Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) : Recent Findings

Abstract

Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX), an Indian National Experiment was carried out during 2009-2015 in three phases with a focus on the aerosolcloud-precipitation interactions in the premonsoon and monsoon environment and to derive useful guidelines for cloud seeding purpose. In situ observations of aerosol, cloud microphysics and associated thermodynamics and dynamics were carried out with this campaign. There have been several research papers in refereed journals and data that was collected during the campaign has contributed significantly to the understanding of cloud microphysics in different environments over the Indian region. These observations are used at process level understanding and development of process parameterization. Vertical profiling of aerosol and cloud microphysical properties was carried out for the first time over India during CAIPEEX and revealed insightful understanding on the warm rain process and its link with subcloud aerosols, rain drop formation, ice nucleation, etc