The Cloud and Rain Liquid Water Characteristics of Different Precipitation Regimes in Brazil
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Elsevier Editorial System(tm) for Atmospheric Research Manuscript Draft Manuscript Number: Title: The Cloud and Rain Liquid Water Characteristics of Different Precipitation Regimes in Brazil Article Type: SI: Precipitation Sci Part II Keywords: Cloud Liquid Water, cloud types, Droplet Size distribution, radar, radiometer Corresponding Author: Mr. Luiz Augusto Toledo Machado, Ph.D. Corresponding Author's Institution: INPE - Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais First Author: Alan J Calheiros, Ms. Order of Authors: Alan J Calheiros, Ms.; Luiz Augusto Toledo Machado, Ph.D. Abstract: Between 2010 and 2012, the CHUVA project collected information regarding cloud and rain trends in different precipitation regimes in Brazil. CHUVA had four field campaigns, located in the North, Northeast and Southeast regions of Brazil, covering the semi-arid, Amazonas, coastal and mountain regions. The purpose of this study is to present statistics related to the integration of cloud and rain liquid water and the profiles for different cloud types and regimes. The synergy of several instruments allows us to describe the cloud process characteristics and to classify rain events. Microwave radiometer, LIDAR, radar, and disdrometer were employed in this study. The rain type classification was made using vertical profiles of reflectivity (VPR) and polarimetric variables from dual-polarization radar (XPOL). The profiles and integrated cloud liquid water (ILWC) was retrieved with a microwave ground-based radiometer using a neural network. For rainy conditions, the profiles from the liquid water content (LWCR) and their integrated (ILWR) properties were estimated by Micro Rain Radar (MRR) and XPOL VPRs. For non-precipitating clouds, the ILWC values were larger for the sites in Northeast Brazil near the coast than for the other regions. For rainy cases, distinct LWCR profiles and ILWR were observed for different rain classifications and regions with a distinctive rainfall regime. The ILWR for the convective systems show the highest values, followed by stratiform and warm systems. The clouds in the Vale do Paraiba and Belem showed the largest reflectivity in the mixed and glaciated layers, respectively. In contrast, the coastal sites show larger values of cloud and rain liquid water content for non-precipitating and warm clouds. The Vale and Belem clouds present the deepest clouds and larger convective cloud liquid water. Several analyses are presented, describing the cloud process and the differences among the regions. Cover Letter Dear Silas Michaelides Please find attached the manuscript “The Cloud and Rain Liquid Water Characteristics of Different Precipitation Regimes in Brazil” from Alan Calheiros and myself. I would like to submit this manuscript to the special issues - “Perspectives of Precipitation Science II”. I would like to apologize for the late submission. Best Regards Luiz Machado Highlights (for review) Dear Editor and Reviewers, This study is one of the first results from the CHUVA project. CHUVA that means rain in Portuguese is a Project to study the Cloud processes of tHe main precipitation systems in Brazil: A contribUtion to cloud resolVing modeling and to the GPM (GlobAl Precipitation Measurement). This study discusses the regional characteristics of the cloud liquid water for different cloud types and regions. The first four CHUVA campaigns measured specifics targets, the first one focus on the satellite precipitation estimation of warm clouds as well the second one in Fortaleza. Fortaleza is also associated to organize cloud clusters from the Ocean, both sites are in Northeast of Brazil. The third campaign was held in Belém, in the mouth of Amazonas river´s. Belém typical rainfall regime at this period are the large squall lines that organize precipitation in different space-time scales. The Fourth Campaign was in a region with intense frequency of thunderstorm, the Paraiba Valley in Southeast Brazil. The relationship between cloud liquid water and thickness, the cloud droplets distribution and the cloud and rain liquid water profiles are evaluated. We found interesting features, the experimental measurements, collected over different rain regimes in Brazil, were very useful in classifying and regionally defining the cloud processes of warm, deep and stratiform clouds. Highlights Differences among different measurement techniques of the same physical parameter are discussed. The comparison between adiabatic liquid water content obtained by radiosonde and by radiometry was very useful for inferring the importance of the entrainment and coalescence processes. Regional analyses present the typical warm clouds profiles