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Abstract
Hurricane vertical motion properties are studied using aircraft-measured 1 Hz time series of vertical velocity obtained during radial penetrations of four mature hurricanes. A total of 115 penetrations from nine flight sorties at altitudes from 0.5 to 6.1 km are included in the data set. Convective vertical motion events are classified as updrafts (or downdrafts) if the vertical velocity was continuously positive (or negative) for at least 500 m and exceed an absolute value of 0.5 m s−1. Over 3000 updrafts and nearly 2000 downdrafts are included in the data set. A second criteria was used to define stronger events, called cores. This criteria required that upward (or downward) vertical velocity be continuously greater than an absolute value of 1 m s−1 for at least 500 m.
The draft and core properties are summarized as distributions of average and maximum vertical velocity, diameter, and vertical mass transport in two regions: eyewall and rainband. In both regions updrafts dominated over downdrafts, both in number and mass transport. In the eyewall region, the draft and core strength distributions were similar to data collected by aircraft in GATE cumulonimbus clouds. Unlike GATE clouds, however, the largest updraft cores (larger than 90% of the distribution) were over twice as large and transported twice as much mass as did the corresponding GATE updraft cores. Eyewall ascent was highly organized in a channel several kilometers wide located a few kilometers radically inward from the radius of maximum tangential wind.
As in GATE, the strongest hurricane updraft cores were weak in comparison with the strongest updrafts observed in typical midlatitude thunderstorms. Mean eyewall profiles of radar reflectivity and cloud water content are discussed to illustrate the microphysical implications of the low updraft rates.
Abstract
Hurricane vertical motion properties are studied using aircraft-measured 1 Hz time series of vertical velocity obtained during radial penetrations of four mature hurricanes. A total of 115 penetrations from nine flight sorties at altitudes from 0.5 to 6.1 km are included in the data set. Convective vertical motion events are classified as updrafts (or downdrafts) if the vertical velocity was continuously positive (or negative) for at least 500 m and exceed an absolute value of 0.5 m s−1. Over 3000 updrafts and nearly 2000 downdrafts are included in the data set. A second criteria was used to define stronger events, called cores. This criteria required that upward (or downward) vertical velocity be continuously greater than an absolute value of 1 m s−1 for at least 500 m.
The draft and core properties are summarized as distributions of average and maximum vertical velocity, diameter, and vertical mass transport in two regions: eyewall and rainband. In both regions updrafts dominated over downdrafts, both in number and mass transport. In the eyewall region, the draft and core strength distributions were similar to data collected by aircraft in GATE cumulonimbus clouds. Unlike GATE clouds, however, the largest updraft cores (larger than 90% of the distribution) were over twice as large and transported twice as much mass as did the corresponding GATE updraft cores. Eyewall ascent was highly organized in a channel several kilometers wide located a few kilometers radically inward from the radius of maximum tangential wind.
As in GATE, the strongest hurricane updraft cores were weak in comparison with the strongest updrafts observed in typical midlatitude thunderstorms. Mean eyewall profiles of radar reflectivity and cloud water content are discussed to illustrate the microphysical implications of the low updraft rates.
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Abstract
Mechanisms responsible for meso- and convective-scale organization within a large tropical squall line that occurred on 22 February 1993 during the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment are investigated using a three-dimensional numerical cloud model. The squall line occurred in an environment typical of fast-moving tropical squall lines, characterized by moderate convective available potential energy and moderate-to-strong vertical shear beneath a low-level jet with weak reverse vertical shear above.
A well-simulated aspect of the observed squall line is the evolution of a portion of its leading convective zone from a quasi-linear to a three-dimensional bow-shaped structure over a 2-h period. This transition is accompanied by the development of both a prominent mesoscale vortex along the northern edge of the 40–60-km long bow-shaped feature and elongated bands of weaker reflectivity situated rearward and oriented transverse to the leading edge, within enhanced front-to-rear system relative midlevel flow, near the southern end of the bow. The vertical wind shear that arises from the convectively induced mesoscale flow within the squall-line system is found to be a critical factor influencing 1) the development of the vortex and 2) through its associated vertical pressure gradients, the pronounced along-line variability of the convective updraft and precipitation structure. The environmental wind profile is also critical to system organization since the orientation of its vertical shear (in layers both above and below the environmental jet height) relative to the local orientation of the incipient storm-induced subcloud cold pool directly influences the onset of the convectively induced mesoscale flow.
Abstract
Mechanisms responsible for meso- and convective-scale organization within a large tropical squall line that occurred on 22 February 1993 during the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment are investigated using a three-dimensional numerical cloud model. The squall line occurred in an environment typical of fast-moving tropical squall lines, characterized by moderate convective available potential energy and moderate-to-strong vertical shear beneath a low-level jet with weak reverse vertical shear above.
