Studies of Convection Initiation and Evolution

根据这一奖项，首席调查员将对对流风暴的形成和演变进行研究。其目的是增进对流启动和演化中的运动学、动力学和热力学过程的基本知识，以提高业务预报员对风暴预报的准确性。由于对流风暴的后果可能是严重的，提高预报能力将有利于公共和商业利益。边界层辐合线(边界)是本研究的重点。在过去的五十年里，人们研究了这些边界在与对流有关的过程中的作用。例如，阵风锋面、海风锋面、冷锋、干线和其他边界都与对流的启动有关。此外，还假设对流的演变与边界特征有关。本研究着重研究边界在对流形成和发展中的作用。具体目标是：1.确定与沿雷暴出流边界的水平切变不稳定发展有关的运动学、动力和热力学场，以及这些不稳定在对流启动中的作用。描述与边界碰撞有关的运动学、动力学和热力学结构，以及它们对对流启动和演化的影响。确定涉及对流单体合并的运动学、动力学和热力学过程。这些目标将通过使用高质量的多普勒雷达、地面中层网、气球探测和1991年对流和降水的飞机数据来测试特定的假设来实现！佛罗里达州中东部的电气化(CAPE)试验。该方案是在一个非常适合本研究主题的地区进行的，涉及广泛的地面和机载数据收集工具。将采用两种分析方法。目标1和目标2将通过对大量案例的有限分析来调查，以统计意义上的方式检验研究假设。目标3将通过深入的个案研究方法进行调查。

Under this award the Principal Investigator will perform research on the initiation and evolution of convective storms. The goal is to advance fundamental knowledge of the kinematic, dynamic, and thermodynamic processes in convection initiation and evolution in order to improve the accuracy of storm prediction by operational forecasters. Since the consequences of convective storms can be severe, an increase in predictive capability will serve both public and commercial interests.Boundary layer convergence lines (boundaries) is a focus of this research. During the past fifty years, the role of these boundaries in processes related to convection has been investigated. Gust fronts, sea-breeze fronts, cold fronts, drylines, and other boundaries, for example, have been associated with the initiation of convection. Further, the evolution of convection has been hypothesized to be related to boundary characteristics. This research emphasizes investigation of the role of boundaries in convection initiation and evolution. The specific objectives are to:1. Determine the kinematic, dynamic, and thermodynamic fields associated with the development of horizontal shearing instabilities along thunderstorm outflow boundaries and the role of these instabilities in convection initiation.2. Characterize the kinematic, dynamic, and thermodynamic structures associated with boundary collisions and the effect they have on convection initiation and evolution.3. Determine the kinematic, dynamic, and thermodynamic processes involved in convective cell mergers.These objectives will be pursued by testing specific hypotheses using high quality Doppler radar, surface mesonet, balloon sounding, and aircraft data from the 1991 Convection and Precipitation! Electrification (CaPE) experiment in east-central Florida. This program was conducted in a region ideally suited to the topics addressed in this research and involved a wide range of ground-based and airborne data collection instruments. Two analytical approaches will be pursued. Objectives 1 and 2 will be investigated through limited analysis of numerous cases to test research hypotheses in a statistically significant manner. Objective 3 will be investigated through an in-depth, case study approach.iii