Linking observed aerosol–cloud processes and kilometer-scale cloud-resolving simulations over the Amazon rainforest
Abstract
At kilometer-scale resolution, convective systems start to be explicitly resolved in atmospheric models, albeit coarsely. This allows a more process-based analysis of certain aspects of aerosol–cloud interactions in tropical regions. Convective clouds are a ubiquitous feature above the Amazon rainforest and develop under strongly contrasting aerosol conditions, with particle number concentrations during the dry season often exceeding those in the wet season by an order of magnitude.In this context, we explore aerosol and convective cloud processes over the Amazon rainforest by analyzing case studies that combine observations and km-scale cloud-resolving simulations with interactive aerosols in a limited-area configuration. Regional simulations are performed at approximately 1.6 km horizontal resolution using the Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic (ICON) model coupled to the one-moment aerosol scheme HAM-lite. The realism of the simulations is evaluated through comparison with a combination of ground-based, satellite, and aircraft observations.For the wet season, we analyze a case study based on flight RF15, conducted with the German research aircraft HALO during the CAFE-Brazil (Chemistry of the Atmosphere: Field Experiment in Brazil; CAFE-BR) campaign in 2022–2023. Three simulations are presented for this case: a best-estimate factual simulation and two counterfactual sensitivity experiments representing background “green ocean” conditions and heavy aerosol loading associated with biomass burning during dry season periods. For the dry season, we also revisit two research flights from the ACRIDICON-CHUVA 2014 campaign, representing one clean and one polluted case, to further assess the representation of aerosol–cloud processes under different convective regimes. Combining these cases, we discuss the impact of changing aerosol environments on convective systems and draw conclusions relevant to a transition toward a post-fossil aerosol regime.
Authors 15
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Alice Henkes corresponding
Affiliation as printed
Leipzig Institute for Meteorology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
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Johannes Quaas corresponding
Affiliation as printed
Leipzig Institute for Meteorology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
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Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
Affiliation as printed
TROPOS Leipzig, Leibniz-Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
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Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research · Leipzig University
Affiliation as printed
Leipzig Institute for Meteorology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
TROPOS Leipzig, Leibniz-Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
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Philipp Weiss corresponding
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
Affiliation as printed
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Bonn, Germany
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Bernd Heinold corresponding
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
Affiliation as printed
TROPOS Leipzig, Leibniz-Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
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Sadhitro De corresponding
Affiliation as printed
University of Oxford, Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, Department of Physics, United Kingdom of Great Britain
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Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
Affiliation as printed
TROPOS Leipzig, Leibniz-Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
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Luiz Augusto Toledo Machado corresponding
Universidade de São Paulo · Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Affiliation as printed
Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, MPIC, Mainz, Germany
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Christopher Pöhlker corresponding
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Affiliation as printed
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, MPIC, Mainz, Germany
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Philip Stier corresponding
Affiliation as printed
University of Oxford, Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, Department of Physics, United Kingdom of Great Britain
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Jan G. Kretzschmar corresponding
Affiliation as printed
Leipzig Institute for Meteorology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
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Space Research Organisation Netherlands
Affiliation as printed
SRON Space Research Organisation Netherlands, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Fabian Senf corresponding
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
Affiliation as printed
TROPOS Leipzig, Leibniz-Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
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Ina Tegen corresponding
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
Affiliation as printed
TROPOS Leipzig, Leibniz-Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
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