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Dual-field-of-view high-spectral-resolution lidar: Simultaneous profiling of aerosol and water cloud to study aerosol-cloud interaction

Authors :
Nanchao Wang
Kai Zhang
Xue Shen
Yuan Wang
Jing Li
Chengcai Li
Jietai Mao
Aleksey Malinka
Chuanfeng Zhao
Lynn M. Russell
Jianping Guo
Silke Gross
Chong Liu
Jing Yang
Feitong Chen
Lingyun Wu
Sijie Chen
Ju Ke
Da Xiao
Yudi Zhou
Jing Fang
Dong Liu
Source :
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 119(10)
Publication Year :
2022

Abstract

Aerosol–cloud interaction (ACI) is complex and difficult to be well represented in current climate models. Progress on understanding ACI processes, such as the influence of aerosols on water cloud droplet formation, is hampered by inadequate observational capability. Hitherto, high-resolution and simultaneous observations of diurnal aerosol loading and cloud microphysical properties are challenging for current remote-sensing techniques. To overcome this conundrum, we introduce the dual-field-of-view (FOV) high-spectral-resolution lidar (HSRL) for simultaneously profiling aerosol and water cloud properties, especially water cloud microphysical properties. Continuous observations of aerosols and clouds using this instrument, verified by the Monte Carlo simulation and coincident observations of other techniques, were conducted to investigate the interactions between aerosol loading and water cloud microphysical properties. A case study over Beijing highlights the scientific potential of dual-FOV HSRL to become a significant contributor to the ACI investigations. The observed water cloud profiles identify that due to air entrainment its vertical structure is not perfectly adiabatic, as assumed by many current retrieval methods. Our ACI analysis shows increased aerosol loading led to increased droplet number concentration and decreased droplet effective radius—consistent with expectations—but had no discernible increase on liquid water path. This finding supports the hypothesis that aerosol-induced cloud water increase caused by suppressed rain formation can be canceled out by enhanced evaporation. Thus, these observations obtained from the dual-FOV HSRL constitute substantial and significant additions to understanding ACI process. This technique is expected to represent a significant step forward in characterizing ACI.

Subjects

Subjects :
Multidisciplinary

Details

ISSN :
10916490
Volume :
119
Issue :
10
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....049e58e1cadbd47ef04a6c2d56792f91