and integrated values for rain and no rain clouds. Different brightness band (form and height) were found for each region in stratiform clouds. Best Regards Luiz Machado *Manuscript Click here to view linked References The Cloud and Rain Liquid Water Characteristics of Different Precipitation Regimes in Brazil Alan J. P. Calheiros and Luiz A. T. Machado Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos, Cachoeira Paulista, SP, Brazil ABSTRACT Between 2010 and 2012, the CHUVA project collected information regarding cloud and rain trends in different precipitation regimes in Brazil. CHUVA had four field campaigns, located in the North, Northeast and Southeast regions of Brazil, covering the semi-arid, Amazonas, coastal and mountain regions. The purpose of this study is to present statistics related to the integration of cloud and rain liquid water and the profiles for different cloud types and regimes. The synergy of several instruments allows us to describe the cloud process characteristics and to classify rain events. Microwave radiometer, LiDAR, radar, and disdrometer were employed in this study. The rain type classification was made using vertical profiles of reflectivity (VPR) and polarimetric variables from dual-polarization radar (XPOL). The profiles and integrated cloud liquid water (ILWC) was retrieved with a microwave ground-based radiometer using a neural network. For rainy conditions, the profiles from the liquid water content (LWCR) and their integrated (ILWR) properties were estimated by Micro Rain Radar (MRR) and XPOL VPRs. For non-precipitating clouds, the ILWC values were larger for the sites in Northeast Brazil near the coast than for the other regions. For rainy cases, distinct LWCR profiles and ILWR were observed for different rain classifications and regions with a distinctive rainfall regime. The ILWR for the convective systems show the highest values, followed by stratiform and warm systems. The clouds in the Vale do Paraiba and Belem showed the largest reflectivity in the mixed and glaciated layers, respectively. In contrast, the coastal sites show larger values of cloud and rain liquid water content for non-precipitating and warm clouds. The Vale and Belem clouds present the deepest clouds and larger convective cloud liquid water. Several analyses are presented, describing the cloud process and the differences among the regions. 1. INTRODUCTION Clouds cover approximately 67.7% of Earth (Rossow and Shiffer 1999), and it is critical to know the physical properties of clouds to diagnose Earth’s energy and water balance. Atmospheric water is found as vapor (gas phase), cloud and rain liquid water (liquid phase) and different types of ice, such as snow and hail (solid phase) (Rogers and Yau, 1989). The significant variability of hydrometeors is due to the complex atmospheric physical processes that directly impact the weather conditions and climate. For example, the quantity of water in the clouds influences the quantity of latent heat and, consequently, the upward and downward motion within the cloud (Zhao and Carr, 1997). The energy balance is also strongly dependent on the amount of water and ice in the clouds (Crewell and Lörnert, 2003; Zhao and Weng, 2002), which directly influences the climate. However, as mentioned by Löhnertet al. (2001), the lack of information concerning these complex processes, especially with respect to cloud microphysics, has limited the available parameterizations in high-resolution numerical models. Unlike other meteorological parameters, the liquid water content of clouds is not measured operationally, and there is little information about the variability of the average properties. The importance of this knowledge goes beyond forecasting and climate modeling: it is also important for the nowcasting of severe events (Greene and Clark, 1972). According to Pruppacher and Klentt (1997), the cloud liquid water content varies considerably among clouds, from approximately 0.2 gm-3 in the initial stage of cumulus cloud development up to 14 gm-3 during severe storms. Cotton et al. (2011) list a series of characteristics associated with different cloud types, showing that the content of liquid water varies significantly. For example, stratus cloud liquid water presents values of approximately 0.05 to 0.25 gm-3, although cases exist in which these values range up to 0.6 gm-3. This is in agreement with Hogan et al. (2005), based on the synergistic use of many active sensors. Although the maximum found for ordinary cumulus clouds was 1 gm-3. However, Lawson and Blyth (1998) found a large variability. Nonetheless, this value is easily exceeded by systems with large vertical development, such as cumulonimbus, which can have values above 1.5 gm-3. Atlas et al. (1954) and Donaldson Jr. (1955) were among the first to use active remote