| The dissertation consists of a multi-scale investigation of the relative contributions of thermodynamics and aerosols to the observed variability of deep convective clouds in the Tropics. First, estimates of thermodynamic quantities and cloud-condensation nuclei (CCN) in the environment are attributed to convective features (CFs) observed by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite for eight years (2004-2011) between 36?S-36?N across all longitudes. The collection of simultaneous observations was analyzed in order to assess the relevance of thermodynamic and aerosol hypotheses for explaining the spatial and temporal variability of the characteristics of deep convective clouds. Specifically, the impacts of normalized convective available potential energy (NCAPE) and warm cloud depth (WCD) as well as CCN concentrations (D ? 40 nm) on total lightning density (TLD), average height of 30 dBZ echoes (AVGHT30), and vertical profiles of radar reflectivity (VPRR) within individual CFs are the subject of initial curiosity. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.). |
