Thunderstorm Electrification in STEPS-2000

计划于2000年初夏在堪萨斯西部进行的强雷暴带电和降水研究实地项目（STEPS）将利用飞机、雷达和其他观测系统对雷暴及其周围地区进行广泛的观测。 作为STEPS的一部分，T-28风暴穿透飞机上将搭载一种仪器，该仪器将提供雹粒子和冰雹粒子的图像，并同时测量它们的电荷。 Winn博士将在现场项目期间维护该仪器，并在之后的数据分析中进行合作。 这些数据将用于评估闪电产生的所谓非感应充电假设，该假设试图解释雷暴中通过不同大小的冰粒碰撞时电荷的系统转移而产生的强电场。 该项目还包括在STEPS期间开发和部署一种新的球载仪器，用于测量电场的垂直分布。 与新墨西哥州技术闪电测绘阵列一起使用，其位置由全球定位系统导航确定，电场强度数据通过脉冲调制信号传输到阵列。 STEPS提供了通过将测量结果与使用传统设备的测量结果进行比较来评估该仪器的机会。 数据分析将与其他NSF支持的STEPS项目协调，包括新墨西哥州技术闪电测绘仪（ATM-9912073），CHILL雷达（ATM-9912051和-9982030），以及其他电场气球探测（ATM-9912562）。

The Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study field program (STEPS), planned for the early summer of 2000 in western Kansas, will provide a wide range of observations in and around thunderstorms using aircraft, radar, and other observing systems. As part of STEPS, an instrument will be flown on the T-28 storm-penetration aircraft that provides images of graupel and hail particles and simultaneously measures their electrical charges. Dr. Winn will maintain this instrument during the field program and collaborate in the analysis of the data afterwards. The data will be used to assess the so-called noninductive charging hypothesis of lightning generation, which attempts to explain the creation of strong electric fields in thunderstorms by the systematic transfer of charges between ice particles of different sizes as they collide. This project also includes the development and deployment during STEPS of a new, balloon-borne instrument for measuring vertical profiles of the electric field. Used in connection with the New Mexico Tech lightning-mapping array, its position is determined by GPS navigation and the data on electric field strength are transmitted to the array by a pulse-modulated signal. STEPS provides the opportunity to evaluate this instrument by comparing the measurements with those using conventional equipment. Analysis of the data will be coordinated with other NSF-supported STEPS projects, including the New Mexico Tech lightning mapper (ATM-9912073), the CHILL radar (ATM-9912051 and -9982030), and other balloon soundings of the electric field (ATM-9912562).