Dynamical, Microphysical and Electrification Studies in Mid Latitude Convection

中纬度对流的动力学、微物理和电气化研究

• 批准号: 0309303
• 负责人: Steven Rutledge
• 金额: $ 56.28万
• 依托单位: Colorado State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-05-15 至 2007-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0309303&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dynamical; Microphysical; Electrification; Studies; Mid

This award supports continuing analysis of observations from the STEPS project (Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study) conducted in western Kansas in the early summer of 2000. Data from polarimetric radar, aircraft, sounding balloons, and a lightning-mapping network are employed to investigate the relation between thunderstorm electrification and the microphysical and kinematic properties of clouds. Special attention is directed to storms that exhibit anomalous behavior such as the absence of lightning, predominantly positive cloud-to-ground lightning, or much intracloud lightning. Motivating the work are questions about the source region for the positive charge in clouds that produce positive lightning, the kinematic and microphysical differences that distinguish these clouds from the more typical ones, the role of intracloud lightning in the creation and maintenance of anomalous charge structures, and the extent to which the occurrence of lightning and its polarity can be predicted once convection develops. The work is done in collaboration with STEPS investigators from other institutions, and involves analysis and synthesis of data from two S-band polarimetric radars (the CHILL radar of Colorado State University and S-Pol of NCAR), 3-D maps of lightning flashes from the New Mexico Tech lightning-mapping array, microphysical and electrical measurements obtained by the storm-penetrating T-28 aircraft of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and vertical soundings of the thunderstorm electric field measured by special balloons of the National Severe Storms Laboratory. The project will lead to a better understanding of storm electrification and to new ways of monitoring and predicting storm intensity.

该奖项支持对2000年初夏在堪萨斯西部进行的STEPS项目（强雷暴电气化和降水研究）的观测结果进行持续分析。 从偏振雷达，飞机，探空气球和闪电映射网络的数据被用来调查雷暴带电和云的微物理和运动学特性之间的关系。 特别注意的是风暴表现出异常的行为，如没有闪电，主要是积极的云对地闪电，或很多云内闪电。 激发这项工作的问题是源区域的云，产生正闪电的正电荷，运动学和微物理差异，区分这些云从更典型的，云内闪电的作用，在创建和维护异常电荷结构，以及在何种程度上发生的闪电和它的极性可以预测一旦对流发展。 这项工作是与来自其他机构的STEPS研究人员合作完成的，涉及对两个S波段极化雷达数据的分析和合成（科罗拉多州立大学的CHILL雷达和NCAR的S-Pol），来自新墨西哥州科技闪电测绘阵列的闪电三维地图，由南达科他州矿业与技术学院的T-28飞机穿透风暴获得的微物理和电学测量结果，以及由国家强风暴实验室的特殊气球测量的雷暴电场的垂直探测。 该项目将使人们更好地了解风暴起电现象，并找到监测和预测风暴强度的新方法。