Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 018501 (2003) [4 pages]Kinetic Potential and Barrier Crossing: A Model for Warm Cloud Drizzle Formation
See accompanying Physics Focus The kinetic potential of nucleation theory is used to describe droplet growth processes in a cloud. Drizzle formation is identified as a statistical barrier-crossing phenomenon that transforms cloud droplets to drizzle size with a rate dependent on turbulent diffusion, droplet collection, and size distribution. Steady-state and transient drizzle rates are calculated for typical cloud conditions. We find drizzle more likely under transient conditions. The model quantifies an important indirect effect of aerosols on climate-drizzle suppression in clouds of higher droplet concentration. © 2003 The American Physical Society URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.018501
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.018501
PACS:
92.60.Nv, 47.55.Dz, 82.60.Nh
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