The Role of the Updrafts and Surface Temperaturein the Warm Cloud Processes

A. Abdul Wahab, Saadi

	The Role of the Updrafts and Surface Temperaturein the Warm Cloud Processes
Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science
Article 1, Volume 22, Issue 7, 2011, Pages 127-138
Author
Saadi A. Abdul Wahab
Abstract
Many of the potential rain-bearing clouds in tropical and semi-tropical countries are convective in nature and their tops often not exceeding the height of the freezing level. In these clouds, which are called warm clouds, the cloud physical processes involved in the initiation and development of rain are condensation, collision-coalescence, and break-up. The aim of this work is to investigate the role of updrafts and surface temperature in the warm cloud processes. Simple numerical model for the formation of convective clouds is used. The model is based on the parcel theory in which a finite unit of moist air is lifted, cool off as it expands so that water vapor condense and forming a cloud. Results indicated that strong updrafts would increase the mixing ratios of cloud water and rain water and therefore increasing the condensation, autoconversion, collection, and fallout rates within the cloud. It is also shown that strong updrafts cause the thickness of the cloud to be increased. Warm surface temperature leads to relatively higher mixing ratios, particularly at lower levels within the cloud.

Statistics Article View: 30 PDF Download: 9