Energetics of Mixed Phase Cloud Particle Interactions

The ratio of the kinetic to surface energy of a crystal or a drop on impact gives a measure of the available energy for break-up and splash. Such a break-up process may influence particle collision and also particle observations at aircraft speed. The detail physical processes of the impact determines how the kinetic energy is distributed: 1) part retained by bouncing particles, 2) to create new surfaces during break-up, 3) to dislocate or melt part of the crystal, and 4) converted to thermal energy through viscous dissipation of deforming liquid or displacing air on impact. Extensive break-up of 2% of the crystal or melting of 6% is enough to explain the crystal kinetic energy losses during the encounter at aircraft speed.

Ice crystals from convective and stratiform clouds and continental clouds were collected in formvar solution by continuous replicator and also were video-recorded following impact on optical flat of a Cloudscope. Particle sizes were classified in bins, the expected number of fragments being given by an exponential function for ice particles with effective diameter between 5 μm and 2500 μm, and 70% standard deviation. Regions of crystals broken into a few fragments account for 0.6% of the kinetic energy loss; in other parts severe break-up makes it impossible to measure the fracture length. Knowledge regarding ice and water interaction in Mixed-Phase clouds and also with the aircraft instruments provides basic underpinning for characterization of ice particle impact. Further, detail of the fracture process may also be of importance in relation to electrical properties of the particle after impaction or break-up. These conclusions are of major operational importance for prediction of the icing process itself, having implications for both aircraft icing and particle measurement instrumentation.