Sensitivities of a simulated Arctic stratocumulus to aerosol and microphysical parameters
- 1Chalmers University of Technology (Gothenburg, Sweden)
Abstract
Low-level, mixed-phase clouds are a key component of the Arctic energy budget and can impact the extent and thickness of sea ice. These clouds are influenced by aerosols and microphysical processes that can determine the phase partitioning and thereby cloud lifetime and radiative impacts. Atmospheric models often struggle to represent phase partitioning in Arctic mixed-phase clouds correctly. Aerosol number concentration (ANC), aerosol type (Atype), ice crystal number concentration (ICNC), and ice crystal morphology (ice crystal habit; IChab) have previously been shown to impact phase partitioning in Arctic clouds. We used factorial analysis to rank these parameters according to their explained variance in simulated liquid water path (LWP), ice water path (IWP), and downward longwave radiation at the surface (DWLW) of a slightly supercooled Arctic mixed-phase cloud. Additionally, we analyzed how these parameters affect the final phase state of the simulated cloud. Using MIMICA, the MISU-MIT Cloud Aerosol large-eddy simulation code, we found that ANC was the most important parameter for LWP and DWLW, while ICNC controlled IWP. IChab ranked third for all simulated variables, yet it crucially determined the final phase state of the cloud. The impact of Atype was negligible compared to the other three parameters. Recognizing the limits of relying on a single case study and model, our results suggest that future Arctic field campaigns should prioritize observations of ANC, ICNC, and, crucially, ice habit for slightly supercooled mixed-phase clouds. Models must also represent different ice habits to accurately simulate cloud phase partitioning and its subsequent impact on the Arctic energy budget.
Versions
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BibTeX
@article{frostenberg2026sensitivities,
title = {{Sensitivities of a simulated Arctic stratocumulus to aerosol and microphysical parameters}},
author = {Hannah Carolin Frostenberg and Jessie Creamean and Erik Schurch Thomson and Heather Guy and Roman Pohorsky and Camille Mavis and Ian Morley Brooks and Nicolas Fauré and Lea Haberstock and Julia Kojoj and Sonja Murto and Julia Schmale and Michael Tjernström and Paul Zieger and Luisa Ickes},
journal = {Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.5194/acp-26-15495-2026},
url = {https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15495-2026},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Sensitivities of a simulated Arctic stratocumulus to aerosol and microphysical parameters
AU - Hannah Carolin Frostenberg
AU - Jessie Creamean
AU - Erik Schurch Thomson
AU - Heather Guy
AU - Roman Pohorsky
AU - Camille Mavis
AU - Ian Morley Brooks
AU - Nicolas Fauré
AU - Lea Haberstock
AU - Julia Kojoj
AU - Sonja Murto
AU - Julia Schmale
AU - Michael Tjernström
AU - Paul Zieger
AU - Luisa Ickes
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/04
JO - Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
DO - 10.5194/acp-26-15495-2026
UR - https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15495-2026
AB - Low-level, mixed-phase clouds are a key component of the Arctic energy budget and can impact the extent and thickness of sea ice. These clouds are influenced by aerosols and microphysical processes that can determine the phase partitioning and thereby cloud lifetime and radiative impacts. Atmospheric models often struggle to represent phase partitioning in Arctic mixed-phase clouds correctly. Aerosol number concentration (ANC), aerosol type (Atype), ice crystal number concentration (ICNC), and ice crystal morphology (ice crystal habit; IChab) have previously been shown to impact phase partitioning in Arctic clouds. We used factorial analysis to rank these parameters according to their explained variance in simulated liquid water path (LWP), ice water path (IWP), and downward longwave radiation at the surface (DWLW) of a slightly supercooled Arctic mixed-phase cloud. Additionally, we analyzed how these parameters affect the final phase state of the simulated cloud. Using MIMICA, the MISU-MIT Cloud Aerosol large-eddy simulation code, we found that ANC was the most important parameter for LWP and DWLW, while ICNC controlled IWP. IChab ranked third for all simulated variables, yet it crucially determined the final phase state of the cloud. The impact of Atype was negligible compared to the other three parameters. Recognizing the limits of relying on a single case study and model, our results suggest that future Arctic field campaigns should prioritize observations of ANC, ICNC, and, crucially, ice habit for slightly supercooled mixed-phase clouds. Models must also represent different ice habits to accurately simulate cloud phase partitioning and its subsequent impact on the Arctic energy budget.
SN - 1680-7324
SN - 1680-7316
ER -