Tropopause Level Studies Associated with GALE and ERICA

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The rapid development and intensification of winter cyclones in coastal regions presents a major weather forecasting problem. Along the East Coast of the United States, the development of cyclonic storms and frontal systems often occurs along the coastal region of the Carolinas. These weather systems may lead to severe weather in the heavily populated Northeast Corridor in the form of freezing rain, heavy snowfall, blizzards and extensive coastal erosion. A complex interaction of cold continental air, warm ocean currents, traveling atmospheric disturbances and local geography all appear to contribute to the rapid development of these systems; however, the processes are not well understood and the phenomena are often poorly forecast. In January-March 1986 a cooperative research project to study winter storms in this region was held by an consortium of universities and Federal agencies. Entitled GALE (Genesis of Atlantic Lows Experiment), the project was designed to provide detailed information on the role of air- sea interaction, planetary boundary-layer processes and mesoscale meteorological processes. As one of the core investigators of the GALE, the Principal Investigator was instrumental in designing and executing the experiment. The Principal Investigator's research focussed on the upper troposphere. The primary data sources were aircraft surveys using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Sabreliner research aircraft, the specialized GALE upper-air sounding network, and satellite data. Using GALE data, the Principal Investigator proposes to continue his research on the role of the jet stream and tropopause structure in the rapid development of winter cyclones and on comparison of remote sensing techniques of the tropopause with in situ verification. Additionally, contingent on successful tests of new temperature and humidity instruments, the Principal Investigator may enhance the GALE data by participating in the Office of Naval Research Sponsored Experiment on Rapidly Intensifying Cyclones over the Atlantic (ERICA) to be conducted during the Winter of 1988-89.