PNNL

Abstract

To better understand the role of small particles in the microphysical processes and the radiative properties of cirrus, the reliability of historical in-situ data must be understood. Recent studies call into question the validity of that data because of shattering of large crystals on probe and aircraft surfaces thereby artificially amplifying the concentration of crystals smaller than approximately 50 ?m. We contend that the general character of the in-situ measurements must be consistent, in a broad sense, with statistics derived from long-term remote sensing data. To examine this consistency, an algorithm using Doppler radar moments and Raman lidar extinction is developed to retrieve a bimodal particle size distribution and its uncertainty. Using case studies and statistics compiled over one year we show that the existence of high concentrations (> 1 cm-3 ) of small (sub 50 ?m) particles in cirrus are not consistent with any reasonable interpretation of the remote sensing data. We conclude that the high concentrations of small particles found in many aircraft data sets are therefore likely an artifact of the in situ measurement process.