved parameters are the cloud optical thickness and the cloud-top height. It was found that the use of the independent pixel approximation instead of the stochastic cloud model leads to large errors in the retrieved cloud parameters, as well as, in the retrieved ozone height resolved partial columns. The latter can be reduced by using the stochastic cloud model to compute the optimal value of the regularization parameter in the framework of Tikhonov regularization. - Highlights: • A stochastic radiative transfer model for retrieving clouds/ozone is designed. • Errors of independent pixel approximation (IPA) for O3 total column are small. • The error of IPA for ozone profile retrieval may become large. • The use of stochastic model reduces the error of ozone profile retrieval.

An Integrated Cloud-Aerosol-Radiation Product Using CERES, MODIS, CALIPSO and CloudSat Data

Science.gov (United States)

Sun-Mack, S.; Gibson, S.; Chen, Y.; Wielicki, B.; Minnis, P.

2006-12-01

The goal of this paper is to provide the first integrated data set of global vertical profiles of aerosols, clouds, and radiation using the combined NASA A-Train data from Aqua CERES and MODIS, CALIPSO, and CloudSat. All of these instruments are flying in formation as part of the Aqua Train, or A-Train. This paper will present the preliminary results of merging aerosol and cloud data from the CALIPSO active lidar, cloud data from CloudSat, integrated column aerosol and cloud data from the MODIS CERES analyses, and surface and top-of-atmosphere broadband radiation fluxes from CERES. These new data will provide unprecedented ability to test and improve global cloud and aerosol models, to investigate aerosol direct and indirect radiative forcing, and to validate the accuracy of global aerosol, cloud, and radiation data sets especially in polar regions and for multi-layered cloud conditions.

Clouds vertical properties over the Northern Hemisphere monsoon regions from CloudSat-CALIPSO measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Subrata Kumar; Golhait, R. B.; Uma, K. N.

2017-01-01

The CloudSat spaceborne radar and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) space-borne lidar measurements, provide opportunities to understand the intriguing behavior of the vertical structure of monsoon clouds. The combined CloudSat-CALIPSO data products have been used for the summer season (June-August) of 2006-2010 to present the statistics of cloud macrophysical (such as cloud occurrence frequency, distribution of cloud top and base heights, geometrical thickness and cloud types base on occurrence height), and microphysical (such as ice water content, ice water path, and ice effective radius) properties of the Northern Hemisphere (NH) monsoon region. The monsoon regions considered in this work are the North American (NAM), North African (NAF), Indian (IND), East Asian (EAS), and Western North Pacific (WNP). The total cloud fraction over the IND (mostly multiple-layered cloud) appeared to be more frequent as compared to the other monsoon regions. Three distinctive modes of cloud top height distribution are observed over all the monsoon regions. The high-level cloud fraction is comparatively high over the WNP and IND. The ice water content and ice water path over the IND are maximum compared to the other monsoon regions. We found that the ice water content has little variations over the NAM, NAF, IND, and WNP as compared to their macrophysical properties and thus give an impression that the regional differences in dynamics and thermodynamics properties primarily cause changes in the cloud frequency or coverage and only secondary in the cloud ice properties. The background atmospheric dynamics using wind and relative humidity from the ERA-Interim reanalysis data have also been investigated which helps in understanding the variability of the cloud properties over the different monsoon regions.

AIRS-AMSU variables-CloudSat cloud mask, radar reflectivities, and cloud classification matchups V3.2

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This is AIRS-CloudSat collocated subset, in NetCDF 4 format. These data contain collocated: AIRS/AMSU retrievals at AMSU footprints, CloudSat radar reflectivities,...

A Location-Based Interactive Model of Internet of Things and Cloud (IoT-Cloud) for Mobile Cloud Computing Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinh, Thanh; Kim, Younghan; Lee, Hyukjoon

2017-03-01

This paper presents a location-based interactive model of Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud integration (IoT-cloud) for mobile cloud computing applications, in comparison with the periodic sensing model. In the latter, sensing collections are performed without awareness of sensing demands. Sensors are required to report their sensing data periodically regardless of whether or not there are demands for their sensing services. This leads to unnecessary energy loss due to redundant transmission. In the proposed model, IoT-cloud provides sensing services on demand based on interest and location of mobile users. By taking advantages of the cloud as a coordinator, sensing scheduling of sensors is controlled by the cloud, which knows when and where mobile users request for sensing services. Therefore, when there is no demand, sensors are put into an inactive mode to save energy. Through extensive analysis and experimental results, we show that the location-based model achieves a significant improvement in terms of network lifetime compared to the periodic model.

