METHODS OF DISSIPATING SUPERCOOLED CLOUDS IN THE NATURAL ATMOSPHERE

Vincent J. Schaefer

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	The production of snow from supercooled clouds in the natural atmosphere followed directly from the development of a simple device [1] which simulates conditions which often occur in nature. By introducing warm, moist air through the open top of a cold chamber which is coldest at the bottom, a stable cloud of condensed water droplets 10 to 50 microns in diameter may be formed in a few seconds. Such a cloud may have a liquid water content of lG/MZ. Within a few more seconds the cloud droplets assume the temperature of the chamber and become supercooled if the air is below the normal freezing point of water. In this way, it is a simple matter to ohtain a cloud supercooled to -20°C which fills the chamber level to the top edge of the cold walls. Due to the strong inversion produced by a gradient of about 20°C per meter in the chamber, the cloud is extremely stable and persists until the droplets settle to the bottom or by diffusion evaporate to icecoated walls.
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 1, Number 7&8
Pages:	172 - 174
Cite this article:	Schaefer, Vincent J., "METHODS OF DISSIPATING SUPERCOOLED CLOUDS IN THE NATURAL ATMOSPHERE", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 1, No. 7&8, 1947, pp. 172-174.
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