Self-organizing criticality in cloud formation?

Starting from the phenomenology of cloud formation, we derive a cellular automaton model which turns out to have a strong resemblance to percolation-based growth models. Projections of thereby produced clusters show a realistic fractal dimension of the perimeter, but only at or near the critical per...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physica A 1992-04, Vol.182 (4), p.519-531
Main Authors: Nagel, K., Raschke, E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Exact sciences and technology
Physical Sciences
Physics
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Science & Technology
Statistical physics, thermodynamics, and nonlinear dynamical systems
Thermodynamics
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Summary:Starting from the phenomenology of cloud formation, we derive a cellular automaton model which turns out to have a strong resemblance to percolation-based growth models. Projections of thereby produced clusters show a realistic fractal dimension of the perimeter, but only at or near the critical percolation threshold p c. A mechanism based on the continuity equation is proposed and numerically tested, which possibly explains why the atmosphere acts in fact near its critical threshold during cloud formation (self-organizing criticality). Numerically, this is achieved by a feedback of the number of ‘active’ sites on the occupation concentration p.
ISSN:0378-4371
1873-2119
DOI:10.1016/0378-4371(92)90018-L