Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1400
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1400
03 Jun 2024
 | 03 Jun 2024

An Analysis of Cloud Microphysical Features over UAE Using Multiple Data Sources

Zhenhai Zhang, Vesta Afzali Gorooh, Duncan Axisa, Chandrasekar Radhakrishnan, Eun Yeol Kim, Venkatachalam Chandrasekar, and Luca Delle Monache

Abstract. Water is a precious resource and is important for human health, agriculture, industry, and the environment. When water is in short supply, monitoring and predicting the current and future occurrence of precipitation-producing clouds is essential. In this study, we investigate the cloud microphysical features in several convective cloud systems in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) using multiple data sources, including aircraft measurements, satellite observations, weather radar observations, and reanalysis data. The aircraft observation dataset is from an airborne research campaign conducted in August 2019 in the UAE. The cloud cases were identified through analysis of cloud spectrometers mounted on the aircraft. Then, we investigated the microphysical features of those cloud cases with a focus on precipitation microphysics. The effective radius of the cloud particles retrieved from geostationary satellite data was compared with the aircraft in-situ measurement. Using the effective radius retrieved from satellite data, we developed a framework to identify five microphysical zones: diffusional droplet growth zone, droplet coalescence growth zone, supercooled water zone, mixed phase zone, and glaciated zone. The identified zones were verified using the aircraft observations, and the transferability of the 5-zone concept was tested using additional cloud cases. The results show that our 5-zone concept successfully detects the microphysical features related to precipitation using satellite data in the UAE. This study provides scientific support to the development of an applicable framework to examine cloud precipitation processes and detect suitable cloud features that could be tracked for further precipitation analysis and nowcasting.

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Zhenhai Zhang, Vesta Afzali Gorooh, Duncan Axisa, Chandrasekar Radhakrishnan, Eun Yeol Kim, Venkatachalam Chandrasekar, and Luca Delle Monache

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1400', Anonymous Referee #2, 15 Jun 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1400', Anonymous Referee #3, 24 Jun 2024
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1400', Anonymous Referee #1, 25 Jun 2024
Zhenhai Zhang, Vesta Afzali Gorooh, Duncan Axisa, Chandrasekar Radhakrishnan, Eun Yeol Kim, Venkatachalam Chandrasekar, and Luca Delle Monache
Zhenhai Zhang, Vesta Afzali Gorooh, Duncan Axisa, Chandrasekar Radhakrishnan, Eun Yeol Kim, Venkatachalam Chandrasekar, and Luca Delle Monache

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Short summary
Water is a precious resource, and it is essential to monitor and predict the current and future occurrence of precipitation-producing clouds. We investigate the cloud characteristics related to precipitation with several cloud cases in the United Arab Emirates using the data from aircraft measurements, satellite observations, and weather radar observations. This study provides scientific support to the development of an applicable framework to examine cloud precipitation processes.