Rain-induced cold pools are one mechanism by which transitions in cloud fraction in marine stratocumulus over the southeast Pacific occur. We use CloudSat/CALIPSO to identify raining patches within stratocumulus over the southeast Pacific, and then calculate the cloud fraction surrounding each raining patch, nearest-neighbor distance (spacing), mean rain rate, and raining patch size (extent). The spatial patterns show that as cloud fraction decreases and rain rate increases from east to west, a minimum in spacing exists between 80 W-100 W, but the maximum extent occurs further west. Holding spacing constant, cloud fraction decreases with rain rate but increases with extent. Additionally, cloud fraction is generally lower between 80 W-100 W when cells are large. This behavior is consistent with the idea that heavier rainfall associated with larger cells may result in possible cold pool interactions that could drive lower cloud fractions around the largest cells producing the most intense rainfall.

雨致冷池是东南太平洋海洋层积云中云量发生转变的一种机制。我们使用 CloudSat/CALIPSO 来识别东南太平洋层积云内的雨斑，然后计算每个雨斑周围的云比例、最近邻距离（间距）、平均降雨率和雨斑大小（范围）。空间模式表明，随着云量减少和降雨率从东到西增加，最小间距在 80 W-100 W 之间，但最大范围出现在更远的西部。保持间距不变，云量随降雨率而减少，但随范围增加。此外，当单元较大时，云分数通常在 80 W-100 W 之间较低。