Impact of aerosols on cloud microphysics and dynamics in deep convective clouds over the UK.

Intense, deep convective clouds, which often form thunderstorms, are of considerable importance to many aspects of meteorology. Most directly, they produce the most intense rainfall we experience and can lead to localised floods, which develop very rapidly; without warning, this can lead to considerable damage and even loss of life. They also contribute greatly to the climate system, especially in the tropics. We understand a great deal about the basic physics driving these clouds, but their development can be very sensitive to precisely how liquid water and ice particles in the cloud develop. This, in turn, depends upon the characteristics of particles (aerosols) in the air forming the cloud, made up of mineral dust, sea salt and air pollution particles and sometimes more exotic particles such as bacteria. This system is known as cloud microphysics. The Convective Precipitation Experiment (COPE) is scheduled to take place over the south-west of the UK in summer 2013. It will involve detailed airborne in-situ measurements of the properties of cloud drops and ice particles and associated aerosol properties. This will be combined with radar measurements of the reflectivity caused by precipitation and in-cloud winds and other supporting data, following the life cycle of individual clouds or clouds at different stages of development. This PhD project will focus on the representation of microphysics in the Met Offices Unified Model, with particular emphasis on aerosols, their impact on the liquid cloud and rain processes and subsequent development of ice and snow. The student will use available data from COPE to optimise the choice of parameters in the model microphysics (e.g. aerosol properties) for particular case studies, and to evaluate and improve the performance of the model at resolutions of order 100 m in which the main dynamical properties of the clouds should be well resolved. The project may be a CASE studentship with the Met Office in Exeter.

Further details of the project can be found at
http://www.met.reading.ac.uk/pg-research/COPE_PhD_Project.pdf

General information on the PhD programme at the Department of Meteorology can be found at
http://www.met.reading.ac.uk/pg-research/