Saturation Point Representation of Cloud-Top Entrainment Instability

Abstract

Cloud-top entrainment instability was investigated using a mixing line analysis. Mixing time scales are closely related to the actual size of the parcel, so that local instabilities are largely dependent on the scales of mixing near the cloud top. Given a fixed transport velocity, variation over a small range of parcel length scales (parcel mixing velocities) turns an energy-producing mixing process into an energy-consuming mixing process. It is suggested that a single criterion for cloud-top entrainment instability will not be found due to the role of at least three factors operating more or less independently: the stability of the mixing line, the entrainment speed, and the strength of the internal boundary-layer circulation.