VORTEX2: Mobile Upsonde Measurements and Studies of Lower Tropospheric Processes

超级单体（长寿命的旋转雷暴）对社会有很大的影响，占重大龙卷风和其他恶劣天气的绝大多数。 最近的气候学和过程研究揭示了超级单体外流温度的明显重要性，以及较低的对流层垂直风切变和直减率，龙卷风的形成。然而，在导致超细胞龙卷风的物理过程链中仍然缺少因果联系。 这种知识的缺乏是很重要的，因为没有它，预测和及时发出龙卷风警报（以及避免非龙卷风风暴的误报）的能力就不太可能提高。 本研究的目标是通过即将进行的旋转起源验证实验2（VORTEX 2）期间的移动的上行探空仪测量，以及通过将VORTEX 2观测和理想化数值模拟相结合的假设驱动研究，来解决知识库中的这一差距。研究的具体目标是：a）了解冷池（外流）动力学在超级单体和龙卷风发生中的作用;以及，B）了解风暴-环境相互作用在成熟超级单体中的近风暴低对流层直减率。智力优势。这项研究将促进对龙卷风与非龙卷风超级单体中风暴规模过程的理解。结果将包括交付：一个重要的热力学数据集的所有VORTEX 2主要调查员（PI）;从几个假设，有可能提高龙卷风的预测和警报的测试结果。预计这些研究和测量将具有重要意义，因为它们将共同提供对风暴中对流层下部关键热力学过程的深入了解。更广泛的影响：学生将获得风暴观测和测量的实践经验。PI将提供一门课程，旨在帮助学生为VORTEX 2的实地阶段做好准备，并提供研究项目力学的整体感。最后，PI将把数据和结果纳入他的常规课程和他正在进行的针对高中生的外展工作。 除了会议和同行评议期刊文章的常规场地外，PI还经常与美国东南部的业务预报员互动

Supercells (long-lived rotating thunderstorms) have great impact on society, accounting for the vast majority of significant tornadoes as well as other severe weather. Recent climatologies and process studies have revealed the apparent importance of supercell outflow temperatures, as well as lower tropospheric vertical wind shear and lapse rates, to tornadogenesis. However, there are still causal links missing from the chain of physical processes that lead to supercellular tornadoes. This lack of knowledge is important because, without it, the ability to forecast and produce timely warnings for tornadoes (and to avoid false alarms for non-tornadic storms) is unlikely to improve. The goal of this research is to address this gap in the knowledge base through mobile upsonde measurements during the forthcoming Verification of the Origins of Rotation Experiment 2 (VORTEX 2), and through hypothesis-driven research incorporating both VORTEX 2 observations and idealized numerical simulations. The specific aims of the research are a) to understand the role of cold pool (outflow) dynamics in supercells and tornadogenesis; and, b) to understand storm-environmental interactions in mature supercells in terms of the near-storm lower tropospheric lapse rates. Intellectual Merit. The research will advance understanding of storm-scale processes in tornadic vs. non-tornadic supercells. Outcomes will include the delivery of: an important thermodynamic dataset for all VORTEX 2 Principal Investigators (PIs); results from tests of several hypotheses that have the potential to improve tornado forecasts and warnings. The research and measurements are expected to be significant, because together they will provide insight into key lower tropospheric thermodynamic processes in storms. Broader Impacts: Students will gain hands-on experience in storm observing and measurements. The PI will offer a course designed to prepare students for the field phase of VORTEX 2 and to provide a holistic sense of the mechanics of research projects. Finally, the PI will incorporate data and results into his routine courses and into his ongoing outreach effort that targets high school students. In addition to the routine venues of conferences and peer-reviewed journal articles, the PI frequently interacts with operational forecasters in the southeastern United States