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE IN CLOUD

OpenAIRE

Celina M. Olszak

2014-01-01

. The paper reviews and critiques current research on Business Intelligence (BI) in cloud. This review highlights that organizations face various challenges using BI cloud. The research objectives for this study are a conceptualization of the BI cloud issue, as well as an investigation of some benefits and risks from BI cloud. The study was based mainly on a critical analysis of literature and some reports on BI cloud using. The results of this research can be used by IT and business leaders ...

Considerations for Cloud Security Operations

OpenAIRE

Cusick, James

2016-01-01

Information Security in Cloud Computing environments is explored. Cloud Computing is presented, security needs are discussed, and mitigation approaches are listed. Topics covered include Information Security, Cloud Computing, Private Cloud, Public Cloud, SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, ISO 27001, OWASP, Secure SDLC.

The Geospatial Data Cloud: An Implementation of Applying Cloud Computing in Geosciences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuezhi Wang

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The rapid growth in the volume of remote sensing data and its increasing computational requirements bring huge challenges for researchers as traditional systems cannot adequately satisfy the huge demand for service. Cloud computing has the advantage of high scalability and reliability, which can provide firm technical support. This paper proposes a highly scalable geospatial cloud platform named the Geospatial Data Cloud, which is constructed based on cloud computing. The architecture of the platform is first introduced, and then two subsystems, the cloud-based data management platform and the cloud-based data processing platform, are described.  ––– This paper was presented at the First Scientific Data Conference on Scientific Research, Big Data, and Data Science, organized by CODATA-China and held in Beijing on 24-25 February, 2014.

Evolution of Cloud Storage as Cloud Computing Infrastructure Service

OpenAIRE

Rajan, Arokia Paul; Shanmugapriyaa

2013-01-01

Enterprises are driving towards less cost, more availability, agility, managed risk - all of which is accelerated towards Cloud Computing. Cloud is not a particular product, but a way of delivering IT services that are consumable on demand, elastic to scale up and down as needed, and follow a pay-for-usage model. Out of the three common types of cloud computing service models, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a service model that provides servers, computing power, network bandwidth and S...

WRF simulation of a severe hailstorm over Baramati: a study into the space-time evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Murthy, B. S.; Latha, R.; Madhuparna, H.

2018-04-01

Space-time evolution of a severe hailstorm occurred over the western India as revealed by WRF-ARW simulations are presented. We simulated a specific event centered over Baramati (18.15°N, 74.58°E, 537 m AMSL) on March 9, 2014. A physical mechanism, proposed as a conceptual model, signifies the role of multiple convective cells organizing through outflows leading to a cold frontal type flow, in the presence of a low over the northern Arabian Sea, propagates from NW to SE triggering deep convection and precipitation. A `U' shaped cold pool encircled by a converging boundary forms to the north of Baramati due to precipitation behind the moisture convergence line with strong updrafts ( 15 ms-1) leading to convective clouds extending up to 8 km in a narrow region of 30 km. The outflows from the convective clouds merge with the opposing southerly or southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea and southerly or southeasterly winds from the Bay of Bengal resulting in moisture convergence (maximum 80 × 10-3 g kg-1 s-1). The vertical profile of the area-averaged moisture convergence over the cold pool shows strong convergence above 850 hPa and divergence near the surface indicating elevated convection. Radar reflectivity (50-60 dBZ) and vertical component of vorticity maximum ( 0.01-0.14 s-1) are observed along the convergence zone. Stratiform clouds ahead of the squall line and parallel wind flow at 850 hPa and nearly perpendicular flow at higher levels relative to squall line as evidenced by relatively low and wide-spread reflectivity suggests that organizational mode of squall line may be categorized as `Mixed Mode' type where northern part can be a parallel stratiform while the southern part resembles with a leading stratiform. Simulated rainfall (grid scale 27 km) leads the observed rainfall by 1 h while its magnitude is 2 times of the observed rainfall (grid scale 100 km) derived from Kalpana-1. Thus, this study indicates that under synoptically favorable conditions

Exploring the Effects of Cloud Vertical Structure on Cloud Microphysical Retrievals based on Polarized Reflectances

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, D. J.; Zhang, Z.; Platnick, S. E.; Ackerman, A. S.; Cornet, C.; Baum, B. A.

