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Dependence of Mass–Dimensional Relationships on Median Mass Diameter
oleh: Saisai Ding, Greg M. McFarquhar, Stephen W. Nesbitt, Randy J. Chase, Michael R. Poellot, Hongqing Wang
Format: | Article |
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Diterbitkan: | MDPI AG 2020-07-01 |
Deskripsi
Retrievals of ice cloud properties require accurate estimates of ice particle mass. Empirical mass–dimensional (<i>m</i>–<i>D</i>) relationships in the form <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mi>m</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mi>a</mi> <msup> <mi>D</mi> <mi>b</mi> </msup> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> are widely used and usually universally applied across the complete range of particle sizes. For the first time, the dependence of <i>a</i> and <i>b</i> coefficients in <i>m–D</i> relationships on median mass diameter (<i>D<sub>mm</sub></i>) is studied. Using combined cloud microphysical data collected during the Olympic Mountains Experiment and coincident observations from Airborne Precipitation Radar Third Generation, <i>D<sub>mm</sub></i>-dependent (<i>a</i>, <i>b</i>) coefficients are derived and represented as surfaces of equally plausible solutions determined by some tolerance in the chi-squared difference <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <msup> <mi>χ</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msup> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> that minimizes the difference between observed and retrieved radar reflectivity. Robust dependences of <i>a</i> and <i>b</i> on <i>D<sub>mm</sub></i> are shown with both parameters significantly decreasing with <i>D<sub>mm</sub></i>, leading to smaller effective densities for larger <i>D<sub>mm</sub></i> ranges. A universally applied constant <i>m–D</i> relationship overestimates the mass of large aggregates when <i>D<sub>mm</sub></i> is between 3–6 mm and temperatures are between −15–0 °C. Multiple <i>m–D</i> relations should be applied for different <i>D<sub>mm</sub></i> ranges in retrievals and simulations to account for the variability of particle sizes that are responsible for the mass and thus for the variability of particle shapes and densities.