Dynamics of downdrafts and their role in tropical rainfall

在气候变化的影响下，降雨强度和模式的变化可能会造成巨大的人类、农业、生态和经济成本。这种降雨与强对流风暴有关，强对流风暴产生了下降的冷空气和雨柱。目前尚不清楚各种动力过程如何相互作用来产生观测到的降雨量分布，是什么决定了下沉气流与地面的影响所产生的冷池的初始性质，以及两个或更多个冷池的碰撞如何触发二次对流。学生将进行实验室实验，以确定控制二次对流产生和降雨模式和强度的主要物理过程。这些实验将根据数学模型进行解释，然后根据气象背景进行外推。学生将接受包括PIV、数字图像处理和数据分析在内的实验室实验以及数学建模方面的培训。学生还将接受使用英国气象局数值模型的培训，并解释结果

Under the impacts of climate change, variations in rainfall intensities and patterns can cause huge human, agricultural, ecological and economic costs. This rainfall is associated with strong convective storms that create descending columns of cold air and rain. It is unclear how the various dynamical processes interact to produce the observed rainfall distributions, what determines the initial properties of the cold pool that results from the impact of the downdraft with the ground, and how a collision of two or more pools triggers secondary convection. The student will carry out laboratory experiments to determine the main physical processes that control the generation of secondary convection and rainfall patterns and intensities. These experiments will be interpreted in terms of mathematical models and then extrapolated to the meteorological context. The student will receive training in laboratory experiments including PIV, digital image processing and data analysis, and in mathematical modeling. The student will also be trained to use the Met Office numerical models and interpret the results