Sensitivity of Tropical Convection to Sea Surface Temperature in the Absence of Large-Scale Flow

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Abstract
The response of convection to changing sea surface temperature (SST) in the absence of large-scale flow is examined, using a three-dimensional cloud resolving model. The model includes a five-category bulk microphysical scheme representing snow, ice, graupel, rain, and cloud amounts in addition to an interactive radiation scheme for the shortwave and infrared. Long integrations are made to achieve a radiative–convective equilibrium state for SSTs of 298, 300, and 302 K, for which cloud and convection statistics are analyzed. The main conclusion of the paper is that, despite significant temperature sensitivities in many of the conversion terms between bulk water categories, convection is very insensitive to changing SST in the absence of large-scale flow. This is a result of the moist adiabatic temperature profile that the tropical atmosphere is constrained to take. A parcel of air rising through a deep convective cloud experiences approximately the same range of temperatures but at higher altitud... Abstract The response of convection to changing sea surface temperature (SST) in the absence of large-scale flow is examined, using a three-dimensional cloud resolving model. The model includes a five-category bulk microphysical scheme representing snow, ice, graupel, rain, and cloud amounts in addition to an interactive radiation scheme for the shortwave and infrared. Long integrations are made to achieve a radiative–convective equilibrium state for SSTs of 298, 300, and 302 K, for which cloud and convection statistics are analyzed. The main conclusion of the paper is that, despite significant temperature sensitivities in many of the conversion terms between bulk water categories, convection is very insensitive to changing SST in the absence of large-scale flow. This is a result of the moist adiabatic temperature profile that the tropical atmosphere is constrained to take. A parcel of air rising through a deep convective cloud experiences approximately the same range of temperatures but at higher altitud...

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