A model for warm clouds with implicit droplet activation, avoiding saturation adjustment

Abstract

Abstract The representation of cloud processes inweather and climate models is crucial for their feedback on atmospheric flows. Since there is no general macroscopic theory of clouds, the parameterization of clouds in corresponding simulation software depends crucially on the underlying modeling assumptions. In this study we present a new model of intermediate complexity (a one-and-a-half moment scheme) for warm clouds, which is derived from physical principles. Our model consists of a system of differential-algebraic equations which allows for supersaturation and comprises intrinsic automated droplet activation due to a coupling of the droplet mass- and number concentrations tailored to this problem. For the numerical solution of this system we recommend a semi-implicit integration scheme, with effcient solvers for the implicit parts. The new model shows encouraging numerical results when compared with alternative cloud parameterizations, and it is well suited to investigate model uncertainties and to quantify predictability of weather events in moist atmospheric regimes.