On the persistence of tropical shallow convective squall lines - the role of cold pools

A considerable amount of literature has been devoted to the study of strong convective squall line. In particular, many studies have noted the role of cold pools on the persistence of these squall lines. Observations and simulations have shown that squall lines are often associated with pools of air cooled by partial rain evaporation. Such cold pools spread at the surface and may initiate new convective cells at their edges, thus contributing to the maintenance of a squall line. Under which environmental conditions the lifting at the edges of cold pools is most efficient has been subject to many debates. Yet, it is generally acknowledged that the environmental wind shear is a critical factor in this process. 

Recent observations and realistic simulations over the trade-wind region have revealed persistent structures of shallow cumuli associated with surface cold pools. We will call these structures shallow convective squall lines, due to their similarity with strong convective squall lines. Based on simulations from the German model ICON and on recent observations from the field campaign EUREC4A, we will study the characteristics of these shallow convective squall lines and their lifecycle. Similarly to strong convective squall lines, shallow convective squall lines organized around a leading edge composed by many updrafts and downdrafts feeding the surface cold pools. We will see that the environmental wind shear plays a key role in the persistence of these shallow convective squall line, and we will compare our findings with classical theories for strong convective squall lines.