AGS-PRF: Improved In Situ Thermodynamic Sampling of Severe Storms with Unmanned Aircraft Systems Through Improved Wind Estimation and Energy Harvesting

对超级单体雷暴中龙卷风起源的研究进展在很大程度上取决于准确测量超级单体内原位热力学性质的能力。 VORTEX 2项目期间的一个试点计划证明了使用小型无人机系统（UAS）进行定向采样的能力，实现了有史以来第一次由UAS对超级单体雷暴的后翼阵风锋和与后翼下沉气流相关的气团进行采样。 尽管取得了这一成功，但在这样一个系统能够在所需的数量和时间范围内定期返回具有科学价值和足够准确的测量值之前，还有许多工作要做，这项工作将为对强风暴进行有效的现场采样提供下一步所需的工作。 将对风暴特征取样技术进行调查，包括改进风力估计和利用风能收集来延长无人驾驶飞机的取样任务。 这项研究金的成果将与科罗拉多大学博尔德分校和内布拉斯加大学林肯分校目前的努力相结合，以建造下一代气象采样无人机系统。这些综合努力将改变严重的风暴研究提供了一个可部署的仪器系统的“例行”访问到这些风暴与小型，廉价的飞机能够有针对性地采样的热力学性质的复杂的大气现象。智力MeritThe新的能力，有针对性地在现场测量复杂的大气现象是潜在的革命性。贡献包括：1.描述当前风速和加速度估算方法的特点，以及当前小型无人驾驶飞机系统可用传感器的精度。开发混合风状态估计器，将机载传感器测量值与通过合成多普勒雷达观测值获得的测量值融合。采用静态飙升、动态飙升和从阵风中提取能量的算法，估计可以从严重风暴中提取的能量。建设一个混合动力控制器，以利用在严重的风暴中可用的能量，要么遵循特定的采样模式，或延长使命耐力通过loitering.Broader ImpactsThis研究跨越两个不同的学科，并需要三个不同的机构的合作。 它将为下一代系统提供关键组件，该系统旨在准确测量严重风暴的热力学特性。这些测量将有利于建模和预测，从而更好地了解风暴，并建立更好的预测系统，最终挽救生命。

Advancement of research into the origins of tornadoes in supercell thunderstorms is heavily dependent upon the ability to accurately measure the in-situ thermodynamic properties within supercells. A pilot program during the VORTEX2 project proved the ability to conduct directed sampling using small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), achieving the first ever sampling of the rear flank gust front and airmass associated with the rear flank downdraft of a supercell thunderstorm by a UAS. Despite this success, much work remains before such a system will be able to regularly return scientifically valuable and sufficiently accurate measurements over the volume and time span needed.This work will provide the next step needed for effective in-situ sampling of severe storms. An investigation into the techniques for sampling storm features will be performed, including improved wind estimation and the use of wind energy harvesting to extend unmanned aircraft sampling missions. The product of this fellowship will be combined with current efforts at the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Nebraska-Lincoln to construct a next generation UAS for meteorological sampling. These combined efforts will transform severe storms research by providing a deployable instrument system for "routine" access into these storms with small, inexpensive aircraft capable of targeted sampling of the thermodynamic properties of complex atmospheric phenomena.Intellectual MeritThe new capabilities for targeted in-situ measurements in complex atmospheric phenomena are potentially revolutionary. Contributions include:1. Characterization of current methods for wind velocity and acceleration estimation, with respect to the accuracy of currently available sensors for small unmanned aircraft systems.2. Development of a hybrid wind state estimator to fuse on-board sensor measurements from those obtained through the synthesis of Doppler radar observations.3. Estimation of the amount of energy that can be extracted from severe storms employing algorithms for static soaring, dynamic soaring, and energy extraction from gusts.4. Construction of a hybrid controller to take advantage of the energy available in severe storms to either follow a specific sampling pattern, or extend mission endurance through loitering.Broader ImpactsThis research spans two distinct disciplines, and requires the collaboration of three different institutions. It will provide a critical component for the next-generation system designed to accurately measure the thermodynamic properties of severe storms. These measurements will benefit both modeling and forecasting, allowing for greater understanding of the storms, and better prediction systems which will ultimately save lives.