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Moist Orographic Convection: Physical Mechanisms and Links to Surface-Exchange Processes

Kirshbaum, Daniel; Adler, Bianca 1; Kalthoff, Norbert 1; Barthlott, Christian ORCID iD icon 1; Serafin, Stefano
1 Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung (IMK), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

Abstract:

This paper reviews the current understanding of moist orographic convection and its regulation by surface-exchange processes. Such convection tends to develop when and where moist instability coincides with sufficient terrain-induced ascent to locally overcome convective inhibition. The terrain-induced ascent can be owing to mechanical (airflow over or around an obstacle) and/or thermal (differential heating over sloping terrain) forcing. For the former, the location of convective initiation depends on the dynamical flow regime. In “unblocked” flows that ascend the barrier, the convection tends to initiate over the windward slopes, while in “blocked” flows that detour around the barrier, the convection tends to initiate upstream and/or downstream of the high terrain where impinging flows split and rejoin, respectively. Processes that destabilize the upstream flow for mechanically forced moist convection include large-scale moistening and ascent, positive surface sensible and latent heat fluxes, and differential advection in baroclinic zones. For thermally forced flows, convective initiation is driven by thermally direct circulations with sharp updrafts over or downwind of the mountain crest (daytime) or foot (nighttime). ... mehr


Verlagsausgabe §
DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000080575
Originalveröffentlichung
DOI: 10.3390/atmos9030080
Scopus
Zitationen: 120
Web of Science
Zitationen: 115
Dimensions
Zitationen: 129
Cover der Publikation
Zugehörige Institution(en) am KIT Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung Troposphärenforschung (IMKTRO)
KIT-Zentrum Klima und Umwelt (ZKU)
Publikationstyp Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Publikationsmonat/-jahr 03.2018
Sprache Englisch
Identifikator ISSN: 2073-4433
urn:nbn:de:swb:90-805751
KITopen-ID: 1000080575
HGF-Programm 12.01.02 (POF III, LK 01) Proc.res.f.multisc.predictab.of weather
Erschienen in Atmosphere
Verlag MDPI
Band 9
Heft 3
Seiten 80
Vorab online veröffentlicht am 25.02.2018
Schlagwörter moist convection; orography; mesoscale; cumulus clouds; precipitation
Nachgewiesen in Dimensions
Scopus
Web of Science
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