Impact of Aerosol Radiative Effect on the Diurnal Cycle of Summer Precipitation Over North China: Distinct Results From Simulations With Parameterized Versus Explicit Convection

Abstract

The diurnal cycle of precipitation (DCP) is an important feature of local weather and climate. Owing to the complex interactions of aerosols and meteorological conditions, the influence of aerosols on the DCP is still inconclusive. Here we use regional modeling experiments with parameterized convection (PC) and explicit convection (EC) to disentangle the influence of aerosol radiative effects and model convection schemes on the DCP in North China, focusing on the precipitation peak time in the afternoon. We found that the EC experiments show delayed but more realistic DCPs compared with the PC experiments. With the increase of aerosol emissions, the PC experiments show delays in the afternoon precipitation peak, while this is not found in the EC experiments and observations. The different vertical velocities and vertical aerosol profiles produced by the schemes and the associated different thermodynamic responses are the primary reason for the distinct DCP responses.