<br />DECEMBER 1978
<br />
<br />GERARD E. KLAZURA AND CLEMENT J. TODD
<br />
<br />1767
<br />
<br />at cloud base when they reached the -50C level. In the
<br />present study the nucleation of AgI particlb was
<br />assumed, which would lead to a longer growth period
<br />to precipitation sizes. The reason why Rokicki and
<br />Young found hygroscopic seeding to be more effective
<br />at the lower cloud-base temperatures (O-lOoe) may
<br />be due to their stochastic growth assumption which
<br />allows for the interaction with other large drops,
<br />whereas in the AgI seeded situation many of the
<br />interactions would be between crystals. Rokicki and
<br />Young also point out that the exclusion of sedimenta-
<br />tion in a parcel model results in overestimates of the
<br />response to large drop seeding.
<br />It was found that for faster updrafts the larger
<br />hygroscopic seeds grow into precipitation and stand
<br />a better chance of breaking up, while the small seeds
<br />are carried to cirrus level and are lost before they
<br />reach precipitation size. The requirement for larger
<br />seeds becomes more critical as cloud bases become
<br />higher and colder. Takeuchi found that the effective-
<br />ness of hygroscopic treatments can be improved with
<br />higher concentrations of larger hygroscopic particles
<br />for stronger updrafts. Rokicki and Young found that
<br />increasing the seed drop size hastens precipitation
<br />formation significantly.
<br />Hygroscopic seeding produces the greatest water
<br />yield from clouds with warmest base temperatures
<br />(and consequently highest liquid water concentra-
<br />tions). Related to this is the fact that the vertical
<br />depth of the Langmuir drop breakup region increases
<br />as the cloud-base temperature increases. Takeuchi
<br />found that initiation occurs earlier in clouds with a
<br />given top temperature and increasing base tempera-
<br />ture. He also concluded that in warmer base cloud
<br />cases with updrafts of 10-15 m S-1 the chain reaction
<br />of drop breakup occurs which results in complete
<br />conversion of available moisture. Rokicki and Young
<br />also found that hygroscopic seeding produced its
<br />largest effect in warm based clouds.
<br />Updraft speeds of 5-15 m S-1 are the optimum for
<br />the Langmuir chain reaction to occur which then
<br />should lead to the most rapid conversion of cloud
<br />water to precipitation. Takeuchi found the optimum
<br />updraft speed range for hygroscopic seeding to be
<br />10-15 m S-1.
<br />For clouds with strong updrafts (2: 15 m S-1) only
<br />large hygroscopic seeds will have a chance to con-
<br />vert to precipitation, and in this situation hail is
<br />produced. Takeuchi's model computed appreciable
<br />fallout due to hygroscopic seeding for deeper and
<br />warmer Clouds for updrafts 15-20 m S-1. In these
<br />cases the particles falling were hail. He concluded
<br />that hygroscopic seeding would ,work well in deeper
<br />clouds with moderate liquid water concentrations and
<br />strong updrafts but that hail would result.
<br />
<br />
<br />7. Remarks
<br />
<br />The results of this study and those of Takeuchi
<br />(1975) and Rokicki and Young (1978) suggest that
<br />the potential for hygroscopic seeding as an effective
<br />technique of enhancing precipitation from convective
<br />clouds is very high. Hygroscopic seeds can be very
<br />effective in producing precipitation by an all-water
<br />process, but they can also be effective through the
<br />ice mechanism as well since larg~ water drops freeze
<br />at warmer temperatures than small ones. Rokicki and
<br />Young (1978), in fact, come out strongly in favor of
<br />hygroscopic over AgI seeding. They conclude that its
<br />effect is generally greater than that of AgI, the physical
<br />processes involved are fairly well understood, and more
<br />reliable systems for dispensing hygroscopic material
<br />are now becoming available.
<br />There are many processes that have not been
<br />simulated in this model but will have to be considered
<br />before a complete understanding of precipitation
<br />physics is possible. Such factors as the interaction
<br />between large drops and the dynamic effects due to
<br />large drop accumulation zones have to be studied
<br />and understood before an accurate model will evolve.
<br />In the meantime, simple models such as those dis-
<br />cussed here can serve as one of the tools with which
<br />to reduce some of the major uncertainties connected
<br />with precipitation formation. One should, however,
<br />be cautious in the use of such models and not extract
<br />information that they were not designed to provide.
<br />
<br />Acknowledgments. The authors are grateful to Mr.
<br />Dennis :Musil, South Dakota School of Mines and
<br />Technology, and Dr. C. W. Chien, Meteorology Re-
<br />search, Inc., for providing us with their accretion and
<br />condensation computer programs, respectively.
<br />
<br />REFERENCES
<br />
<br />Ackerman, B., 1974: Illinois precipitation enhancement program
<br />phase L Interim Report, Bureau of Reclamation Contract
<br />14-06,D-7197, Illinois State Water Survey, Urbana, 14 pp.
<br />Biswas, K. R., and A. S. Dennis, 1971: Formation of a rain
<br />shower by salt seeding. J. Appt. Meteor., 10, 780-784.
<br />-, and -, 1972: Calculations related to formation of a rain
<br />shower by salt seeding. J. Appt. Meteor., 11, 755-760.
<br />Chien, C. W., and D. P. Mack, 1966: Computation of droplet
<br />growth from giant salt particles in ascending air below
<br />cloud base. J. Atmos. Sci., 23, 810-812.
<br />Dennis, A. S., and A. Koscielski, 1972: Height and temperature
<br />of first echoes in un seeded and seeded convective clouds in
<br />South Dakota. J. Appl. Meteor., 6, 994-1000.
<br />Draginis, lVI., 1958: Liquid water content within the convective
<br />cloud~,. J. Meteor., 15,481-485.
<br />Heymsfieid, A. J., P. N. Johnson and J. E. Dye, 1978: Observa-
<br />tions of moist adiabatic ascent in northeast Colorado cu-
<br />mulus congestus clouds. J. Atmos. Sci., 35, 1689-1703.
<br />Hirsch, J. H., 1971: Computer modeling of cumulus clou?s
<br />during project cloud catcher. Rep. 71-7, Inst. Atmos. SC1.,
<br />South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 61 pp.
<br />-, and C. L. Schock, 1968: Cumulus cloud characteristics
<br />over western South Dakota. J. Appl. Meteor., 7, 882-885.
<br />Kopcewicz, T., 1965: Selected problems in hail physics and
<br />hail suppression. Przegl. Geofiz., Warsaw Univ., 10, 84 pp.
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