Wavelet Analysis of Properties of Marine Boundary Layer Mesoscale Cells Observed From AMSR‐E. Issue 14 (13th July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhou, Xiaoli; Bretherton, Christopher S.; Eastman, Ryan; McCoy, Isabel L.; Wood, Robert
• Is Part Of: Journal of geophysical research. Volume 126:Issue 14(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-07-13
• Subjects: mesoscale cellular convection -- wavelet transform -- open and closed cells -- AMSR‐E -- marine low clouds -- machine learning; Atmospheric physics -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 551.5
• DOI: 10.1029/2021JD034666
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2169-897X

Abstract

Abstract: Marine boundary layer clouds tend to organize into closed or open mesoscale cellular convection (MCC). Here, two‐dimensional wavelet analysis is applied for the first time to passive microwave retrievals of cloud water path (CWP), water vapor path (WVP), and rain rate (RR) from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System in 2008 over the Northeast and Southeast Pacific, and the Southeast Atlantic subtropical stratocumulus to cumulus transition regions. The (co‐)variability between CWP, WVP, and RR in 160 × 160 km 2 analysis boxes is partitioned between four mesoscale wavelength octaves (20, 40, 80, and 160 km). The cell scale is identified as the wavelength of the peak CWP variance. Together with a machine‐learning classification of cell type, this allows the statistical characteristics of open and closed MCC of various scales, and its relation to WVP, RR, and potential environmental controlling factors to be analyzed across a very large set of cases. The results show that the cell wavelength is most commonly 40–80 km. Cell‐scale CWP perturbations are good predictors of the WVP and RR perturbations. For cells larger than 20 km, there is no obvious dependence of cell scale on the environmental controlling factors tested, suggesting that the cell scale may depend more on its historical evolution than the current environmental conditions. Key Points: Two‐dimensional wavelet analysis is applied for the first time to a full year of passive microwave retrievals from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System Cell‐scale cloud water path perturbations are good predictors of the water vapor path and rain rate perturbations, similar between open and closed cells Sea surface temperature, estimated inversion strength, and 10‐m wind speed do not play a major role in determining the scale of the mesoscale cellular convection