Influence of ice-phase physics of hydrometeors of moist-convection

Abstract

The influence of ice-phase physics (IPP) of hydrometeors was isolated using three 3-year long simulations with the FvGCM employing parameterized cloud microphysics. The Control Case CC had no IPP, whereas the two experiments E1 and E2 invoked IPP with two different hydrometeor-freezing assumptions. Case E1 froze liquid hydrometeors at subfreezing temperatures at detrainment. Case E2 also froze new condensate generated at subfreezing temperatures of the cumulus updrafts. However, melting of falling frozen hydrometeors occurred at the very first encounter with above freezing temperatures in both simulations. Comparative analysis showed discernible differences in cloud and condensation heating climatologies of these simulations. Specifically, IPP influenced convective detrainment at mid- and deep-levels in accord with TOGA-COARE observations. The study suggests that IPP can mitigate less-than-observed mid-level clouds and over-abundance of deep clouds and might invigorate cumulus-induced downdrafts.