The Electrical Evolution of Thunderstorms

9626542马歇尔 虽然在过去的十年里，人们对雷暴的电气化有了很多了解，但仍有相当多的东西是未知的。 关于电荷中心发展的机制有几种相互竞争的理论，但研究仍在进行中，以确定哪些是有效的，以及在什么条件下。 根据该奖项，首席研究员将追求两个研究目标：（1）调查雷暴内的电荷如何在风暴的生命过程中演变;（2）调查大部分电荷是否携带在降水大小的颗粒上。 为实现这些目标，主要研究者将参与 与其他研究人员一起，在两个观察工作中， 一个在新墨西哥州，一个在俄克拉荷马州。 在雷暴之下，首席研究员将发射气球携带的仪器，测量电场体电荷和单个降水粒子上的电荷。 为了达到目标（1），一系列的气球将被发射到每一个风暴进行研究，间隔约10分钟。 风暴中主要电荷的位置可以从每次气球发射和飞机上其他辅助仪器的电场测量中推断出来。 为了满足目标（2），将降水粒子电荷仪器的结果与从电场测量推断的体电荷进行比较。 这两个实验都将提供有关雷暴如何获得大量电荷的信息。 通过提供有关雷暴中电荷演变和分布的信息，这项研究将推进目前对这些危险和破坏性雷暴如何带电的理解。 ***

9626542 Marshall While much has been learned over the last decade concerning the electrification of thunderstorms, quite a bit is still unknown. There are several competing theories concerning the mechanism by which charge centers develop, but research is still ongoing to determine which of these are valid and under what conditions. Under this award the Principal Investigator will pursue two research objectives: (1) investigate how electric charge inside thunderstorms evolves during the life of the storm; and (2) investigate whether most of this charge is carried on precipitation-sized particles. To accomplish these objectives, the Principal Investigator will participate, in conjunction with other researchers, in two observational efforts one in New Mexico and one in Oklahoma. Beneath thunderstorms, the Principal Investigator will launch balloon-borne instruments that will measure the electric field bulk charge and the charge on individual precipitation particles. To meet objective (1), a series of balloons will be launched about ten minutes apart into each storm to be studied. The locations of the main charges in the storm can be inferred from the electric field measurements made with each balloon launch and with other supporting instrumentation from aircraft. To meet objective (2), the findings from the precipitation particle charge instrument will be compared to the bulk charge inferred from the electric field measurements. Both of these experiments will provide information on how thunderstorms acquire large amounts of electric charge. By providing information about the evolution and distribution of charge in thunderstorms, this research will advance the current understanding of how these dangerous and damaging thunderstorms become electrically charged. ***