Studying secondary ice production mechanisms: from a remote sensing and hydrometeors dynamics perspective

Ice crystal number concentrations were often found to be orders of magnitude higher than the number concentration of ice nucleating particles; a finding that indicated the presence of secondary ice production (SIP).  Although 6 mechanisms of SIP have been both discovered and theorized, it is still not fully understood and the recent studies have been inconclusive in identifying the dominant process in real conditions.  This lack of constraint of ice multiplication adds to the uncertainty of cloud simulations in climate models. Studying SIP is challenging due to the various interfering factors involved.
In this study, we attempt to further our knowledge in understanding the SIP mechanisms using two different but complementary approaches. The first consists of using remote sensing tools such as Himawari-8 and MODIS retrievals in addition to the SOCRATES in-situ data to identify the presence of SIP and categorize the possible mechanism involved.
The second approach utilizes numerical simulations to further understand these mechanisms that are potentially responsible for SIP, but through the study of the dynamics of the different particles (ice crystals, supercooled droplets, graupel...) involved in these processes. In this approach we focus on the characteristics of the particles, such as their diameter and concentration, as well as the presence of turbulence, that are crucial in describing their movement and the feasibility of the mechanisms under study.