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New observations of clouds, atmosphere, and precipitation at Summit, Greenland

Learn about the impact of clouds on the Greenland Ice Sheet and explore new cloud-atmosphere observations at Summit, Greenland. Discover the Mobile Science Facility and the various sensors used to study cloud characteristics and their interactions with meteorology, boundary layer, surface energy budget, and precipitation. Collaborations are welcome!

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New observations of clouds, atmosphere, and precipitation at Summit, Greenland

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  1. ICECAPS New observations of clouds, atmosphere, and precipitation at Summit, Greenland Matthew Shupe, Von Walden, David Turner Ryan Neely, Ben Castellani, Chris Cox, Penny Rowe, Nate Miller, Maria Cadeddu Special thanks to a large team of supporters and collaborators

  2. How do clouds impact the Greenland Ice Sheet? Source: Precipitation => The Mass Budget Sink: Radiation => The Energy Budget

  3. Introducing the Mobile Science Facility at Summit

  4. Precip Sensor: Rate, PSD? Microwave Radiometers: PWV, LWP, T Sodar: Boundary layer depth Ceilometer: Cloud base Cloud Radar: Cloud macrophysics, phase, microphysics, dynamics Depolarization Lidars: Cloud base, phase, microphysics, orientation Radiosonde: T, RH Spectral Infrared Interferometer: Cloud phase, microphysics, LW radiation, trace gases

  5. Continuous radiosonde measurements Signs of spring? Tropopause height Cold and dry

  6. Thermodynamic profiles and clouds • Surface-based T and q inversions at ~ 100-300m (almost always present) • Atmosphere is relatively moist & warm with clouds (~15 C warmer, 4x moister) • Need to distinguish impacts of clouds vs. water vapor on SEB & w/ season

  7. “Cloud Roses” • Cloud presence/depth determined by multi-sensor analysis • 90% of SE flow is cloudy, frequent clouds in flow from 100-300° • With winds, almost all clouds come from SW-S

  8. “Precipitation Roses” • Precipitation occurrence identified by ground-based radar • Frequent precipitation in W flow • Very little precipitation coming from N sector flows, most from SW.

  9. Summit clouds compared to other Arctic locations • Generally: Remarkable similarity with other locations

  10. Summit clouds compared to other Arctic locations • LWP derived from microwave radiometer brightness temperatures • Most Arctic clouds are thin ( LWP < 50 g/m2) • “Thick” clouds are virtually non-existent at Summit

  11. Detailed cloud microphysical-dynamical relations are also similar q qE High reflectivity + high depol = ice precip Velocity variability High backscatter + low depol = liquid

  12. Detailed cloud microphysical-dynamical relations are similar! Cloud mixed-layer Cloud-generated turbulence Cloud ice nucleates in liquid W-LWP-IWP correlation

  13. Ice Precip, Crystal Habits 21:40 • Mixed-phase environment w/ riming • Ttop = -20 C • Dendrites form around -15 C and generally above water saturation • Plates, sector plates in same T range but do not need water saturation 22:35

  14. Ice Precip, Crystal Habits • Ice cloud. Poss. liquid near sfc. • T = -40 to -18 C • Bullets, hollow capped columns, assemblages of plates/side planes (all -20 to -30 C, Magono and Lee) 17:40 17:40

  15. Summary • New cloud-atmosphere observing capabilities at Summit, Greenland • Many cloud characteristics are similar to elsewhere in the Arctic • Good opportunities to study cloud interactions with meteorology, boundary layer, surface energy budget, and precipitation • We welcome collaborations!

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