2013-12-01

A polarized cloud reflectance simulator was developed by coupling an LES cloud model with a polarized radiative transfer model to assess the capabilities of polarimetric cloud retrievals. With future remote sensing campaigns like NASA's Aerosols/Clouds/Ecosystems (ACE) planning to feature advanced polarimetric instruments it is important for the cloud remote sensing community to understand the retrievable information available and the related systematic/methodical limitations. The cloud retrieval simulator we have developed allows us to probe these important questions in a realistically relevant test bed. Our simulator utilizes a polarized adding-doubling radiative transfer model and an LES cloud field from a DHARMA simulation (Ackerman et al. 2004) with cloud properties based on the stratocumulus clouds observed during the DYCOMS-II field campaign. In this study we will focus on how the vertical structure of cloud microphysics can influence polarized cloud effective radius retrievals. Numerous previous studies have explored how retrievals based on total reflectance are affected by cloud vertical structure (Platnick 2000, Chang and Li 2002) but no such studies about the effects of vertical structure on polarized retrievals exist. Unlike the total cloud reflectance, which is predominantly multiply scattered light, the polarized reflectance is primarily the result of singly scattered photons. Thus the polarized reflectance is sensitive to only the uppermost region of the cloud (tau~influencer on the microphysical development of cloud droplets, can be potentially studied with polarimetric retrievals.

Using Radar, Lidar, and Radiometer measurements to Classify Cloud Type and Study Middle-Level Cloud Properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Zhien

2010-06-29

The project is mainly focused on the characterization of cloud macrophysical and microphysical properties, especially for mixed-phased clouds and middle level ice clouds by combining radar, lidar, and radiometer measurements available from the ACRF sites. First, an advanced mixed-phase cloud retrieval algorithm will be developed to cover all mixed-phase clouds observed at the ACRF NSA site. The algorithm will be applied to the ACRF NSA observations to generate a long-term arctic mixed-phase cloud product for model validations and arctic mixed-phase cloud processes studies. To improve the representation of arctic mixed-phase clouds in GCMs, an advanced understanding of mixed-phase cloud processes is needed. By combining retrieved mixed-phase cloud microphysical properties with in situ data and large-scale meteorological data, the project aim to better understand the generations of ice crystals in supercooled water clouds, the maintenance mechanisms of the arctic mixed-phase clouds, and their connections with large-scale dynamics. The project will try to develop a new retrieval algorithm to study more complex mixed-phase clouds observed at the ACRF SGP site. Compared with optically thin ice clouds, optically thick middle level ice clouds are less studied because of limited available tools. The project will develop a new two wavelength radar technique for optically thick ice cloud study at SGP site by combining the MMCR with the W-band radar measurements. With this new algorithm, the SGP site will have a better capability to study all ice clouds. Another area of the proposal is to generate long-term cloud type classification product for the multiple ACRF sites. The cloud type classification product will not only facilitates the generation of the integrated cloud product by applying different retrieval algorithms to different types of clouds operationally, but will also support other research to better understand cloud properties and to validate model simulations. The

The Community Cloud Atlas - Building an Informed Cloud Watching Community

Science.gov (United States)

Guy, N.; Rowe, A.

2014-12-01

The sky is dynamic, from long lasting cloud systems to ethereal, fleeting formations. After years of observing the sky and growing our personal collections of cloud photos, we decided to take to social media to share pictures, as well as build and educate a community of cloud enthusiasts. We began a Facebook page, the Community Cloud Atlas, described as "...the place to show off your pictures of the sky, identify clouds, and to discuss how specific cloud types form and what they can tell you about current and future weather." Our main goal has been to encourage others to share their pictures, while we describe the scenes from a meteorological perspective and reach out to the general public to facilitate a deeper understanding of the sky. Nearly 16 months later, we have over 1400 "likes," spanning 45 countries with ages ranging from 13 to over 65. We have a consistent stream of submissions; so many that we decided to start a corresponding blog to better organize the photos, provide more detailed explanations, and reach a bigger audience. Feedback from users has been positive in support of not only sharing cloud pictures, but also to "learn the science as well as admiring" the clouds. As one community member stated, "This is not 'just' a place to share some lovely pictures." We have attempted to blend our social media presence with providing an educational resource, and we are encouraged by the response we have received. Our Atlas has been informally implemented into classrooms, ranging from a 6th grade science class to Meteorology courses at universities. NOVA's recent Cloud Lab also made use of our Atlas as a supply of categorized pictures. Our ongoing goal is to not only continue to increase understanding and appreciation of the sky among the public, but to provide an increasingly useful tool for educators. We continue to explore different social media options to interact with the public and provide easier content submission, as well as software options for

