Evolution of Observed Cloud Aggregation during Rainfall Events in DYNAMO/AMIE

Cloud aggregation is important for the modulation of the climate on a range of spatial-temporal scales, however the physical processes controlling aggregation in the observable atmosphere are still not fully understood. The transient nature of convective aggregation in real life presents challenges to being accurately replicated in models, and a limited number of available observations further challenge our understanding of their driving processes. Cloud organization indices are one tool that allow us to capture the evolution of cloud aggregation processes, however results are often sensitive to the choice in existing index used. This project aims to better understand differences in how cloud organization metrics capture cloud organization during the DYNAMO/AMIE field campaign by using S-Polka radar to study how different cloud organization indices evolve with heavy rainfall events. Results from this study will further elucidate the processes driving transient cloud aggregation, and lead to improved representation in models.