Cloud–Aerosol Interactions from the Micro to the Cloud Scale

Abstract

The effect of suspended particles ( aerosol) on clouds and precipitation from the micro to the cloud scale has been well studied through laboratory, in-situ, and remote-sensing data but many uncertainties remain. In particular, there is scant observational evidence of aerosol effects on surface precipitation. Clouds and precipitation modify the amount of aerosol through both physical and chemical processes so that a three-way interactive feedback between aerosol, cloud microphysics, and cloud dynamics must be considered. The fundamental cloud microphysical properties are driven by dynamics; vertical motions and mixing processes between the cloud and its environment determine the concentration of cloud water, a key parameter for both climate and precipitation. However, aerosol particles can significantly affect the microphysics and dynamics of clouds by changing the size distribution of drops, their ability to grow to raindrops, their rates of evaporation, and their mixing with the environment. The physical system is strongly coupled and attempting to separate aerosol effects has only been done using some simple constructs, some of which will be shown to be of dubious utility. Both observations and modeling suggest that not only the magnitude, but perhaps also the sign of these effects, depends on the larger-scale meteorological context in which aerosol-cloud interactions are embedded. Some alternate approaches are considered, as we explore the possibility of self-regulation processes that may act to limit the range over which aerosol significantly affects clouds.