The origin of the gullwing-shaped cirrus above an Argentinian thunderstorm as seen in CALIPSO images

Abstract

Gullwing-shaped cirrus layers are observed on an image above a severe thunderstorm occurred in Argentina taken by the instrument CALIOP on board of the CALIPSO satellite. The cirrus layers extended into a level in the stratosphere even higher than the above-anvil cirrus plumes that had been studied previously. This paper utilized the cloud model simulation results of a similar storm to explain the formation of such gullwing cirrus. It is shown that these cirrus layers can form from the moisture transported upward by successive internal gravity wave breaking at levels higher than the above-anvil plumes. The vertical locus of the wave crests where wave breaking occurs is itself gullwing-shaped which is the main reason why the thin cirrus layers are also gullwing shaped. Model results indicate that wave breaking can transport materials irreversibly into higher stratospheric layers and the gullwing-shaped cirrus is an evidence of this transport process.