Leipziger Meteorologisches Kolloquium
Allison Wing: Cloud-radiative interactions in organized tropical convection and tropical cyclones
With this presentation we would like to offer you the opportunity to present preliminary results from the recent ORCESTRA/PICCOLO field campaign in August-September 2024. Our invited speaker will present his latest findings and projects, followed by stimulating discussions.
Cloud-radiative interactions in organized tropical convection and tropical cyclones
Refent: Allison Wing (Florida State University)
Moist convection in the tropical atmosphere is often organized into clusters containing many individual convective cells. Far
from simply shaping spatial structures, through its modulation of the cloud and humidity distribution, the organization of
convection plays a key role in planetary energy balance and the hydrological cycle. We investigate the importance of cloud-
radiative interactions in organized tropical convection and tropical cyclones (TCs) through a combination of convection-
permitting simulations, satellite observations, and field measurements. We find that a “cloudy greenhouse effect”
accelerates TC development in which anomalous infrared warming in areas of deep thunderstorm clouds near the center
of the TC drives rising motion in the storm, which helps moisten the atmosphere and aids in the formation of the TC’s
circulation. Both model simulations and satellite observations agree that ice clouds are the strongest driver of the radiative
feedbacks, and that these feedbacks are particularly important in storms undergoing rapid intensification. Next, we present
preliminary results from the recent ORCESTRA/PICCOLO field campaign in August-September 2024. We characterize
mesoscale organized convection in the Atlantic ITCZ using observations from the SEA-POL precipitation radar deployed
on the RV Meteor during its six-week cruise. We combine the SEA-POL retrievals with measurements from other
instruments on board the Meteor as well as satellite observations to evaluate relationships between convective organization,
precipitation, and radiative processes
Leipziger Meteorologisches Kolloquium
Das Leipziger Meteorologische Kolloquium ist eine Veranstaltungsreihe des Instituts für Meteorologie in Kooperation mit dem Institut für Troposphärenforschung e.V. und der Deutschen Meteorologischen Gesellschaft e.V.