A graduate student has collected data taken by aircraft observations through a t
ID: 160006 • Letter: A
Question
A graduate student has collected data taken by aircraft observations through a thunderstorm at a temperature of- 15 C. Please explain the following: The data showed far more ice particles than predicted by the number of ice nuclei. Explain this observation The data also reveals two regimes. The first shows numerous cloud droplets that are the same size. The data in the second regime shows that when small ice crystals are present the cloud droplets no longer exist. The ice crystals are so small that accretion is unlikely. Use the concepts in class to explain these two regimes.Explanation / Answer
3.
Cloud particles become freezing or super cooled liquid water at temperatures below “0 degree Celsius”. The process of formation of ice particles is not easy than for the formation of water droplets. The droplets of pure water always try to exist as water droplets may continue to exist as a super cooled liquid drop down temperatures as -40C.Ice crystals are formed by warmer temperatures and ice nuclei are formed by cold temperatures. At temperatures of -10C formation of ice crystals are high and at the temperatures and for the formation of ice nucleation needs cooler temperatures than the ice particles. Hence, at the temperatures of -15C ice particles must greater than the ice nuclei.
The liquid water cannot freeze due surface tension of each droplet at temperature 0C, and it expands to form ice crystals. Ice crystals are large particles formed at warm temperatures and the water liquid gets super cooled at temperatures -40C. Hence, the ice crystals cannot exist no longer in cloud water droplets.