Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1615
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1615
15 Aug 2023
 | 15 Aug 2023

Opposite effects of aerosols and meteorological parameters on warm clouds in two contrasting regions over eastern China

Yuqin Liu, Tao Lin, Jiahua Zhang, Fu Wang, Yiyi Huang, Xian Wu, Hong Ye, Guoqin Zhang, Xin Cao, and Gerrit de Leeuw

Abstract. Aerosol and cloud properties retrieved from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on-board the Aqua satellite were used to investigate aerosol-cloud interaction (ACI) over eastern China, using AOD as a proxy for the aerosol concentration, during a period of 15 years (2008–2022). Two contrasting areas were selected: the heavily polluted Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and a clean area over the East China Sea (ECS). Linear regression analysis shows the opposite behaviour of the CER-AOD relationship in the two different aerosol regimes. CER decreases with the increase of AOD in the moderately polluted atmosphere (0.1<AOD<0.3) over the ECS, in agreement with the Twomey effect. However, in the polluted atmosphere (AOD>0.3) over the YRD, CER increases with increasing AOD. Evaluation of the ACI index (here defined as the change in CER as a function of AOD) as function of the cloud liquid water path (LWP) shows that in the moderately polluted atmosphere over the ECS the ACI index is significant and positive in the LWP interval [40 g m-2, 200 g m-2], and increases substantially with increasing LWP. In contrast, in the polluted atmosphere over the YRD the ACI index is significant and negative in the LWP interval [0 g m-2, 120 g m-2] and does not change notably as function of LWP in this interval. To further analyse the influence of AOD and meteorological conditions on cloud parameters, the geographical detector method (GDM) has been used. The results show that all factors have a significant influence on the cloud parameters over the ECS, except for CTP, but the influence of AOD is larger than that of any of the meteorological factors. Among the meteorological factors, LTS has the largest influence on the cloud parameters and RH the smallest. Over the YRD, the explanatory power of the effect of AOD and meteorological parameters on cloud parameters is much smaller than over the ECS, except for RH which has a statistically significant influence on CTP and can explain 65 % of the variation of CTP. The combined effect of meteorological factors and AOD on cloud parameters enhances the explanatory power over the effect of individual parameters. The study further shows that over the ECS the effect of RH and LTS on the CER/AOD relationship is opposite to that of PVV. Over the YRD, The CER is larger in unstable atmospheric conditions (low LTS) than in stable conditions, irrespective of the AOD and the CER is much larger in high relative humidity conditions than in low relative humidity conditions.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

18 Apr 2024
Opposite effects of aerosols and meteorological parameters on warm clouds in two contrasting regions over eastern China
Yuqin Liu, Tao Lin, Jiahua Zhang, Fu Wang, Yiyi Huang, Xian Wu, Hong Ye, Guoqin Zhang, Xin Cao, and Gerrit de Leeuw
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4651–4673, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4651-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4651-2024, 2024
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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

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Aerosols and clouds are very important for their effect on climate. Clouds are formed by...
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