Microphysical structure of a developing convective snow cloud simulated by an improved version of the multi-dimensional bin model

Abstract

A new version of the multi-dimensional bin-microphysics model, which employs four dimensions to represent ice-particle properties (ice mass, solute mass, aspect ratio and volume), was developed. The model was incorporated into an adiabatic parcel model to simulate the developing stage of a convective snow cloud observed over the Sea of Japan. The results suggest that crystals originating from deposition/condensation-freezing nuclei grow the fastest in the cloud, and isometric crystals among them effectively act as embryos of graupels. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society.