Lead : A FINK & P KNIPPERTZ (IMK - KIT)

The processes controlling the formation and dissolution of low-level clouds cover will be investigated synergistically on the basis of existing station, upper-air, re-analysis and satellite data as well as high-resolution modelling experiments with ICON and Meso-NH models, trajectory calculations and a comprehensive field campaign.

We will concentrate on two transects:

1. The northern transect (transect 2) which runs, in its western part, through the coastal plains of Gabon.
2. The southern transect (transect 1) which is characterised by narrow coastal ranges up to 800m high and coast-parallel valleys. We expect cloudiness to be more heterogeneous and thus harder to analyse than in the northern transect.

We hypothesize that one important factor for low-level cloud cover in this region is the amount of water lost in air parcels streaming from the ocean over the hilly ranges.

The main expected result is the set-up of a new conceptual model of LLCC formation and dissipation at the diurnal scale, including spatial variations across Gabon/southwestern RoC and difference to Southern Western Africa.

Updated on 13 May 2020