Marine Stratocumulus Convection. part II: Horizontally Inhomogeneous Solutions

Abstract

Abstract Solutions of the horizontally inhomogeneous version of the coupled, convective-radiative, cloud-topped mixed-layer model described in Part I of this study are presented. Both numerical and approximate analytical methods are used to investigate the downstream variations which occur as boundary-layer air flows through regions of varying sea surface temperature and large-scale divergence. Six numerical experiments are performed. In the first two experiments boundary-layer air flows through regions of constant large-scale divergence but of increasing or decreasing sea surface temperature. In the cold advection case the boundary layer warms, moistens and deepens in time, while the turbulent fluxes increase. In the warm advection case the boundary layer cools, drys and becomes shallower, while the turbulent fluxes decrease. In addition the cloud base descends and there is a tendency to form a surface fog. In the third and fourth experiments boundary-layer air flows through regions of constant sea surfa...