Studies of Convection Initiation and Evolution

根据该合同，首席研究员将对对流风暴的形成和演变进行研究。目的是提高对流开始和演变过程的运动学、动力学和热力学的基本知识，以提高业务预报员对风暴预测的准确性。由于对流风暴的后果可能很严重，因此提高预测能力将有利于公众和商业利益。边界层辐合线（边界）是本文研究的重点。在过去的50年里，人们研究了这些边界在对流过程中的作用。例如，阵风锋、海风锋、冷锋、干线和其他边界都与对流的产生有关。此外，对流的演化被假设与边界特征有关。本研究着重探讨了边界在对流发生和演化中的作用。具体目标是：1。确定与雷暴流出边界水平剪切不稳定发展相关的运动学、动力学和热力学场，以及这些不稳定在对流开始中的作用。描述与边界碰撞有关的运动学、动力学和热力学结构，以及它们对对流起始和演化的影响。确定对流单元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高质量的多普勒雷达、地面中网、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）实验。该计划在一个非常适合本研究主题的地区进行，并涉及广泛的地面和机载数据收集仪器。将采取两种分析方法。目标1和目标2将通过对众多案例的有限分析来调查，以统计显著的方式检验研究假设。目标3将通过深入的案例研究方法进行调查

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