Introduction to cloud modeling

Academic year: 2020/2021
Semester: summer

LECTURE DESCRIPTION

This lecture series will review basic techniques to simulate cloud processes, such as formation and growth of cloud droplets, formation of rain through collision/coalescence. Lectures will start with simple approaches such a bulk condensation model, and will gradually introduce more comprehensive methodology, such as the super-droplet method. Lectures will also involve demonstration and practical exercises with a simple cloud-scale model based on nonoscillatory-forward-in-time differencing for fluid flows. As the main cloud modeling project, the students will simulate a (non-precipitating) moist thermal rising in a neutrally stratified environment.

Schedule

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both lectures and tutorials will be online. We will meet weekly via Google Meet according to the schedule below:

Lecture: Tuesdays, 12:15 - 14:00 (Gustavo Abade)
Tutorials: Tuesdays, 14:15 - 16:00 (Daniel Albuquerque)

Bibliography

Rogers and Yau, A Short Course in Cloud Physics.
Pruppacher and Klett, Microphysics of Clouds and Precipitation.
Manton, M. J. , The physics of clouds in the atmosphere, Rep. Prog. Phys. 46: 1393 (1983).
Grabowski, W. W. and Smolarkiewicz, P. K., Monotone finite-difference approximations to the advection-condensation problem, Mon. Wea. Rev. 118: 2082-2097 (1990).
Shima, S. et al., The super-droplet method for the numerical simulation of clouds and precipitation: A particle-based and probabilistic microphysics model coupled with a non-hydrostatic model, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc. 135: 1307–1320 (2009).

Additional references will be provided during the lectures.

COURSES MATERIALS

Type of classes:
Document type:
Lecture date:

Search:

Lectures / Leader

Lecture type

[Lecture 12] 2-D kinematic cloud model

Gustavo Abade

June 8, 2021, 12:15 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Board notes - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_08_june_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture

[Lecture 11] MPDATA advection scheme.

Gustavo Abade

June 1, 2021, 12:15 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Board notes - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_01_june_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture

[Lecture 10] Boussinesq approximations. One-dimensional advection.

Gustavo Abade

May 25, 2021, 12:15 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Board notes - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_25_may_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture

[Lecture 9] Anelastic approximation

Gustavo Abade

May 18, 2021, 12:15 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Board notes - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_18_may_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture

[Tutorial 08] Equations of Moist Air

Daniel Albuquerque

May 18, 2021, 2:15 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Exercise Sheet - Script for the classes exercises_08.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:
Tutorial Notes ICM_Tutorial Notes_8.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Class

[Lecture 8] Dynamics of cloudy air. Part 2.

Gustavo Abade

May 4, 2021, 12:15 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Board notes - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_04_may_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture

[Lecture 7] Dynamics of cloudy air. Part 1.

Gustavo Abade

April 27, 2021, 12:15 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Board notes - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_27_apr_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture

[Tutorial 07] Collision-coallescence

Daniel Albuquerque

April 27, 2021, 2 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Homework 5 - Script for the classes homework_5.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Class

[Tutorial 06] Dynamical Motion of an Adiabatic Parcel

Daniel Albuquerque

April 20, 2021, 2 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Exercise Sheet - Script for the classes exercise_05.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:
Tutorial Notes ICM_Tutorial Notes_6.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Class

[Lecture 6] Collision-coalescence: method of moments and superdroplets

Gustavo Abade

April 20, 2021, 12:15 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Lecture board - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_20_apr_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture

[Lecture 5] "Dynamic" cloud parcel. Collision-coalescence: Smoluchowski equation.

Gustavo Abade

April 13, 2021, 12:15 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Board notes - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_13_apr_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture

[Tutorial 05] Q&A About Rising Adiabatic Parcel Simulations

Daniel Albuquerque

April 13, 2021, 2 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Tutorial Notes ICM_Tutorial Notes_5.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Class

[Tutorial 04] A Prognostic Equation for Super-Saturation

Daniel Albuquerque

March 30, 2021, 2 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Exercise Sheet - Script for the classes exercises_04.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:
Tutorial Notes ICM_Tutorial Notes_4.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Class

[Tutorial 03] Droplet Growth Equation

Daniel Albuquerque

March 23, 2021, 2 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Exercise Sheet - Script for the classes exercises_03.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:
Homework Sheet - Script for the classes homework_03.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:
Tutorial Notes ICM_Tutorial Notes_3.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Class

[Tutorial 02] Saturation Adjustment Scheme

Daniel Albuquerque

March 16, 2021, 2 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Exercise Sheet - Script for the classes exercises_02.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:
Tutorial Notes ICM_Tutorial Notes_2.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Class

[Tutorial 01] Thermodynamics of the Atmosphere

Daniel Albuquerque

March 9, 2021, 2 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Exercise Sheet - Script for the classes exercises_01.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:
Homework Sheet - Script for the classes homework_01.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:
Tutorial Notes ICM_Tutorial Notes_1.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Class

[Lecure 4] DSD narrowing. Introduction to static stability.

Gustavo Abade

March 30, 2021, 12:15 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Board notes - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_30_mar_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture

[Lecure 3] Koehler curve/potential. Supersaturation prognostic equation

Gustavo Abade

March 23, 2021, 12:15 p.m.

Lecture documents:
Board notes - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_23_mar_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture

[Lecure 1] Adiabatic parcel model: bulk condensation

Gustavo Abade

March 9, 2021, 9:15 a.m.

Lecture documents:
Lecture board - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_09_mar_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture

[Lecure 2] Growth of an isolated droplet by condensation

Gustavo Abade

March 16, 2021, 9:15 a.m.

Lecture documents:
Board notes - Presentation ICM_lecture_board_16_mar_2021.pdf Password required Please provide a valid password:

Lecture