Horizontal Distance of Each Cumulus and Cloud Broadening Distance Determine Cloud Cover

• Sato Yousuke

  RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science

• Miyamoto Yoshiaki

  RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science

• Nishizawa Seiya

  RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science

• Yashiro Hisashi

  RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science

• Kajikawa Yoshiyuki

  RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science

• Yoshida Ryuji

  RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science

• Yamaura Tsuyoshi

  RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science

• Tomita Hirofumi

  RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science

Abstract

We examine how cloud cover is determined in shallow-cloud areas by using large-eddy simulation with an extremely wide domain, which covers the transition phase from cumulus-under-stratocumulus to shallow-cumulus regimes. The relationship between two distances is critical to cloud cover. One characteristic distance is the horizontal distance between cumulus clouds, and the other is the broadening distance of anvil-like stratiform cloud at the top of the boundary layer. High cloud cover occurs with a long distance of broadening and short distances between cumuli. In contrast, low cloud cover appears with a short distance of broadening and a long distance between cumuli. The contrast of the two distances is rooted in aerosol amount and the strength of the surface heat flux. The relationship between these two distances can be applied to estimating the cloud cover below sharp inversions.

Journal

• SOLA

  SOLA 11 (0), 75-79, 2015

  Meteorological Society of Japan

Keywords

• Atmospheric Science

Details

• CRID: 1390001205222306432
• NII Article ID: 130005078530
• DOI: 10.2151/sola.2015-019
• ISSN: 13496476
• Web Site: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/sola/11/0/11_2015-019/_pdf
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed