SGER: Infrared Thermographic Evaluation of Tornadic Convective Systems

虽然在过去的几年里，在了解龙卷风的形成和消散方面取得了很大的进展，但控制龙卷风形成和消亡的确切因素尚不清楚。最近使用移动多普勒雷达的研究揭示了许多关于龙卷风和龙卷风雷暴的结构。然而，许多形成/耗散理论需要了解龙卷风内部和附近的详细热结构，而多普勒雷达并不适合提供这些信息。在这项探索性研究的小额拨款中，辐射成像设备将用于绘制强对流风暴和龙卷风凝结漏斗中云底的温度场。该项目将与另一个nsf资助的项目（ATM-0241037）一起进行，其中一个主要目标是使用移动多普勒雷达研究对流风暴中的龙卷风形成和龙卷风。预计风暴主要上升气流区附近的云底温度场可能包含龙卷风是否会形成的线索。该项目首次尝试使用地面移动平台，远程感知强对流风暴中云底的热力学信息。如果该项目取得成功，未来的实地试验可能会增加对龙卷风成因的了解，并提高龙卷风预报的技能。后者可以减少龙卷风造成的伤亡。

While much progress has been made over the last several years in understanding tornado genesis and dissipation, the exact factors that control the formation and demise of tornadoes is not known. Recent research using mobile Doppler radars has revealed much about the structure of tornadoes and tornadic thunderstorms. Many formation/dissipation theories, however, require an understanding of detailed thermal structure in and near the tornado and Doppler radars are not well suited to provide this information.In this Small Grant for Exploratory Research, radiometric imaging equipment will be used to map the temperature field at cloud base in severe convective storms and in tornado condensation funnels. The project will be conducted in conjunction with another NSF-funded project (ATM-0241037), in which one of the main objectives is to use mobile Doppler radars to study tornado formation and tornadoes in convective storms. It is anticipated that the temperature field at cloud base near the storms' main updraft region may contain clues as to whether or not tornado formation may ensue. This project represents the first attempt to sense remotely, thermodynamic information at cloud base in severe convective storms, using a ground-based mobile platform. If the project is successful, future field experiments could lead to an increased understanding of tornado genesis and an increase in skill in tornado forecasting. The latter could lead to a decrease in deaths and injuries from tornadoes.