DREAM model predictions of ice nucleation due to mineral dust

Dust aerosols are very efficient ice nuclei, important for heterogeneous cloud glaciation, even in regions distant from desert sources (e.g. Cziczo et al, 2013). We used DREAM dust-atmospheric modelling system (Nickovic et al., 2001; Pejanovic et al, 2011) with added component for parameterizing dust-induced ice nuclei concentration (#IN) (Nickovic et al., 2016) to predict conditions for cold cloud formation.

For temperatures in the interval (-36°C; -5°C), we use the immersion ice nucleation parameterization developed by DeMott et al. (2015). For temperatures in the interval (-55°C; -36°C), we implement the Steinke et al. (2015) parameterization for the deposition ice nucleation.

As a next step, we will use #IN as a predicted input parameter in a cloud microphysics scheme in order to improve prediction of processes related to cold cloud formation and consequences to precipitation.

This site shows daily experimental forecasts of dust induced log10(vertically integrated #IN) (left-hand side maps) compared against the EUMETSAT CN SAF log10(Ice water Path) (available during the visible part of a day); (right-hand side maps). New products shown here are available at 17UTC each day.

The products shown here are performed by the Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia under the activities of the South East European Virtual Climate Change Center, with the assistance of the Environmental Physics Laboratory, Institute of Physics Belgrade, Serbia.

References:

Cziczo, D.J., K.D. Froyd, C. Hoose, E.J. Jensen, M. Diao, M.A. Zondlo, J.B. Smith, C.H. Twohy, D.M. Murphy: Clarifying the Dominant Sources and Mechanisms of Cirrus Cloud Formation. Science, Vol. 340, Issue 6138, pp. 1320-1324, 2013

DeMott, P. J., Prenni, A. J., McMeeking, G. R., Sullivan, R. C., Petters, M. D., Tobo, Y., Niemand, M., Möhler, O., Snider, J. R., Wang, Z., and Kreidenweis, S. M.: Integrating laboratory and field data to quantify the immersion freezing ice nucleation activity of mineral dust particles, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 393-409, doi:10.5194/acp-15-393-2015, 2015.

Nickovic, S., G. Kallos, A. Papadopoulos, O. Kakaliagou, 2001: A model for prediction of desert dust cycle in the atmosphere J. Geophys. Res. 106, 18113-18130.

Nickovic, S., Cvetkovic, B., Madonna, F., Rosoldi, M., Pejanovic, G., Petkovic, S., and Nikolic, J.: Cloud ice caused by atmospheric mineral dust – Part 1: Parameterization of ice nuclei concentration in the NMME-DREAM model, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 11367-11378, doi:10.5194/acp-16-11367-2016, 2016. http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/16/11367/2016/acp-16-11367-2016.pdf

Pejanovic, G., S. Nickovic, M. Vujadinovic, A. Vukovic, V. Djurdjevic, M. Dacic, 2011: Atmospheric deposition of minerals in dust over the open ocean and possible consequences on climate. WCRP OSC Climate Research in Service to Society, 24-28 October 2011, Denver, CO, USA

Steinke, I., Hoose, C., Möhler, O., Connolly, P., and Leisner, T.: A new temperature- and humidity-dependent surface site density approach for deposition ice nucleation, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 3703-3717, doi:10.5194/acp-15-3703-2015, 2015.