Satellite‐Based Diagnostics of Precipitation Process in Mixed‐Phase Clouds: Extension From Warm Rain Process Statistics

Abstract This study proposes a methodology for analyzing the precipitation process in mixed‐phase clouds using multisensor satellite data, including radar, lidar, and imager. By leveraging a specific multivariate statistic, we elucidate the vertical microphysical structures of mixed‐phase clouds and...

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Main Authors: Kentaroh Suzuki, Takashi M. Nagao, Aya Murai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110573
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author Kentaroh Suzuki
Takashi M. Nagao
Aya Murai
author_facet Kentaroh Suzuki
Takashi M. Nagao
Aya Murai
author_sort Kentaroh Suzuki
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study proposes a methodology for analyzing the precipitation process in mixed‐phase clouds using multisensor satellite data, including radar, lidar, and imager. By leveraging a specific multivariate statistic, we elucidate the vertical microphysical structures of mixed‐phase clouds and their transitions associated with cloud particle growth and phase change. Expanding upon previous warm rain process diagnostics, we integrate cloud thermodynamic phase information from lidar and imager, representing the phase near the cloud top and column, respectively, to classify the vertical microphysical structures obtained from radar. Our global composite analysis reveals a systematic transition from non‐precipitating to precipitating characteristics with increasing ice phase fraction of the cloud column, rather than near the cloud top, and increasing cloud‐top particle size. These findings offer valuable observational references for evaluating numerical models in precipitation physics.
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issn 0094-8276
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-72fdff2cb60a4e5f9de1004b1a8f054f2025-08-20T02:06:00ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072024-12-015123n/an/a10.1029/2024GL110573Satellite‐Based Diagnostics of Precipitation Process in Mixed‐Phase Clouds: Extension From Warm Rain Process StatisticsKentaroh Suzuki0Takashi M. Nagao1Aya Murai2Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute University of Tokyo Kashiwa JapanAtmosphere and Ocean Research Institute University of Tokyo Kashiwa JapanAtmosphere and Ocean Research Institute University of Tokyo Kashiwa JapanAbstract This study proposes a methodology for analyzing the precipitation process in mixed‐phase clouds using multisensor satellite data, including radar, lidar, and imager. By leveraging a specific multivariate statistic, we elucidate the vertical microphysical structures of mixed‐phase clouds and their transitions associated with cloud particle growth and phase change. Expanding upon previous warm rain process diagnostics, we integrate cloud thermodynamic phase information from lidar and imager, representing the phase near the cloud top and column, respectively, to classify the vertical microphysical structures obtained from radar. Our global composite analysis reveals a systematic transition from non‐precipitating to precipitating characteristics with increasing ice phase fraction of the cloud column, rather than near the cloud top, and increasing cloud‐top particle size. These findings offer valuable observational references for evaluating numerical models in precipitation physics.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110573cloudprecipitationsatellite observationmicrophysicsphase transition
spellingShingle Kentaroh Suzuki
Takashi M. Nagao
Aya Murai
Satellite‐Based Diagnostics of Precipitation Process in Mixed‐Phase Clouds: Extension From Warm Rain Process Statistics
Geophysical Research Letters
cloud
precipitation
satellite observation
microphysics
phase transition
title Satellite‐Based Diagnostics of Precipitation Process in Mixed‐Phase Clouds: Extension From Warm Rain Process Statistics
title_full Satellite‐Based Diagnostics of Precipitation Process in Mixed‐Phase Clouds: Extension From Warm Rain Process Statistics
title_fullStr Satellite‐Based Diagnostics of Precipitation Process in Mixed‐Phase Clouds: Extension From Warm Rain Process Statistics
title_full_unstemmed Satellite‐Based Diagnostics of Precipitation Process in Mixed‐Phase Clouds: Extension From Warm Rain Process Statistics
title_short Satellite‐Based Diagnostics of Precipitation Process in Mixed‐Phase Clouds: Extension From Warm Rain Process Statistics
title_sort satellite based diagnostics of precipitation process in mixed phase clouds extension from warm rain process statistics
topic cloud
precipitation
satellite observation
microphysics
phase transition
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110573
work_keys_str_mv AT kentarohsuzuki satellitebaseddiagnosticsofprecipitationprocessinmixedphasecloudsextensionfromwarmrainprocessstatistics
AT takashimnagao satellitebaseddiagnosticsofprecipitationprocessinmixedphasecloudsextensionfromwarmrainprocessstatistics
AT ayamurai satellitebaseddiagnosticsofprecipitationprocessinmixedphasecloudsextensionfromwarmrainprocessstatistics