The impact of Sahara dust aerosols on the three-dimensional structure of precipitation systems of different sizes in spring

Abstract. Saharan dust aerosols interacting with clouds and precipitation in the Atlantic Ocean's intertropical convergence zone can significantly impact storm microphysical and thermodynamic processes. Previous satellite research often focused on individual, km-scale rain pixels, neglecting interconnections among different locations. This study innovatively employs a clustering method to group satellite precipitation radar-observed profiles into organized precipitation systems (PSs) of varying horizontal sizes. Key features such as the mean storm top height, 85 GHz polarization-corrected microwave brightness temperature, and horizontal area with specific radar reflectivity per layer are analyzed to uncover system-level precipitation characteristics. Observations indicate that dust-laden PSs have higher storm tops, broader upper-level precipitation areas with more large particles, stronger ice scattering signals, and heavier surface rain rates than clean systems. These PSs also exhibit greater convective available potential energy (CAPE) and distinct differences in related dynamic and moisture conditions. Partial correlation and sensitivity analyses revealed that CAPE-induced changes are the primary confounding factor for dust aerosol effects. Notably, even after constraining CAPE and other thermodynamic factors, significant dust-induced changes in PS properties persist. This implies that, under comparable thermodynamic conditions, Saharan dust aerosols may enhance mid- and upper-level ice heterogeneous nucleation, thereby increasing the number of ice particles, releasing extra latent heat, and invigorating storms. Overall, this study offers a novel perspective on how dust aerosols affect organized precipitation systems.