Document Type
Article
Publication Date
January 2016
Publication Title
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Volume
16
First Page
4005
Last Page
4022
DOI
10.5194/acp-16-4005-2016
Disciplines
Meteorology
Abstract
In this paper we present the first direct observational evidence that the condensation level in pyrocumulus and pyrocumulonimbus clouds can be significantly higher than the ambient lifted condensation level. In addition, we show that the environmental thermodynamic profile, day-to-day variations in humidity, and ambient wind shear all exert significant influence over the onset and development of pyroconvective clouds. These findings are established using a scanning Doppler lidar and mobile radiosonde system during two large wildfires in northern California, the Bald Fire and the Rocky Fire. The lidar is used to distinguish liquid water from smoke backscatter during the plume rise, and thus provides a direct detection of plume condensations levels. Plume tops are subsequently determined from both the lidar and nearby radar observations. The radiosonde data, obtained adjacent to the fires, contextualize the lidar and radar observations, and enable estimates of the plume ascent, convective available potential energy, and equilibrium level. A noteworthy finding is that in these cases, the convective condensation level, not the lifted condensation level, provides the best estimate of the pyrocumulus initiation height.
Recommended Citation
Neil Lareau and Craig Clements. "Environmental controls on pyrocumulus and pyrocumulonimbus initiation and development" Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (2016): 4005-4022. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4005-2016
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Comments
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
This article can also be found online at the following link: http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/16/4005/2016/