ABSTRACT - DRUM - University of Maryland
ABSTRACT - DRUM - University of Maryland
ABSTRACT - DRUM - University of Maryland
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the time evolution <strong>of</strong> local convections are determined by the National Centers for<br />
Environmental Protection / Aviation Weather Center (NCEP/AWS) half-hourly<br />
infrared global geostationary composite. The observations demonstrate that the TTL is<br />
cooled by convection, in agreement with previous observations and model simulations.<br />
By using a global data set, the variations in this convective cooling are investigated by<br />
season and region. The estimated cooling rate during active convection is - 7 K/day.<br />
This exceeds the likely contribution from cloud-top radiative cooling, suggesting<br />
turbulent mixing <strong>of</strong> deep convection plays a role in cooling the TTL.<br />
Second, height and thermal structure <strong>of</strong> the overshooting deep convection in the<br />
TTL are investigated using visible and infrared observations from the Visible and<br />
Infrared Scanner (VIRS) onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)<br />
satellite. The heights <strong>of</strong> overshooting clouds are estimated from the sizes <strong>of</strong> the visible<br />
shadows that these clouds cast. The temperature information is obtained from the midinfrared<br />
channel. From these, the lapse rate in the cloud is estimated. The result shows<br />
that the measured lapse rate <strong>of</strong> these clouds is significantly below adiabatic. Mixing<br />
between these clouds and the near-tropopause environment is the most likely<br />
explanation. As a result, these clouds will likely settle at a final altitude above the<br />
convections' initial level <strong>of</strong> neutral buoyancy.<br />
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