Collaborative Research: Understanding Relationships between Dual-Polarimetric In-cloud Microphysics and Satellite-Observed Cumulus Cloud Properties to Predict Lightning Character

有了这个奖项，研究人员将研究在对流云开始产生闪电时发生的生长和进化的物理过程。该研究将利用：基于卫星的云观测和检索的云特性，包括地球静止运行环境卫星（GOES）和气象卫星第二代（MSG）可见光和红外（IR）测量的时间序列（5-15分钟）；美国s波段双偏振国家气象局监测1988年多普勒雷达观测；地面甚高频闪电测绘阵列（LMA）观测（如阿拉巴马州北部、俄克拉荷马州中部）；在巴西主要降水系统的云过程中收集的观测资料：对云解析模式和全球降水测量（CHUVA）活动的贡献；从卫星（如中分辨率成像光谱仪（MODIS））和地面（如气溶胶机器人网络（AERONET））获取的气溶胶观测资料。该奖项旨在解决闪电预测中的一个基本问题：多尺度过程的组合如何影响闪电的总产生？由此推论：我们如何在闪电预报中获得更长的提前时间（10-15分钟）？具体目标是：(1)通过对水成物和气溶胶类型、数量和分布的高时空分辨率空间和地面遥感观测资料的收集和解释，提高对0-1 h内闪电演变的物理过程和前兆信号的认识；(2)利用地球同步卫星观测、雷达和模式的综合数据，寻求改进闪电量临近预报技能，以获得更长的前置时间（~30-45分钟）和更高的精度；(3)通过科学发现向学生的直接转化，以及通过课程改进间接促进研究生和本科水平的大学教育。更广泛的影响将是提高对难以观测的闪电过程的理解，更熟练的0-1小时闪电定量预报，以及对WSR-88D双极化数据的利用。改进的闪电临近预报将使公众受益，特别是因闪电中断地面运营而遭受巨大损失的航空业。相对较少的研究利用以卫星数据为重点的组合数据集开发了与闪电临近预报相关的物理关系。考虑到GOES-R高级基线成像仪和地球静止闪电成像仪预计将于2016年投入使用，以及气象卫星第三代闪电成像仪将于2019年投入使用，将WSR-88D雷达与卫星结合使用是及时的。此外，与其他大学科学家和研究生的合作将进一步将这项研究扩展到更大的学术和教育界。

With this award, the investigators will examine physical processes occurring in growing and evolving convective clouds as they begin to produce lightning. The study will utilize: Satellite-based cloud observations and retrieved cloud properties, including time-series (5-15-min) of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) and Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) visible and infrared (IR) measurements; S-band dual-polarimetric National Weather Service Surveillance 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) radar observations across the United States; Ground-based VHF Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) observations (e.g., over Northern Alabama, Central Oklahoma); Observations collected during the Cloud processes of the main precipitation systems in Brazil: A contribution to cloud resolving modeling and to the Global Precipitation Measurement(CHUVA) campaign; Retrieved aerosol observations from satellites such as MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and ground, such as from the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET). The award seeks to address a fundamental question in lightning prediction: How does the combination of multi-scale processes influence total lightning production? The corollary to this is: How do we obtain a longer lead time (10-15 min) in lightning forecasting?The specific goals are: (1) To improve understanding of the physical processes and precursory signals of lightning evolution within the 0-1 h timeframe through the collection and interpretation of high-temporal and spatial resolution space- and ground-based remote sensing observations of hydrometeor and aerosol type, amount and distribution; (2) To seek improvement in lightning amount nowcasting skill for longer lead-time (~30-45 min) and higher accuracy using combined data from geostationary satellite observations, radar and models; (3) To significantly bolster graduate- and undergraduate-level university education directly through transition of scientific discoveries to students, and indirectly via curriculum enhancements.The Broader Impacts will be improving understanding of lightning processes that are inherently difficult to observe, more skillful 0-1 hour quantitative lightning nowcasts, and exploitation of WSR-88D dual-polarimetric data. Improved lightning nowcasts will benefit the general public, and especially the aviation industry that suffer substantial costs due to lightning-disrupted ground operations. Relatively few studies have developed physical relationships related to lightning nowcasting using combined datasets with a focus on satellite data. Use of WSR-88D radar in conjunction with satellite is timely in light of new observations from the GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager and Geostationary Lightning Mapper expected in 2016, and from the Meteosat Third Generation Lightning Imager in ~2019. In addition, collaboration with other university scientists and graduate students will further extend this research to the larger academic and educational community.