Developing a Climatology of Horizontal Convective Rolls over Oklahoma: Combining Observational Data Sets to Increase Understanding

水平对流卷（HCR）是暖季常见的现象，它影响着行星边界层（PBL）的混合、结构和对流的形成。然而，人们对HCR的气候学知之甚少。这种疏忽是令人担忧的，因为HCR存在于对流允许模型中，研究表明，这些建模的HCR可能是由PBL参数化的不准确引起的。本研究的目的是利用Twin Lakes，俄克拉荷马州（KTLX），WSR-88 D在温暖季节观测HCR，并将这些信息与辅助数据合并，为研究HCR开发一个丰富的多年数据库。 根据KTLX的观测结果，我们将追求以下科学目标：1）建立10年暖季HCR发生频率和特征的气候学（开始和衰减的时间、波长、方位角、逐年变化），使用2005-2014年4月至9月的观测; 2）使用快速更新周期（RUC）或快速更新（RAP）分析确定PBL深度和平均PBL风和风切变，从而计算HCR每天的HCR长宽比; 3）利用俄克拉荷马州KTLX晴空雷达体下方三个地面站的中尺度观测数据，计算与HCR形成和维持相关的感热通量和其他地面参数; 4）测试和确定一种强大的HCR识别自动化方法，然后可以在随后的研究中使用，以使用所有可用的WSR在全国范围内扩展HCR气候学。88 D观察点。由此产生的大型数据集HCR然后将被用来检查HCR形成的机制，并帮助提高我们对这种常见的边界层phenomenon.Intellectual Merit的理解：创建的HCR数据集将是新颖的情况下（几百）和丰富的辅助环境数据的表面通量和PBL结构方面，并将用于定义暖季HCR频率，长宽比，方向角，典型的发病时间和寿命的第一次。这些数据将是令人难以置信的有益的比较，在对流允许数值天气预报模式中的HCR形成的频率。这种类型的比较将有助于确定如何以及PBL计划的功能水平网格间距继续减少到3公里以下。更广泛的影响：该项目将提高研究生，本科生和学前教育，包括指导研究生，研究生参与开发的调查为基础的活动，本科气象课程，并实施为期一周的K-12教师研讨会使用这些活动的适应，然后由学年的支持K-12课堂实施。这将导致提高K-12教师和学生的研究策略的理解，利用雷达数据研究中尺度大气现象，并将增加研究生和K-12教师的系统思维参与气象研究的理解，同时也提高了研究人员和研究生的基于探究的教学实践和沟通技巧与非技术观众的理解。

Horizontal convective rolls (HCRs) are a common occurrence in the warm season and influence planetary boundary layer (PBL) mixing, PBL structure and convection initiation. Yet very little is known about the climatology of HCRs. This oversight is worrisome as HCRs are present in convection-allowing models and studies suggest that these modeled HCRs can be caused by inaccuracies in PBL parameterization. The goal of the research is to use the Twin Lakes, Oklahoma (KTLX), WSR-88D to observe HCRs during the warm season and merge this information with ancillary data to develop a rich, multi-year data base for studying HCRs. From the KTLX observations we will pursue the following scientific objectives: 1) Develop a 10-year warm season climatology of HCR occurrence frequency and characteristics (time of onset and decay, wavelength, orientation angle, year-to-year variability) using observations from April to September 2005-2014; 2) Determine PBL depth and mean PBL winds and wind shear using Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) or Rapid Refresh (RAP) analyses, and hence calculate HCR aspect ratios, for each day with HCRs; 3) Use Oklahoma Mesonet observations from three surface stations underneath the KTLX clear-air radar volume to calculate sensible heat flux and other surface parameters associated with HCR formation and maintenance; 4) Test and identify a robust automated approach to HCR identification that could then be used in a subsequent studies to extend the HCR climatology nationally using all available WSR-88D observation locations. The resulting large data set on HCRs will then be used to examine the mechanisms of HCR formation and help improve our understanding of this common boundary layer phenomenon.Intellectual Merit:The created HCR data set will be novel in terms of the number of cases (several hundred) and the richness of the ancillary environmental data on surface fluxes and PBL structure, and will be used to define the warm season HCR frequency, aspect ratios, orientation angles, typical onset time and longevity for the first time ever. These data will be incredibly beneficial to compare with the frequency of HCR formation in convection-allowing numerical weather prediction models. This type of comparison will help determine how well PBL schemes function as horizontal grid spacing continues to decrease below 3 km.Broader Impacts:The project will enhance graduate, undergraduate, and precollege education, including the mentoring of a graduate student, graduate student participation in development of inquiry-based activities for undergraduate meteorology courses, and implementation of a week-long K-12 teacher workshop using adaptations of these activities followed by academic year support for K-12 classroom implementation. This will lead to enhanced K-12 teachers' and students' understanding of research strategies utilizing radar data to study mesoscale atmospheric phenomena and will increase graduate students' and K-12 teachers' understanding of the systems thinking involved in meteorological research, while also enhancing researchers' and graduate students' understanding of inquiry-based teaching practices and communication skills with non-technical audiences.