Studies of Convection Initiation and Evolution

根据该奖项，首席研究员将对对流风暴的起源和演变进行研究。 其目标是推进对流启动和演变的运动学，动力学和热力学过程的基础知识，以提高业务预报员风暴预报的准确性。 由于对流风暴的后果可能是严重的，预测能力的提高将服务于公共和商业利益。边界层辐合线（边界）是本研究的重点。 在过去的50年里，这些边界在对流过程中的作用已经被研究过。 例如，阵风锋、海风锋、冷锋、干线和其他边界都与对流的形成有关。 此外，对流的演变已被假设为与边界特性。本研究着重探讨边界在对流发生与演化中的角色。 具体目标是：1.确定与水平切变不稳定性沿着雷暴流出边界发展相关的运动学、动力学和热力学场以及这些不稳定性在对流起始中的作用。描述与边界碰撞相关的运动学、动力学和热力学结构及其对对流启动和演变的影响。确定对流单体合并中涉及的运动学、动力学和热力学过程。这些目标将通过使用1991年对流和降水的高质量多普勒雷达、地面中尺度网、气球探测和飞机数据来检验特定的假设来实现。佛罗里达中东部的电气化（CaPE）实验。 该计划是在一个非常适合本研究所讨论的主题的区域进行的，并涉及广泛的地面和机载数据收集仪器。 将采用两种分析方法。 目标1和2将通过对大量病例的有限分析进行研究，以统计学显著的方式检验研究假设。 将通过深入的个案研究方法对目标3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