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research article

Distinct secondary ice production processes observed in radar Doppler spectra: insights from a case study

Billault-Roux, Anne-Claire  
•
Georgakaki, Paraskevi  
•
Gehring, Josue
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September 14, 2023
Atmospheric Chemistry And Physics

Secondary ice production (SIP) has an essential role in cloud and precipitation microphysics. In recent years, substantial insights were gained into SIP by combining experimental, modeling, and observational approaches. Remote sensing instruments, among them meteorological radars, offer the possibility of studying clouds and precipitation in extended areas over long time periods and are highly valuable to understand the spatiotemporal structure of microphysical processes. Multi-modal Doppler spectra measured by vertically pointing radars reveal the coexistence, within a radar resolution volume, of hydrometeor populations with distinct properties; as such, they can provide decisive insight into precipitation microphysics. This paper leverages polarimetric radar Doppler spectra as a tool to study the microphysical processes that took place during a snowfall event on 27 January 2021 in the Swiss Jura Mountains during the ICE GENESIS campaign. A multi-layered cloud system was present, with ice particles sedimenting through a supercooled liquid water (SLW) layer in a seeder-feeder configuration. Building on a Doppler peak detection algorithm, we implement a peak labeling procedure to identify the particle type(s) that may be present within a radar resolution volume. With this approach, we can visualize spatiotemporal features in the radar time series that point to the occurrence of distinct mechanisms during different stages of the event. By focusing on three 30 min phases of the case study and by using the detailed information contained in the Doppler spectra, together with dual-frequency radar measurements, aircraft in situ images, and simulated profiles of atmospheric variables, we narrow down the possible processes that could be responsible for the observed signatures. Depending on the availability of SLW and the droplet sizes, on the temperature range, and on the interaction between the liquid and ice particles, various SIP processes are identified as plausible, with distinct fingerprints in the radar Doppler spectra. A simple modeling approach suggests that the ice crystal number concentrations likely exceed typical concentrations of ice-nucleating particles by 1 to 4 orders of magnitude. While a robust proof of occurrence of a given SIP mechanism cannot be easily established, the multi-sensor data provide various independent elements each supporting the proposed interpretations.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.5194/acp-23-10207-2023
Web of Science ID

WOS:001161776200001

Author(s)
Billault-Roux, Anne-Claire  
Georgakaki, Paraskevi  
Gehring, Josue
Jaffeux, Louis
Schwarzenboeck, Alfons
Coutris, Pierre
Nenes, Athanasios  
Berne, Alexis  
Date Issued

2023-09-14

Publisher

Copernicus Publications

Published in
Atmospheric Chemistry And Physics
Volume

23

Issue

17

Start page

10207

End page

10234

Subjects

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

•

Physical Sciences

•

Mixed-Phase Clouds

•

Supercooled Liquid Water

•

W-Band Radar

•

Polarimetric Radar

•

Part I

•

Melting Layer

•

Fall Streaks

•

Degrees-C

•

Particles

•

Crystals

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LAPI  
LTE  
FunderGrant Number

European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme

824310

H2020 Excellent Science - H2020 European Research Council

726165

Available on Infoscience
March 18, 2024
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/206387
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