Satellite Estimates of Precipitation-Induced Dissipation in the Atmosphere

Abstract

When the Rain Comes When raindrops fall, frictional forces between the droplet and the surrounding air create a drag that limits the speed at which the raindrop can descend. This drag also dissipates some of the kinetic energy of the falling raindrops within the shear zones surrounding them and is a significant component of the atmospheric energy budget, according to Pauluis and Dias (p. 953 ; see the Perspective by Frierson ). Using data from satellites, they find that precipitation-induced energy dissipation is of the same magnitude as that caused by atmospheric turbulence and therefore that of a strengthened hydrological cycle, which is widely expected to occur as a result of climate warming and could have an impact on the strength of atmospheric circulation.