Discernible signals of aerosol effects on the diurnal, weekly and decadal variations in thunderstorm activities

Abstract:

Aerosol can affect atmospheric convection, cloud and precipitation in a variety of means by altering energy balance at the surface and in the atmospheric column, and by altering cloud micro- and macro-physical properties. The effects are often contingent upon meteorological variables and aerosol properties. By reducing surface energy budget, aerosol tends to suppress convection, but aerosol-induced heating in the lower atmosphere can destabilize the upper atmosphere and strengthen convection. Aerosol-induced altering cloud microphysics may also suppress or invigorate cloud development pending on various factors. In this talk, I will illustrate how aerosols likely contribute to the thunderstorm variability on three distinct time scales from diurnal, weekly to decadal and how different types of aerosols and varying meteorological conditions may affect with the observed trends. I will first demonstrate the opposite effects of conservative scattering and hygroscopic aerosols versus absorbing and hydrophobic aerosol on the long-term trends of thunderstorms. I will then illustrate that aerosol can have a discernible effect on the weekly cycle of thunderstorms and there is the dependence of the phase of the weekly cycle on aerosol types. Last, I will show how aerosol delays the occurrence of thunderstorms. Of course, the plausible connections are subject to various uncertainties that should be tackled with more rigorous modeling and extensive observation studies.