Using MODIS Cloud Regimes to Sort Diagnostic Signals of Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Oreopoulos, Lazaros; Cho, Nayeong; Lee, Dongmin

2017-05-27

Coincident multi-year measurements of aerosol, cloud, precipitation and radiation at near-global scales are analyzed to diagnose their apparent relationships as suggestive of interactions previously proposed based on theoretical, observational, and model constructs. Specifically, we examine whether differences in aerosol loading in separate observations go along with consistently different precipitation, cloud properties, and cloud radiative effects. Our analysis uses a cloud regime (CR) framework to dissect and sort the results. The CRs come from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor and are defined as distinct groups of cloud systems with similar co-variations of cloud top pressure and cloud optical thickness. Aerosol optical depth used as proxy for aerosol loading comes from two sources, MODIS observations, and the MERRA-2 re-analysis, and its variability is defined with respect to local seasonal climatologies. The choice of aerosol dataset impacts our results substantially. We also find that the responses of the marine and continental component of a CR are frequently quite disparate. Overall, CRs dominated by warm clouds tend to exhibit less ambiguous signals, but also have more uncertainty with regard to precipitation changes. Finally, we find weak, but occasionally systematic co-variations of select meteorological indicators and aerosol, which serves as a sober reminder that ascribing changes in cloud and cloud-affected variables solely to aerosol variations is precarious.

Greening the Cloud

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Hoed, Robert; Hoekstra, Eric; Procaccianti, G.; Lago, P.; Grosso, Paola; Taal, Arie; Grosskop, Kay; van Bergen, Esther

The cloud has become an essential part of our daily lives. We use it to store our documents (Dropbox), to stream our music and lms (Spotify and Net ix) and without giving it any thought, we use it to work on documents in the cloud (Google Docs). The cloud forms a massive storage and processing

Benchmarking Cloud Storage Systems

OpenAIRE

Wang, Xing

2014-01-01

With the rise of cloud computing, many cloud storage systems like Dropbox, Google Drive and Mega have been built to provide decentralized and reliable file storage. It is thus of prime importance to know their features, performance, and the best way to make use of them. In this context, we introduce BenchCloud, a tool designed as part of this thesis to conveniently and efficiently benchmark any cloud storage system. First, we provide a study of six commonly-used cloud storage systems to ident...

Cloud Computing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krogh, Simon

2013-01-01

with technological changes, the paradigmatic pendulum has swung between increased centralization on one side and a focus on distributed computing that pushes IT power out to end users on the other. With the introduction of outsourcing and cloud computing, centralization in large data centers is again dominating...... the IT scene. In line with the views presented by Nicolas Carr in 2003 (Carr, 2003), it is a popular assumption that cloud computing will be the next utility (like water, electricity and gas) (Buyya, Yeo, Venugopal, Broberg, & Brandic, 2009). However, this assumption disregards the fact that most IT production......), for instance, in establishing and maintaining trust between the involved parties (Sabherwal, 1999). So far, research in cloud computing has neglected this perspective and focused entirely on aspects relating to technology, economy, security and legal questions. While the core technologies of cloud computing (e...

Impact of different cloud deployments on real-time video applications for mobile video cloud users

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Kashif A.; Wang, Qi; Luo, Chunbo; Wang, Xinheng; Grecos, Christos

