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Nocturnal low-level clouds over southern West Africa analysed using high-resolution simulations

Adler, Bianca 1; Kalthoff, Norbert 1; Gantner, Leonhard 1
1 Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung (IMK), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

Abstract:

We performed a high-resolution numerical simulation to study the development of extensive low-level clouds that frequently form over southern West Africa during the monsoon season. This study was made in preparation for a field campaign in 2016 within the Dynamics-aerosol-chemistry-cloud interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) project and focuses on an area around the city of Savè in southern Benin. Nocturnal low-level clouds evolve a few hundred metres above the ground around the same level as a distinct low-level jet. Several processes are found to determine the spatio-temporal evolution of these clouds including (i) significant cooling of the nocturnal atmosphere caused by horizontal advection with the south-westerly monsoon flow during the first half of the night, (ii) vertical cold air advection due to gravity waves leading to clouds in the wave crests and (iii) enhanced convergence and upward motion upstream of existing clouds that trigger new clouds. The latter is caused by an upward shift of the low-level jet in cloudy areas leading to horizontal convergence in the lower part and to horizontal divergence in the upper part of the cloud layer. ... mehr


Volltext §
DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000065275
Originalveröffentlichung
DOI: 10.5194/acp-17-899-2017
Scopus
Zitationen: 26
Web of Science
Zitationen: 24
Dimensions
Zitationen: 32
Cover der Publikation
Zugehörige Institution(en) am KIT Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung Troposphärenforschung (IMKTRO)
KIT-Zentrum Klima und Umwelt (ZKU)
Publikationstyp Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Publikationsjahr 2017
Sprache Englisch
Identifikator ISSN: 1680-7324, 1680-7316
urn:nbn:de:swb:90-652751
KITopen-ID: 1000065275
HGF-Programm 12.01.02 (POF III, LK 01) Proc.res.f.multisc.predictab.of weather
Erschienen in Atmospheric chemistry and physics
Verlag European Geosciences Union (EGU)
Band 17
Heft 2
Seiten 899–910
Bemerkung zur Veröffentlichung Gefördert durch den KIT-Publikationsfonds
Nachgewiesen in Web of Science
Dimensions
Scopus
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