CSTRIPE is field experiment designed to quantify the effect aerosol
has on the microphysics, precipitation and dynamics of marine
stratocumulus (MSc). The CIRPAS Twin Otter aircraft will be deployed
in a three week mission off the coast of Monterey, California
in July, 2003. The strategy is a blend from two previous field
experiments, MAST and ACE-2, that were directed towards aerosol-MSc
interactions. MAST (Monterey Area Ship Track Experiment) was successful
in that it targeted ship tracks. Use of a localized aerosol perturbation,
such as ship tracks, obviates the difficulty of separating aerosol-forced
signals from meteorologically forced signals. ACE-2 (The second
Aerosol Characterization Experiment) was successful in that it
used a number of well articulated closure studies to evaluate
state-of-the-art models including: hygroscopic and CCN activity
of aerosol; cloud activation; the effect of entrainment mixing
on the vertical and horizontal distribution of cloud microphysics;
and the link between cloud microphysics and the radiative properties
of the clouds (i.e. both albedo and bidirectional reflectance
used by satellites to retrieve cloud optical properties). By using
both a closure strategy, as in ACE-2, and the contrast provided
by a localized aerosol perturbation, as in MAST, it is hoped to
achieve an unprecedented degree of success with relatively modest
resources. A new element added to the strategy is the use of hygroscopic
cloud seeding flares as a controlled and well characterized perturbation.
CSTRIPE is supported by the Office of Naval Research.
Last Update: April 22, 2003