The Influence of Aerosols and Meteorological Conditions on the Total Rain Volume of the Mesoscale Convective Systems Over Tropical Continents

Abstract This study provides an observational assessment of the variations of the total rain volume (TRV) with aerosols through the entire lifetime of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) over tropics. Using 70,000 MCSs' samples, we show that TRV increases with aerosols from clean to moderately...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sudip Chakraborty, Rong Fu, Daniel Rosenfeld, Steven T. Massie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-12-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080371
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850134838961504256
author Sudip Chakraborty
Rong Fu
Daniel Rosenfeld
Steven T. Massie
author_facet Sudip Chakraborty
Rong Fu
Daniel Rosenfeld
Steven T. Massie
author_sort Sudip Chakraborty
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study provides an observational assessment of the variations of the total rain volume (TRV) with aerosols through the entire lifetime of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) over tropics. Using 70,000 MCSs' samples, we show that TRV increases with aerosols from clean to moderately heavy polluted conditions (aerosol optical depth [AOD] ~ 0.0–0.4). TRV decreases when AOD exceeds 0.5. The TRV change with AOD is strongest under favorable meteorological conditions, such as high total precipitable water (45–75 kg/m2), high convective available potential energy (1,200–2,400 J/kg), and intermediate vertical wind shear (9–21 × 10−4/s). TRV of MCSs increases from 2 to 4 km3 (rain depth ~ 20–40 mm) when AOD < 0.15 or >0.5, to more than 12 km3 (~120 mm) when 0.2 < AOD < 0.4 under above the mentioned optimal meteorological conditions. The basic response of TRV to aerosol concentrations is similar under all the meteorological conditions and during all stages of the MCS lifecycle.
format Article
id doaj-art-ac44cfa43d074e20afdee7f971b282bb
institution OA Journals
issn 0094-8276
1944-8007
language English
publishDate 2018-12-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-ac44cfa43d074e20afdee7f971b282bb2025-08-20T02:31:37ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072018-12-01452313,09913,10610.1029/2018GL080371The Influence of Aerosols and Meteorological Conditions on the Total Rain Volume of the Mesoscale Convective Systems Over Tropical ContinentsSudip Chakraborty0Rong Fu1Daniel Rosenfeld2Steven T. Massie3Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences University of California Los Angeles CA USADepartment of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences University of California Los Angeles CA USAInstitute of Earth Sciences Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem IsraelLaboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USAAbstract This study provides an observational assessment of the variations of the total rain volume (TRV) with aerosols through the entire lifetime of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) over tropics. Using 70,000 MCSs' samples, we show that TRV increases with aerosols from clean to moderately heavy polluted conditions (aerosol optical depth [AOD] ~ 0.0–0.4). TRV decreases when AOD exceeds 0.5. The TRV change with AOD is strongest under favorable meteorological conditions, such as high total precipitable water (45–75 kg/m2), high convective available potential energy (1,200–2,400 J/kg), and intermediate vertical wind shear (9–21 × 10−4/s). TRV of MCSs increases from 2 to 4 km3 (rain depth ~ 20–40 mm) when AOD < 0.15 or >0.5, to more than 12 km3 (~120 mm) when 0.2 < AOD < 0.4 under above the mentioned optimal meteorological conditions. The basic response of TRV to aerosol concentrations is similar under all the meteorological conditions and during all stages of the MCS lifecycle.https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080371total rain volume of the mesoscale systems increases as AOD increases up to 0.4as AOD increases beyond 0.5, TRV decreasesthe TRV change with AOD is strongest under favorable meteorological conditionssuch responses are similar under all meteorological conditions and the convective lifecycle
spellingShingle Sudip Chakraborty
Rong Fu
Daniel Rosenfeld
Steven T. Massie
The Influence of Aerosols and Meteorological Conditions on the Total Rain Volume of the Mesoscale Convective Systems Over Tropical Continents
Geophysical Research Letters
total rain volume of the mesoscale systems increases as AOD increases up to 0.4
as AOD increases beyond 0.5, TRV decreases
the TRV change with AOD is strongest under favorable meteorological conditions
such responses are similar under all meteorological conditions and the convective lifecycle
title The Influence of Aerosols and Meteorological Conditions on the Total Rain Volume of the Mesoscale Convective Systems Over Tropical Continents
title_full The Influence of Aerosols and Meteorological Conditions on the Total Rain Volume of the Mesoscale Convective Systems Over Tropical Continents
title_fullStr The Influence of Aerosols and Meteorological Conditions on the Total Rain Volume of the Mesoscale Convective Systems Over Tropical Continents
title_full_unstemmed The Influence of Aerosols and Meteorological Conditions on the Total Rain Volume of the Mesoscale Convective Systems Over Tropical Continents
title_short The Influence of Aerosols and Meteorological Conditions on the Total Rain Volume of the Mesoscale Convective Systems Over Tropical Continents
title_sort influence of aerosols and meteorological conditions on the total rain volume of the mesoscale convective systems over tropical continents
topic total rain volume of the mesoscale systems increases as AOD increases up to 0.4
as AOD increases beyond 0.5, TRV decreases
the TRV change with AOD is strongest under favorable meteorological conditions
such responses are similar under all meteorological conditions and the convective lifecycle
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080371
work_keys_str_mv AT sudipchakraborty theinfluenceofaerosolsandmeteorologicalconditionsonthetotalrainvolumeofthemesoscaleconvectivesystemsovertropicalcontinents
AT rongfu theinfluenceofaerosolsandmeteorologicalconditionsonthetotalrainvolumeofthemesoscaleconvectivesystemsovertropicalcontinents
AT danielrosenfeld theinfluenceofaerosolsandmeteorologicalconditionsonthetotalrainvolumeofthemesoscaleconvectivesystemsovertropicalcontinents
AT steventmassie theinfluenceofaerosolsandmeteorologicalconditionsonthetotalrainvolumeofthemesoscaleconvectivesystemsovertropicalcontinents
AT sudipchakraborty influenceofaerosolsandmeteorologicalconditionsonthetotalrainvolumeofthemesoscaleconvectivesystemsovertropicalcontinents
AT rongfu influenceofaerosolsandmeteorologicalconditionsonthetotalrainvolumeofthemesoscaleconvectivesystemsovertropicalcontinents
AT danielrosenfeld influenceofaerosolsandmeteorologicalconditionsonthetotalrainvolumeofthemesoscaleconvectivesystemsovertropicalcontinents
AT steventmassie influenceofaerosolsandmeteorologicalconditionsonthetotalrainvolumeofthemesoscaleconvectivesystemsovertropicalcontinents