Super-adiabatic Evaporation Affected by Entrainment-Mixing in Marine Stratocumulus
ID:688
Invited Oral Presentation
2027-01-14 08:30 (China Standard Time)
Session:Session 54 - Aerosol–Cloud–Radiation Interactions in the Ocean–Atmosphere System
Abstract
Adiabatic clouds have been assumed in many applications; however, measured microphysics often deviate from the adiabatic state. Previous studies have been largely focused on the sub-adiabaticity due to entrainment-mixing. In contrast, this study identifies and examines the super-adiabatic evaporation affected by entrainment-mixing. By analyzing observations from the Physics of Stratocumulus Top project, we show that 26 out of 32 complete profiles exhibit super-adiabatic evaporation, which is further reproduced and investigated using the Explicit Mixing Parcel Model simulations. The results suggest that droplet evaporation from entrainment-mixing continues during descent rather than terminating at cloud top. The combination of droplet evaporation from entrainment-mixing and adiabatic descent leads to super-adiabatic evaporation during descent. Further analysis reveals that factors both inside and outside the stratocumulus clouds significantly influence super-adiabatic evaporation. Specifically, larger temperature, smaller relative humidity, larger fraction of entrained dry air, larger turbulent dissipation rate and smaller magnitude of vertical velocity can cause stronger super-adiabatic evaporation in both observations and simulations. The results provide new insights into the theoretical understanding of (non-)adiabaticity and highlight the need to modify adiabatic assumption in remote sensing and atmospheric modeling.
Speaker
Author
Important Dates
-
Jan 30
2026
Session / Event proposals open
-
Mar 31
2026
Session / Event proposals close
(Extended to April 7) -
Apr 30
2026
Session acceptance notifications
-
Apr 30
2026
Abstract submissions & registration open
-
Jun 30
2026
Abstract submissions close
(Extended to July 21) -
Aug 31
2026
Abstract acceptance notifications
-
Sep 15
2026
Scientific program released
-
Oct 15
2026
Early bird registration closes
-
Jan 12–15
2027
XMAS 2027
