Effects of Mesoscale Thermal Forcing in a Shear Flow

对风暴系统的基本认识以及因此而改进的预报依赖于对许多相互作用的气象现象知识的进步。在这项研究中，首席研究员建议研究具有“临界水平”的气流中大气热强迫的影响。临界水平是指环境风的速度与大气扰动的传播速度一致的高度。先前的工作表明，临界水平在触发和/或维持对流方面可以发挥重要作用。首席研究员将使用理论调查和数值模拟来研究热强迫与临界水平的大气流动之间的关系，以及它们与两种不同大气风暴系统（中纬度飑线和东海岸冬季气旋）的形成和维持之间的关系。//

Fundamental understanding of storm systems and, hence, improved predictions depend upon advances in knowledge of many interacting meteorological phenomena. In this study, the Principal Investigator proposes to investigate the effects of atmospheric thermal forcing in flow regimes that posses a "critical level". A critical level is the height at which the velocity of the ambient wind coincides with the propagation speed of atmospheric disturbances. Previous work has shown that critical levels can play an important role in triggering and/or maintaining convection. The Principal Investigator will use both theoretical investigations and numerical modelling to study the relationship between thermal forcing and atmospheric flows with critical levels and how these relate to the formation and maintenance of two diverse atmospheric storm systems -- mid-latitude squall lines and east coast wintertime cyclones. //