Collaborative Research: Ice Supersaturation over the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, and its Role in Climate

Ice supersaturation plays a key role in cloud formation and evolution, and it determines the partitioning among ice, liquid and vapor phases. Over the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, the transition between mixed-phase and ice clouds significantly impacts the radiative effects of clouds. Remote regions such as the Antarctica and Southern Ocean historically have been under-sampled by in-situ observations, especially by airborne observations. Even though more attention has been given to the cloud microphysical properties over these regions, the distribution and characteristics of ice supersaturation and its role in the current and future climate have not been fully investigated at the higher latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere. One of the main objectives of this study is to analyze observations from three recent major field campaigns sponsored by NSF and DOE, which provide intensive in-situ, airborne measurements over the Southern Ocean and ground-based observations at McMurdo station in Antarctica.

This project will analyze aircraft-based and ground-based observations over the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, and compare the observations with the Community Earth System Model Version 2 (CESM2) simulations. The focus will be on the observations of ice supersaturation and the relative humidity distribution in mixed-phase and ice clouds, as well as their relationship with cloud micro- and macrophysical properties. Observations will be compared to CESM2 simulations to elucidate model biases. Surface radiation and the precipitation budget at the McMurdo station will be quantified and compared against the CESM2 simulations to improve the fidelity of the representation of Antarctic climate (and climate prediction over Antarctica). Results from our research will be released to the community for improving the understanding of cloud radiative effects and the mass transport of water in the high southern latitudes. Comparisons between the simulations and observations will provide valuable information for improving the next generation CESM model. Two education/outreach projects will be carried out by PI Diao at San Jose State University (SJSU), including a unique undergraduate student research project with hands-on laboratory work on an airborne instrument, and an outreach program that uses social media to broadcast news on polar research to the public.