The Spatial Variation of Liquid Water and Droplet Concentration in Cumuli

Abstract

Measurements of liquid water content and droplet concentration in cumuli over path lengths of about one metre have been used to investigate the structure of these clouds. The measurements indicate that the cloud process is far from adiabatic, and that a dominating role is played by the admixture of drier air from outside the cloud. They suggest, further, that the main source of this dry air may be the region above the cloud top.