This book summarizes unique research findings on the hydrodynamic behavior of ice particles (ice crystals, snow, graupel and hailstones) in the atmosphere. The fall behavior of ice hydrometeors determines how and how fast a mixed-phase cloud can grow or dissipate. The book discusses how the authors used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods and numerical simulations to determine these behaviors, and presents these computations along with numerous detailed tables and illustrations of turbulent flow fields. It also examines the implications of the results for the general atmospheric sciences as well as for climate science (since the cloud problem is the source of the greatest uncertainty in model-based climate predictions). As such it allows readers to gain a clear and comprehensive understanding of how particles fall in clouds and offers insights into cloud physics and dynamics and their impact on the climate..

This key new textbook provides a state-of-the-art view of the physics of cloud and precipitation formation, covering the most important topics in the field: the microphysics, thermodynamics and cloud-scale dynamics. Highlights include: the condensation process explained with new insights from chemical physics studies; the impact of the particle curvature (the Kelvin equation) and solute effect (the Kohler equation); homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation from recent molecular dynamic simulations; and the hydrodynamics of falling hydrometeors and their impact on collision growth. 3D cloud-model simulations demonstrate the dynamics and microphysics of deep convective clouds and cirrus formation, and each chapter contains problems enabling students to review and implement their new learning. Packed with detailed mathematical derivations and cutting-edge stereographic illustrations, this is an ideal text for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses, and also serves as a reference for academic researchers and professionals working in atmospheric science, meteorology, climatology, remote sensing and environmental science.

Atmospheric ice particles play crucial roles in cloud and storm dynamics, atmospheric chemistry, climatological processes, and other atmospheric processes. Ice Microdynamics introduces the elementary physics and dynamics of atmospheric ice particles in clouds; subsequent sections explain their formation from water vapor, why ice crystal shape and concentration in cirrus clouds influence the heating of air, and describe how ice crystals cleanse the atmosphere by scavenging aerosol particles.
Pao Wang's lucid writing style will appeal to atmospheric scientists, climatologists, and meteorologists with an interest in understanding the role of ice particles in the atmosphere of our planet.