loading page

Bimodal raindrop size distributions produced by cloud microphysical and dynamical processes
  • +2
  • Megumi Okazaki,
  • Kentaroh Suzuki,
  • Tomoro Yanase,
  • Yousuke Sato,
  • Eiichi Nakakita
Megumi Okazaki
Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Kentaroh Suzuki
Author Profile
Tomoro Yanase
Author Profile
Yousuke Sato
Author Profile
Eiichi Nakakita
Author Profile

Abstract

Understanding the mechanism underlying the formation of bimodal raindrop size distribution (RDSD) requires quantification of the cloud microphysical and dynamic behavior of precipitation particles within the precipitation system. Although the microphysical equilibrium state associated with collision-coalescence and breakup is considered the main mechanism for the formation of bimodal RDSD, the importance of dynamical advection effects associated with the influence of background wind fields has also been pointed out in recent years. Here, we investigated the formation of bimodal RDSD by quantifying the microphysical and dynamical processes that cause RDSD variability in a two-dimensional idealized simulation with an explicit representation of RDSD using a spectral-bin cloud microphysics scheme. Within the simulated precipitation system, bimodal RDSDs formed by horizontal and vertical advection and collision-coalescence breakups were present in similar proportions. The coalescence breakup-type bimodal RDSD appeared when the updrafts in the background field were strong. In contrast, the vertical advection-type bimodal RDSD was formed when the particles at the secondary peak selectively fell out by size sorting. Furthermore, the horizontal advection type of the bimodal RDSD was formed under the influence of particle size sorting associated with horizontal wind. The bimodal RDSD formed by these processes can be classified according to the particle size of the secondary peak. This study proposes a novel comprehensive picture of the bimodal RDSD formation mechanism caused by different microphysical and dynamical processes.