Cumulus Convection in Shear Flow—Three-Dimensional Numerical Experiments

Abstract

Abstract A three-dimensional model of deep, moist convection is described. The model is fully compressible and utilizes a “time-splitting” method of integration in order to make the model economically feasible. This study represents an extension of the numerical experiments reported by Cotton (1975). In that work the profiles of the ratio of average cloud water content to the moist-adiabatic water content (Q̄c/QA) predicted by a one-dimensional Lagrangian (1DL) and a one-dimensional time-dependent (1DTD) model are compared with case study observed data and the average Q̄c/QA profiles reported by Warner (1970a). In this work, data predicted by a three-dimensional (3D) cloud simulation in a stagnant environment and a 3D cloud simulation in the observed shear flow are compared with observed data and the earlier model calculations. The results of this study demonstrated that all the cloud simulations in an initially stagnant environment, including the 1DL, 1DTD and 3D models, predicted profiles of Q̄c/QA whic...