Original paper
Numerical simulations of homogeneously nucleated natural cirrus and contrail-cirrus. Part 1: How different are they?
Unterstrasser, Simon; Gierens, Klaus; Sölch, Ingo; Lainer, Martin
Meteorologische Zeitschrift Vol. 26 No. 6 (2017), p. 621 - 642
86 references
published: Dec 8, 2017
published online: Oct 14, 2016
manuscript accepted: Jun 17, 2016
final revised version received: May 11, 2016
manuscript revision requested: Mar 29, 2014
manuscript received: Jan 15, 2016
Open Access (paper may be downloaded free of charge)
Abstract
The evolution of contrail-cirrus and natural cirrus formed by homogeneous nucleation is studied over up to ten hours by means of a Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) model equipped with a Lagrangian ice microphysics module. This is the first time that both cloud types are investigated in a single study. Characteristics of their life cycles depend strongly on the synoptic scenario. Weak, but enduring updraughts allow for the longest life times of contrail-cirrus. For cirrus clouds, the updraught speed during their formation is most crucial. Once contrails lose their linear shape they are hardly distinguishable from natural cirrus which makes it difficult to evaluate the extent and effect of the anthropogenic cloud modification. Despite their different formation mechanisms (contrails are generated locally and have initially much higher ice crystal number concentrations than natural cirrus) we could not single out microphysical criteria that could help to distinguish in general between both cloud types in observations.
Keywords
Large eddy simulation • Lagrangian ice microphysics • Natural cirrus • contrail cirrus • aviation