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Lectures in Meteorology pp 107–148Cite as

Clouds and Precipitation

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Abstract

This chapter introduces the theoretical basis of the seven microphysical processes and the terms of their sub-processes. It discusses the concepts of conservation of total water mass, as well as bulk-parameterizations and spectral cloud models. The various cloud types and cloud morphology as a result of their microphysical properties and formation processes are presented as well. Furthermore, links to applications in remote sensing, and links to the role of clouds in atmospheric chemistry are given.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Hot water is better for cleaning as the reduced surface tension allows the water to more easily into pores.

  2. 2.

    This name is in recognition of Lord William Kelvin, formerly Sir William Thomson, a British physicist, 1824–1907. He was the first derived this equation.

  3. 3.

    The Gibbs free energy is called the thermodynamic potential at constant pressure (and temperature) to indicate its analogy with the potential energy of a mechanical system that also has a minimum value under equilibrium conditions. For equilibrium transformations (e.g. phase transition) at constant temperature and pressure \(ds = dh/T\).

  4. 4.

    Francois Marie Raoult, French chemist, 1830–1901.

  5. 5.

    Jacobus Hendricus van’t Hoff, Dutch physio-chemist, 1852–1911.

  6. 6.

    This value is only exact at 0 ∘C.

  7. 7.

    The Fletcher (1962) formula results in too low IN concentrations at small ranges of super-cooling temperatures. Meyers et al. (1992) and Cotton et al. (1982) suggested a modified formulation that is sensitive to the saturation conditions to correct the overestimation of ice nuclei in very cold clouds.

  8. 8.

    The slight temperature dependency of thermal conductivity is neglected here.

  9. 9.

    Tor Bergeron, Swedish meteorologist, 1891–1977.

  10. 10.

    Alfred Lothar Wegner, German geophysicist and meteorologist, 1897–1954.

  11. 11.

    Aggregates can survive fall distances of up to 1 km before melting is completed.

  12. 12.

    Material, concepts, ideas and problems of the following books and articles inspired this chapter. These sources are recommended for further reading.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Atmospheric Sciences College of Natural Science and Mathematics Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA

    Nicole Mölders

  2. Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA

    Gerhard Kramm

Authors
  1. Nicole Mölders
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  2. Gerhard Kramm
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Mölders, N., Kramm, G. (2014). Clouds and Precipitation. In: Lectures in Meteorology. Springer Atmospheric Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02144-7_3

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