Distinct effects of fine and coarse aerosols on microphysical processes of shallow-precipitation systems in summer over southern China
<p>Densely populated southern China, adjacent to the South China Sea, which is associated with shallow precipitation during summer, is an open-air natural laboratory for studying the impact of aerosol particles on shallow-precipitation events. Using 8 years of data from Dual-frequency Precipit...
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Copernicus Publications
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/1587/2025/acp-25-1587-2025.pdf |
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| author | F. Chen F. Chen Y. Yang L. Yu Y. Li W. Liu Y. Liu Y. Liu S. Lolli |
| author_facet | F. Chen F. Chen Y. Yang L. Yu Y. Li W. Liu Y. Liu Y. Liu S. Lolli |
| author_sort | F. Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Densely populated southern China, adjacent to the South China Sea, which is associated with shallow precipitation during summer, is an open-air natural laboratory for studying the impact of aerosol particles on shallow-precipitation events. Using 8 years of data from Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar measurements, aerosol reanalysis, and atmospheric reanalysis, this study investigates the potential influence of coarse and fine aerosol particles on the structure of the precipitation and the microphysical processes of shallow precipitation in southern China. Statistical results indicate that during coarse-aerosol-polluted conditions, shallow-precipitation clouds have a lower mean height of the storm top (STH; <span class="inline-formula">∼3.2</span> km) but a higher mean near-surface rain rate (RR; <span class="inline-formula">∼1.78</span> <span class="inline-formula">mm h<sup>−1</sup></span>) and are characterized by high concentrations of large raindrops, driven mainly by significant collision–coalescence processes (accounting for 74.1 %). In contrast, during fine-aerosol-polluted conditions, shallow-precipitation clouds develop a deeper median STH of <span class="inline-formula">∼3.7</span> km with lower surface RR characterized by a low concentration of small raindrops, resulting from increased breakup processes (33.1 %) and reduced collision–coalescence processes (69.6 %). The coarse (fine) aerosol particles act as promoters (inhibitors) of radar reflectivity in the profile of shallow precipitation, regardless of dynamic and humid conditions. The effect of coarse aerosol particles in promoting precipitation and the inhibiting effect of fine aerosol particles are the most significant under low-humidity conditions, mainly attributed to significantly enhanced collision–coalescence processes, exceeding 22.2 %. Furthermore, the increase in RR above 3 km in coarse-aerosol-polluted environments is mainly driven by the high concentration of hydrometeors in low-instability conditions, whereas it is driven by large hydrometeors in high-instability environments.</p> |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-97262af57a6b40198493052ef19fe2be |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
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| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-97262af57a6b40198493052ef19fe2be2025-02-04T12:42:30ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242025-02-01251587160110.5194/acp-25-1587-2025Distinct effects of fine and coarse aerosols on microphysical processes of shallow-precipitation systems in summer over southern ChinaF. Chen0F. Chen1Y. Yang2L. Yu3Y. Li4W. Liu5Y. Liu6Y. Liu7S. Lolli8Key Laboratory of Transportation Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing, ChinaChina Meteorological Administration Radar Meteorology Key Laboratory, Beijing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Aerosol and Cloud Precipitation of China Meteorological Administration, School of Atmospheric Physics, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Transportation Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Transportation Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Transportation Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Transportation Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, ChinaInstitute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis (IMAA), National Research Council (CNR), Contrada S. Loja, 85050 Tito Scalo (PZ), Italy<p>Densely populated southern China, adjacent to the South China Sea, which is associated with shallow precipitation during summer, is an open-air natural laboratory for studying the impact of aerosol particles on shallow-precipitation events. Using 8 years of data from Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar measurements, aerosol reanalysis, and atmospheric reanalysis, this study investigates the potential influence of coarse and fine aerosol particles on the structure of the precipitation and the microphysical processes of shallow precipitation in southern China. Statistical results indicate that during coarse-aerosol-polluted conditions, shallow-precipitation clouds have a lower mean height of the storm top (STH; <span class="inline-formula">∼3.2</span> km) but a higher mean near-surface rain rate (RR; <span class="inline-formula">∼1.78</span> <span class="inline-formula">mm h<sup>−1</sup></span>) and are characterized by high concentrations of large raindrops, driven mainly by significant collision–coalescence processes (accounting for 74.1 %). In contrast, during fine-aerosol-polluted conditions, shallow-precipitation clouds develop a deeper median STH of <span class="inline-formula">∼3.7</span> km with lower surface RR characterized by a low concentration of small raindrops, resulting from increased breakup processes (33.1 %) and reduced collision–coalescence processes (69.6 %). The coarse (fine) aerosol particles act as promoters (inhibitors) of radar reflectivity in the profile of shallow precipitation, regardless of dynamic and humid conditions. The effect of coarse aerosol particles in promoting precipitation and the inhibiting effect of fine aerosol particles are the most significant under low-humidity conditions, mainly attributed to significantly enhanced collision–coalescence processes, exceeding 22.2 %. Furthermore, the increase in RR above 3 km in coarse-aerosol-polluted environments is mainly driven by the high concentration of hydrometeors in low-instability conditions, whereas it is driven by large hydrometeors in high-instability environments.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/1587/2025/acp-25-1587-2025.pdf |
| spellingShingle | F. Chen F. Chen Y. Yang L. Yu Y. Li W. Liu Y. Liu Y. Liu S. Lolli Distinct effects of fine and coarse aerosols on microphysical processes of shallow-precipitation systems in summer over southern China Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Distinct effects of fine and coarse aerosols on microphysical processes of shallow-precipitation systems in summer over southern China |
| title_full | Distinct effects of fine and coarse aerosols on microphysical processes of shallow-precipitation systems in summer over southern China |
| title_fullStr | Distinct effects of fine and coarse aerosols on microphysical processes of shallow-precipitation systems in summer over southern China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distinct effects of fine and coarse aerosols on microphysical processes of shallow-precipitation systems in summer over southern China |
| title_short | Distinct effects of fine and coarse aerosols on microphysical processes of shallow-precipitation systems in summer over southern China |
| title_sort | distinct effects of fine and coarse aerosols on microphysical processes of shallow precipitation systems in summer over southern china |
| url | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/1587/2025/acp-25-1587-2025.pdf |
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