Maritime-Continental Contrasts in the Properties of Low-Level Clouds: A Case Study of the Summer of the 2003 Yamase, Japan, Cloud Event
Satellite data were used to investigate maritime-continental differences in the characteristics of the low-level cloud (the Yamase cloud) that covered northeast Japan during the summer of 2003. The features of the Yamase cloud were found to be almost the same as those of general stratus clouds but w...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2014-01-01
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| Series: | Advances in Meteorology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/548091 |
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| author | Nawo Eguchi Tadahiro Hayasaka Masahiro Sawada |
| author_facet | Nawo Eguchi Tadahiro Hayasaka Masahiro Sawada |
| author_sort | Nawo Eguchi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Satellite data were used to investigate maritime-continental differences in the characteristics of the low-level cloud (the Yamase cloud) that covered northeast Japan during the summer of 2003. The features of the Yamase cloud were found to be almost the same as those of general stratus clouds but with a smaller effective radius (re) and a greater optical thickness (τ) over land, as compared with general stratus clouds. The values of re over land (average, 11.8 μm) were smaller than those over the ocean (13.5 μm), and the values of τ and the cloud water path over land (20 and 145 gm−2, resp.) showed larger spatial variances than those over the ocean (10 and 86 gm−2, resp.), although the cloud top altitude was nearly the same over both ocean and land (1–3 km). We suggest that this maritime-continental contrast is a result of the combined effects of topography and aerosols characteristics. The Yamase wind blowing from the ocean is forced upwards in coastal regions by the steep mountainous terrain. The updraft drives the inhomogeneity in cloud parameters, and a convective-like cloud develops without precipitation. The relationship between re and τ suggests high aerosol concentrations and unstable conditions over land. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c4a41ad9b20b4a2086b882f4a022c773 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-9309 1687-9317 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Advances in Meteorology |
| spelling | doaj-art-c4a41ad9b20b4a2086b882f4a022c7732025-02-03T01:07:26ZengWileyAdvances in Meteorology1687-93091687-93172014-01-01201410.1155/2014/548091548091Maritime-Continental Contrasts in the Properties of Low-Level Clouds: A Case Study of the Summer of the 2003 Yamase, Japan, Cloud EventNawo Eguchi0Tadahiro Hayasaka1Masahiro Sawada2Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga Park, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580, JapanCenter for Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Miyagi, Sendai 980-8578, JapanAtmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Chiba, Kashiwa-shi 277-8564, JapanSatellite data were used to investigate maritime-continental differences in the characteristics of the low-level cloud (the Yamase cloud) that covered northeast Japan during the summer of 2003. The features of the Yamase cloud were found to be almost the same as those of general stratus clouds but with a smaller effective radius (re) and a greater optical thickness (τ) over land, as compared with general stratus clouds. The values of re over land (average, 11.8 μm) were smaller than those over the ocean (13.5 μm), and the values of τ and the cloud water path over land (20 and 145 gm−2, resp.) showed larger spatial variances than those over the ocean (10 and 86 gm−2, resp.), although the cloud top altitude was nearly the same over both ocean and land (1–3 km). We suggest that this maritime-continental contrast is a result of the combined effects of topography and aerosols characteristics. The Yamase wind blowing from the ocean is forced upwards in coastal regions by the steep mountainous terrain. The updraft drives the inhomogeneity in cloud parameters, and a convective-like cloud develops without precipitation. The relationship between re and τ suggests high aerosol concentrations and unstable conditions over land.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/548091 |
| spellingShingle | Nawo Eguchi Tadahiro Hayasaka Masahiro Sawada Maritime-Continental Contrasts in the Properties of Low-Level Clouds: A Case Study of the Summer of the 2003 Yamase, Japan, Cloud Event Advances in Meteorology |
| title | Maritime-Continental Contrasts in the Properties of Low-Level Clouds: A Case Study of the Summer of the 2003 Yamase, Japan, Cloud Event |
| title_full | Maritime-Continental Contrasts in the Properties of Low-Level Clouds: A Case Study of the Summer of the 2003 Yamase, Japan, Cloud Event |
| title_fullStr | Maritime-Continental Contrasts in the Properties of Low-Level Clouds: A Case Study of the Summer of the 2003 Yamase, Japan, Cloud Event |
| title_full_unstemmed | Maritime-Continental Contrasts in the Properties of Low-Level Clouds: A Case Study of the Summer of the 2003 Yamase, Japan, Cloud Event |
| title_short | Maritime-Continental Contrasts in the Properties of Low-Level Clouds: A Case Study of the Summer of the 2003 Yamase, Japan, Cloud Event |
| title_sort | maritime continental contrasts in the properties of low level clouds a case study of the summer of the 2003 yamase japan cloud event |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/548091 |
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