Identification

Title

Numerical prediction of fog: A novel parameterization for droplet formation

Abstract

A novel aerosol activation scheme was developed and implemented into the WRF Thompson-Eidhammer Aerosol-Aware microphysical module. While in most of the numerical weather prediction (NWP) models the activation is based on updraft velocity, even in the fog, the new parameterization considers the local rate of cooling and water vapor flux in the evaluation of the aerosol activation rate. In addition, diagnostic variables are added to evaluate the visibility reduction due to formation of haze droplets. The impact of changing the activation scheme is demonstrated by a case study of a well-observed fog event. Data observed during the fog event campaign at Budapest and observed at standard meteorological stations are compared with the output of the numerical model. The results are summarized as follows: (i) the inhomogeneous spatial and temporal distribution of the number concentration of droplets is an inherent characteristic of the new parameterization scheme. (ii) Compared to the prior parameterization based on updraft velocity, the new parameterization scheme increases the number concentration of the droplets significantly, especially at the top of the fog. As a consequence, it reduces the downward short-wave radiation flux prolonging the lifetime of the fog by about 30-60 min. (iii) Analyses reveal that earlier dissipation of the fog comparing to the observed data cannot be explained only by overestimation of the downward short-wave radiation flux. (iv) The new method is able to evaluate the reduction of visibility due to haze.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7z03dbd

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2024-03-25T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Copyright author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2025-07-10T20:03:22.578865

Metadata language

eng; USA