This study investigates the maintenance of cloud ice production in Arcticmixed-phase stratocumulus in large eddy simulations that include aprognostic ice nuclei (IN) formulation and a diurnal cycle. Balances derivedfrom a mixed-layer model and phase analyses are used to provide insight intobuffering mechanisms that maintain ice in these cloud systems. We find that,for the case under investigation, IN recycling through subcloud sublimationconsiderably prolongs ice production over a multi-day integration. Thiseffective source of IN to the cloud dominates over mixing sources from aboveor below the cloud-driven mixed layer. Competing feedbacks between dynamicalmixing and recycling are found to slow the rate of ice lost from the mixedlayer when a diurnal cycle is simulated. The results of this study haveimportant implications for maintaining phase partitioning of cloud ice andliquid that determine the radiative forcing of Arctic mixed-phase clouds.
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