Non-Precipitating Convection and Its Parameterization.

This paper discusses the thermodynamic transports of heat, liquid water and (briefly) water vapour by non-precipitating cumulus convection. It is shown that because of the irreversible mixing between cloud and environment, there is a downward transport of enthalpy in the cumulus layer. A lapse-rate adjustment model relates stratification to the life-cycle of a model cloud parcel. A sub-cloud layer model specifies the lower boundary of the lapse-rate model, and the convective transports through cloud-base. Budget equations together with the lapse-rate model, and its time dependent boundary conditions, predict the time development of the cumulus layer, and show the dependence on large-scale mean vertical motion, cloud-base variations, and the surface sensible heat flux.

Related Topics

• Boundary Layer,
• Clouds,
• Convection,
• Idealized models,
• Parameterization,
• Thermodynamics