Enhanced and Oriented Riming of Growing Ice Crystals

Abstract

Geometrically oriented riming was found in Formvar resin replicas of columnar ice crystals collected in cumulus clouds at ?6°C during an aircraft field program in Texas. Rimed cloud droplets were found either on the ends of the crystals or in a girdle around the middle. Oriented riming is attributed to preferential collection on growing ice crystals with charge separations between the crystal body and growing ends. Droplet attraction to separated charge regions of growing ice crystals results in enhanced riming and increases the rate of precipitation development. Effects of this process on cloud electrification depend on whether the cloud droplets carry net charges or are polarized. The impact of this oriented riming process on several cloud electrification scenarios is discussed.