Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-12-2019
Department
Department of Physics; Atmospheric Sciences
Abstract
The phenomenon of “cloud voids”, i.e., elongated volumes inside a cloud that are devoid of droplets, was observed with laser sheet photography in clouds at a mountain-top station. Two experimental cases, similar in turbulence conditions yet with diverse droplet size distributions and cloud void prevalence, are reported. A theoretical explanation is proposed based on the study of heavy inertial sedimenting particles inside a Burgers vortex. A general conclusion regarding void appearance is drawn from theoretical analysis. Numerical simulations of polydisperse droplet motion with realistic vortex parameters and Mie scattering visual effects accounted for can explain the presence of voids with sizes similar to that of the observed ones. Clustering and segregation effects in a vortex tube are discussed for reasonable cloud conditions.
Publication Title
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Recommended Citation
Karpinska, K.,
Bodenschatz, J. F.,
Malinowski, S. P.,
Nowak, J. L.,
Risius, S.,
Schmeissner, T.,
Shaw, R.,
Siebert, H.,
Xi, H.,
Xu, H.,
&
Bodenschatz, E.
(2019).
Turbulence-induced cloud voids: observation and interpretation.
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics,
19(7), 4991-5003.
http://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4991-2019
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/367
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Version
Publisher's PDF
Publisher's Statement
© Author(s) 2019. Article deposited here in compliance with publisher policies. Publisher's version of record: https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4991-2019