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Contrasting effects on deep convective clouds by different types of aerosols

Author

Listed:
  • Jonathan H. Jiang

    (California Institute of Technology)

  • Hui Su

    (California Institute of Technology)

  • Lei Huang

    (California Institute of Technology
    University of California)

  • Yuan Wang

    (California Institute of Technology)

  • Steven Massie

    (University of Colorado)

  • Bin Zhao

    (University of California)

  • Ali Omar

    (NASA Langley Research Center)

  • Zhien Wang

    (University of Colorado
    University of Wyoming
    University of Colorado)

Abstract

Convective clouds produce a significant proportion of the global precipitation and play an important role in the energy and water cycles. We quantify changes of the convective cloud ice mass-weighted altitude centroid (ZIWC) as a function of aerosol optical thickness (AOT). Analyses are conducted in smoke, dust and polluted continental aerosol environments over South America, Central Africa and Southeast Asia, using the latest measurements from the CloudSat and CALIPSO satellites. We find aerosols can inhibit or invigorate convection, depending on aerosol type and concentration. On average, smoke tends to suppress convection and results in lower ZIWC than clean clouds. Polluted continental aerosol tends to invigorate convection and promote higher ZIWC. The dust aerosol effects are regionally dependent and their signs differ from place to place. Moreover, we find that the aerosol inhibition or invigoration effects do not vary monotonically with AOT and the variations depend strongly on aerosol type. Our observational findings indicate that aerosol type is one of the key factors in determining the aerosol effects on convective clouds.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan H. Jiang & Hui Su & Lei Huang & Yuan Wang & Steven Massie & Bin Zhao & Ali Omar & Zhien Wang, 2018. "Contrasting effects on deep convective clouds by different types of aerosols," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-06280-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06280-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Yang Yang & Lili Ren & Mingxuan Wu & Hailong Wang & Fengfei Song & L. Ruby Leung & Xin Hao & Jiandong Li & Lei Chen & Huimin Li & Liangying Zeng & Yang Zhou & Pinya Wang & Hong Liao & Jing Wang & Zhen, 2022. "Abrupt emissions reductions during COVID-19 contributed to record summer rainfall in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.

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