Non‐precipitating cumulus convection and its parameterization

1973 Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society 470 citations

Abstract

Abstract 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 enthalphy 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.

Keywords

Lapse rateConvectionBoundary layerStratification (seeds)Convective Boundary LayerEnvironmental scienceAtmospheric sciencesLatent heatMeteorologyWater vaporMechanicsGeologyPlanetary boundary layerPhysics

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Publication Info

Year
1973
Type
article
Volume
99
Issue
419
Pages
178-196
Citations
470
Access
Closed

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Cite This

Alan K. Betts (1973). Non‐precipitating cumulus convection and its parameterization. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society , 99 (419) , 178-196. https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.49709941915

Identifiers

DOI
10.1002/qj.49709941915

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Data completeness: 77%