2015-02-01

The latest trend to access mobile cloud services through wireless network connectivity has amplified globally among both entrepreneurs and home end users. Although existing public cloud service vendors such as Google, Microsoft Azure etc. are providing on-demand cloud services with affordable cost for mobile users, there are still a number of challenges to achieve high-quality mobile cloud based video applications, especially due to the bandwidth-constrained and errorprone mobile network connectivity, which is the communication bottleneck for end-to-end video delivery. In addition, existing accessible clouds networking architectures are different in term of their implementation, services, resources, storage, pricing, support and so on, and these differences have varied impact on the performance of cloud-based real-time video applications. Nevertheless, these challenges and impacts have not been thoroughly investigated in the literature. In our previous work, we have implemented a mobile cloud network model that integrates localized and decentralized cloudlets (mini-clouds) and wireless mesh networks. In this paper, we deploy a real-time framework consisting of various existing Internet cloud networking architectures (Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure and Eucalyptus Cloud) and a cloudlet based on Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud over wireless mesh networking technology for mobile cloud end users. It is noted that the increasing trend to access real-time video streaming over HTTP/HTTPS is gaining popularity among both research and industrial communities to leverage the existing web services and HTTP infrastructure in the Internet. To study the performance under different deployments using different public and private cloud service providers, we employ real-time video streaming over the HTTP/HTTPS standard, and conduct experimental evaluation and in-depth comparative analysis of the impact of different deployments on the quality of service for mobile video cloud users. Empirical

Georeferenced Point Clouds: A Survey of Features and Point Cloud Management

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Johannes Otepka

2013-10-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a survey of georeferenced point clouds. Concentration is, on the one hand, put on features, which originate in the measurement process themselves, and features derived by processing the point cloud. On the other hand, approaches for the processing of georeferenced point clouds are reviewed. This includes the data structures, but also spatial processing concepts. We suggest a categorization of features into levels that reflect the amount of processing. Point clouds are found across many disciplines, which is reflected in the versatility of the literature suggesting specific features.

Cloud-edge mixing: Direct numerical simulation and observations in Indian Monsoon clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Bipin; Bera, Sudarsan; Prabha, Thara V.; Grabowski, Wojceich W.

2017-03-01

A direct numerical simulation (DNS) with the decaying turbulence setup has been carried out to study cloud-edge mixing and its impact on the droplet size distribution (DSD) applying thermodynamic conditions observed in monsoon convective clouds over Indian subcontinent during the Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement EXperiment (CAIPEEX). Evaporation at the cloud-edges initiates mixing at small scale and gradually introduces larger-scale fluctuations of the temperature, moisture, and vertical velocity due to droplet evaporation. Our focus is on early evolution of simulated fields that show intriguing similarities to the CAIPEEX cloud observations. A strong dilution at the cloud edge, accompanied by significant spatial variations of the droplet concentration, mean radius, and spectral width, are found in both the DNS and in observations. In DNS, fluctuations of the mean radius and spectral width come from the impact of small-scale turbulence on the motion and evaporation of inertial droplets. These fluctuations decrease with the increase of the volume over which DNS data are averaged, as one might expect. In cloud observations, these fluctuations also come from other processes, such as entrainment/mixing below the observation level, secondary CCN activation, or variations of CCN activation at the cloud base. Despite large differences in the spatial and temporal scales, the mixing diagram often used in entrainment/mixing studies with aircraft data is remarkably similar for both DNS and cloud observations. We argue that the similarity questions applicability of heuristic ideas based on mixing between two air parcels (that the mixing diagram is designed to properly represent) to the evolution of microphysical properties during turbulent mixing between a cloud and its environment.

Giant molecular cloud scaling relations: the role of the cloud definition

Science.gov (United States)

Khoperskov, S. A.; Vasiliev, E. O.; Ladeyschikov, D. A.; Sobolev, A. M.; Khoperskov, A. V.

2016-01-01

We investigate the physical properties of molecular clouds in disc galaxies with different morphologies: a galaxy without prominent structure, a spiral barred galaxy and a galaxy with flocculent structure. Our N-body/hydrodynamical simulations take into account non-equilibrium H2 and CO chemical kinetics, self-gravity, star formation and feedback processes. For the simulated galaxies, the scaling relations of giant molecular clouds, or so-called Larson's relations, are studied for two types of cloud definition (or extraction method): the first is based on total column density position-position (PP) data sets and the second is indicated by the CO (1-0) line emission used in position-position-velocity (PPV) data. We find that the cloud populations obtained using both cloud extraction methods generally have similar physical parameters, except that for the CO data the mass spectrum of clouds has a tail with low-mass objects M ˜ 103-104 M⊙. Owing toa varying column density threshold, the power-law indices in the scaling relations are significantly changed. In contrast, the relations are invariant to the CO brightness temperature threshold. Finally, we find that the mass spectra of clouds for PPV data are almost insensitive to the galactic morphology, whereas the spectra for PP data demonstrate significant variation.