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Mesoscale Atmospheric Motions and Cloudiness

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Cloud Dynamics

Part of the book series: Atmospheric Sciences Library ((ATSL,volume 2))

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Abstract

Satellite observations of clouds have shown that cloud systems with horizontal dimensions ranging from several kilometers to 100 or 200 kilometers often form the atmosphere. Such systems are known as mesoscale systems. The cloud elements making up a mesoscale system generally have the shape of irregular hexagonal cells: cloud banks are also observed, together with transitional forms between cells and banks. The data show that mesoscale cloud systems arise under the influence of convective motions developing in layers with unstable stratification or over a nonuniform underlying surface. For highly developed convection the cloud systems consist of cumulonimbus, which assume the shape of individual large masses, huge banks, or spirals.

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© 1984 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland

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Matveev, L.T. (1984). Mesoscale Atmospheric Motions and Cloudiness. In: Cloud Dynamics. Atmospheric Sciences Library, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6360-3_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6360-3_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-009-6362-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-6360-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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