Aircraft measurements of high average charges on cloud drops in layer clouds

Citeable URL: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/6d570249c

Descriptions

Attribute Name	Values
Creator	Beard, Kenneth V. Ochs, Harry T., III Twohy, Cynthia
Abstract	The first reliable aircraft measurements of characteristic cloud drop charges were obtained by utilizing a counterflow virtual impactor to substantially increase charge sensitivity and eliminate spurious contact charging that contaminated previous aircraft measurements. We find average drop charges more than an order of magnitude larger than expected from mountain surface measurements in similar clouds. Our evaluation of the data indicates that the high average charges on cloud drops originate in charge layers at the cloud boundaries and are carried into the cloud layer by vertical motions. These initial aircraft results demonstrate that cloud drop charges in layer clouds may be high enough to influence microphysical processes that promote precipitation.
Resource Type	Article
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL020465
Date Available	2010-04-15T21:49:15+00:00
Date Issued	2004
Citation	Beard, K. V., Ochs , H. T. and Twohy, C. H., 2004, Aircraft measurements of high average charges on cloud drops in layer clouds: Geophys . Res. Lett . , v. 31 , L14111.
Journal Title	Geophysical Research Letters
Journal Volume	31
Journal Issue/Number	14
Academic Affiliation	College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences
Rights Statement	In Copyright
Publisher	American Geophysical Union
Language	English [eng]
Replaces	http://hdl.handle.net/1957/15475