Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

NASA's Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) Field Experiment

Scott A. Braun NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

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Ramesh Kakar NASA, Washington, D.C.

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Edward Zipser University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

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Gerald Heymsfield NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

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Cerese Albers The Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida

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Shannon Brown Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California

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Stephen L. Durden Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California

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Stephen Guimond Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

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Jeffery Halverson University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland

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Andrew Heymsfield National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado

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Syed Ismail NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia

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Bjorn Lambrigtsen Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California

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Timothy Miller NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama

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Simone Tanelli Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California

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Janel Thomas University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland

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Jon Zawislak University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

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Online Publication:
01 Mar 2013
Print Publication:
01 Mar 2013
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-11-00232.1
Page(s):
345–363
Restricted access

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In August–September 2010, NASA, NOAA, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) conducted separate but closely coordinated hurricane field campaigns, bringing to bear a combined seven aircraft with both new and mature observing technologies. NASA's Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) experiment, the subject of this article, along with NOAA's Intensity Forecasting Experiment (IFEX) and NSF's Pre-Depression Investigation of Cloud-Systems in the Tropics (PREDICT) experiment, obtained unprecedented observations of the formation and intensification of tropical cyclones. The major goal of GRIP was to better understand the physical processes that control hurricane formation and intensity change, specifically the relative roles of environmental and inner-core processes. A key focus of GRIP was the application of new technologies to address this important scientific goal, including the first ever use of the unmanned Global Hawk aircraft for hurricane science operations. NASA and NOAA conducted coordinated flights to thoroughly sample the rapid intensification (RI) of Hurricanes Earl and Karl. The tri-agency aircraft teamed up to perform coordinated flights for the genesis of Hurricane Karl and Tropical Storm Matthew and the nonredevelopment of the remnants of Tropical Storm Gaston. The combined GRIP– IFEX–PREDICT datasets, along with remote sensing data from a variety of satellite platforms [Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Aqua, Terra, CloudSat, and Cloud–Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO)], will contribute to advancing understanding of hurricane formation and intensification. This article summarizes the GRIP experiment, the missions flown, and some preliminary findings.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Scott A. Braun, NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 612, Greenbelt, MD 20771, E-mail: scott.a.braun@nasa.gov

In August–September 2010, NASA, NOAA, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) conducted separate but closely coordinated hurricane field campaigns, bringing to bear a combined seven aircraft with both new and mature observing technologies. NASA's Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) experiment, the subject of this article, along with NOAA's Intensity Forecasting Experiment (IFEX) and NSF's Pre-Depression Investigation of Cloud-Systems in the Tropics (PREDICT) experiment, obtained unprecedented observations of the formation and intensification of tropical cyclones. The major goal of GRIP was to better understand the physical processes that control hurricane formation and intensity change, specifically the relative roles of environmental and inner-core processes. A key focus of GRIP was the application of new technologies to address this important scientific goal, including the first ever use of the unmanned Global Hawk aircraft for hurricane science operations. NASA and NOAA conducted coordinated flights to thoroughly sample the rapid intensification (RI) of Hurricanes Earl and Karl. The tri-agency aircraft teamed up to perform coordinated flights for the genesis of Hurricane Karl and Tropical Storm Matthew and the nonredevelopment of the remnants of Tropical Storm Gaston. The combined GRIP– IFEX–PREDICT datasets, along with remote sensing data from a variety of satellite platforms [Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Aqua, Terra, CloudSat, and Cloud–Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO)], will contribute to advancing understanding of hurricane formation and intensification. This article summarizes the GRIP experiment, the missions flown, and some preliminary findings.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Scott A. Braun, NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 612, Greenbelt, MD 20771, E-mail: scott.a.braun@nasa.gov
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