Effects of the large-scale circulation on temperature and water vapor distributions in the Π Chamber

Abstract. Microphysical processes are important for the development of clouds and thus Earth's climate. For example, turbulent fluctuations in water vapor mixing ratio, r, temperature, T, cause saturation S. Because S is driving factor condensational growth droplets, may broaden cloud droplet size distribution due to individual droplets experiencing different rates. The small-scale atmosphere that relevant difficult quantify through field measurements. We investigate these laboratory using Michigan Tech's Π Chamber. Chamber utilizes Rayleigh–Bénard convection (RBC) create conditions inherent clouds. In RBC it common a large-scale circulation (LSC) form. As consequence LSC, temperature chamber not spatially uniform. this paper, we characterize LSC show how affects shape distributions was found follow single roll with an updraft downdraft along opposing walls chamber. Near (downdraft), T r were positively (negatively) skewed. At each measuring position, consistently had negatively skewed distribution, being most negative.