TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluating Simulated Raindrop Size Distributions and Ice Microphysical Processes With Polarimetric Radar Observations in a Meiyu Front Event Over Eastern China
AU - Chen, Gang
AU - Zhao, Kun
AU - Huang, Hao
AU - Yang, Zhengwei
AU - Lu, Yinghui
AU - Yang, Ji
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants 42025501, 42005009, and 41875053), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (grant number 2017YFC1501703), and the Open Research Program of the State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather (2020LASW-A01). We would like to acknowledge the China Meteorological Administration for collecting and archiving the rain gauge data used in this study. We also thank Dr Xin Meng and Zhonglin Yang for their valuable works on LSRD data collection and processing.
Funding Information:
This work was jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants 42025501, 42005009, and 41875053), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (grant number 2017YFC1501703), and the Open Research Program of the State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather (2020LASW‐A01). We would like to acknowledge the China Meteorological Administration for collecting and archiving the rain gauge data used in this study. We also thank Dr Xin Meng and Zhonglin Yang for their valuable works on LSRD data collection and processing.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
PY - 2021/11/27
Y1 - 2021/11/27
N2 - To better understand the characteristics of simulated raindrop size distributions (DSDs) and ice microphysical processes for convective systems in the East Asia monsoon region, a typical Meiyu event is simulated with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model using three two-moment bulk microphysics schemes in this study. The simulated microphysical characteristics are then evaluated using polarimetric radar observations and retrievals. Although the observed linear storm structures are well simulated in terms of their location, there are significant deviations regarding simulated polarimetric radar variables and DSD parameters when compared to the observations. Compared to radar retrievals, all the simulated low-level raindrops are found to have lower number concentration and larger mean sizes. To investigate the sources of the simulated DSD biases, vertical distributions of radar reflectivity and specific ice hydrometers (snow, graupel), as well as profiles of liquid/ice water contents from radar retrievals and simulations are further compared. In addition, variations about the occurrence frequency and transfer rate for four categories of ice processes (deposition, aggregation, riming, and melting) among the three schemes are analyzed. Results indicate that the overprediction of snow and graupel from riming processes is likely to be responsible for the production of extremely large raindrops at low levels.
AB - To better understand the characteristics of simulated raindrop size distributions (DSDs) and ice microphysical processes for convective systems in the East Asia monsoon region, a typical Meiyu event is simulated with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model using three two-moment bulk microphysics schemes in this study. The simulated microphysical characteristics are then evaluated using polarimetric radar observations and retrievals. Although the observed linear storm structures are well simulated in terms of their location, there are significant deviations regarding simulated polarimetric radar variables and DSD parameters when compared to the observations. Compared to radar retrievals, all the simulated low-level raindrops are found to have lower number concentration and larger mean sizes. To investigate the sources of the simulated DSD biases, vertical distributions of radar reflectivity and specific ice hydrometers (snow, graupel), as well as profiles of liquid/ice water contents from radar retrievals and simulations are further compared. In addition, variations about the occurrence frequency and transfer rate for four categories of ice processes (deposition, aggregation, riming, and melting) among the three schemes are analyzed. Results indicate that the overprediction of snow and graupel from riming processes is likely to be responsible for the production of extremely large raindrops at low levels.
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U2 - 10.1029/2020JD034511
DO - 10.1029/2020JD034511
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85119861167
SN - 2169-897X
VL - 126
JO - Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
IS - 22
M1 - e2020JD034511
ER -