A modelling study of moisture redistribution by thin cirrus clouds

Abstract

Abstract. A high resolution 2-dimensional numerical model is used to study the moisture redistribution following homogeneous ice nucleation induced by Kelvin waves in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). We compare results for dry/moist initial conditions, and three levels of complexity for the representation of cloud processes: full bin microphysics and radiative effects of the ice, ditto but without radiative effects, and instantaneous removal of moisture in excess of saturation upon nucleation. Cloud evolution and the profiles of moisture redistribution are found to be sensitive to initial conditions and cloud processes. Ice sedimentation leads to a downward flux of water. On the other hand, the cloud radiative heating induces upward advection of the cloudy air. This results in an upward flux of water vapour if the cloudy air is moister (or drier) than the environment, which is typically when the environment is subsaturated (or supersaturated). The numerical results show that only a small fraction (less than 25%) of the cloud experiences nucleation. Sedimentation and reevaporation are important, and hydrated layers in observation may be as good an indicator as dehydrated layers for the occurrence of thin cirrus clouds. The calculation with instantaneous removal of condensates misses the hydration by construction, but also underestimates dehydration due to lack of moisture removal from sedimenting particles below the nucleation level, and due to nucleation before reaching the minimum saturation mixing ratio. The sensitivity to initial conditions and cloud processes suggests that it is difficult to reach generic, quantitative conclusions regarding the role of thin cirrus clouds for the moisture distribution in the TTL and stratosphere.