A well-simulated aspect of the observed squall line is the evolution of a portion of its leading convective zone from a quasi-linear to a three-dimensional bow-shaped structure over a 2-h period. This transition is accompanied by the development of both a prominent mesoscale vortex along the northern edge of the 40–60-km long bow-shaped feature and elongated bands of weaker reflectivity situated rearward and oriented transverse to the leading edge, within enhanced front-to-rear system relative midlevel flow, near the southern end of the bow. The vertical wind shear that arises from the convectively induced mesoscale flow within the squall-line system is found to be a critical factor influencing 1) the development of the vortex and 2) through its associated vertical pressure gradients, the pronounced along-line variability of the convective updraft and precipitation structure. The environmental wind profile is also critical to system organization since the orientation of its vertical shear (in layers both above and below the environmental jet height) relative to the local orientation of the incipient storm-induced subcloud cold pool directly influences the onset of the convectively induced mesoscale flow.
Abstract
A collection of case studies is used to elucidate the influence of environmental soundings on the structure and evolution of the convection in the mesoscale convective systems sampled by the turboprop aircraft in the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE). The soundings were constructed primarily from aircraft data below 5–6 km and primarily from radiosonde data at higher altitudes.
The well-documented role of the vertical shear of the horizontal wind in determining the mesoscale structure of tropical convection is confirmed and extended. As noted by earlier investigators, nearly all convective bands occurring in environments with appreciable shear below a low-level wind maximum are oriented nearly normal to the shear beneath the wind maximum and propagate in the direction of the low-level shear at a speed close to the wind maximum; when there is appreciable shear at middle levels (800–400 mb), convective bands form parallel to the shear. With appreciable shear at both levels, the lower-level shear determines the orientation of the primary convective bands. If the midlevel shear is opposite the low-level shear, secondary bands parallel to the midlevel shear will extend rearward from the primary band in later stages of its evolution; if the midlevel shear is 90 degrees to the low-level shear, the primary band will retain its two-dimensional mesoscale structure. Convection has no obvious mesoscale organization on days with little shear or days with widespread convection.
Environmental temperatures and humidities have no obvious effect on the mesoscale convective pattern, but they affect COARE convection in other ways. The high tops of COARE convection are related to high parcel equilibrium levels, which approach 100 mb in some cases. Convective available potential energies are larger than those in the GARP (Global Atmospheric Research Program) Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE) mainly because of the higher equilibrium levels. The buoyancy integrated over the lowest 500 mb is similar for the two experiments. Convective inihibitions are small, enabling convection to propagate with only weak forcing. Comparison of slow-moving shear-parallel bands in COARE and GATE suggests that lower relative humidities between the top of the mixed layer and 500 mb can shorten their lifetimes significantly.
COARE mesoscale organization and evolution differs from what was observed in GATE. Less-organized convection is more common in COARE. Of the convective bands observed, a greater fraction in COARE are faster-moving, shear-perpendicular squall lines. GATE slow-moving lines tend to be longer lived than those for COARE. The differences are probably traceable to differences in environmental shear and relative humidity, respectively.
Abstract
A collection of case studies is used to elucidate the influence of environmental soundings on the structure and evolution of the convection in the mesoscale convective systems sampled by the turboprop aircraft in the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE). The soundings were constructed primarily from aircraft data below 5–6 km and primarily from radiosonde data at higher altitudes.
The well-documented role of the vertical shear of the horizontal wind in determining the mesoscale structure of tropical convection is confirmed and extended. As noted by earlier investigators, nearly all convective bands occurring in environments with appreciable shear below a low-level wind maximum are oriented nearly normal to the shear beneath the wind maximum and propagate in the direction of the low-level shear at a speed close to the wind maximum; when there is appreciable shear at middle levels (800–400 mb), convective bands form parallel to the shear. With appreciable shear at both levels, the lower-level shear determines the orientation of the primary convective bands. If the midlevel shear is opposite the low-level shear, secondary bands parallel to the midlevel shear will extend rearward from the primary band in later stages of its evolution; if the midlevel shear is 90 degrees to the low-level shear, the primary band will retain its two-dimensional mesoscale structure. Convection has no obvious mesoscale organization on days with little shear or days with widespread convection.
Environmental temperatures and humidities have no obvious effect on the mesoscale convective pattern, but they affect COARE convection in other ways. The high tops of COARE convection are related to high parcel equilibrium levels, which approach 100 mb in some cases. Convective available potential energies are larger than those in the GARP (Global Atmospheric Research Program) Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE) mainly because of the higher equilibrium levels. The buoyancy integrated over the lowest 500 mb is similar for the two experiments. Convective inihibitions are small, enabling convection to propagate with only weak forcing. Comparison of slow-moving shear-parallel bands in COARE and GATE suggests that lower relative humidities between the top of the mixed layer and 500 mb can shorten their lifetimes significantly.
COARE mesoscale organization and evolution differs from what was observed in GATE. Less-organized convection is more common in COARE. Of the convective bands observed, a greater fraction in COARE are faster-moving, shear-perpendicular squall lines. GATE slow-moving lines tend to be longer lived than those for COARE. The differences are probably traceable to differences in environmental shear and relative humidity, respectively.
Abstract
An examination of the properties of updraft and downdraft cores using Electra data from TOGA COARE shows that they have diameters and vertical velocities similar to cores observed over other parts of the tropical and subtropical oceans. As in previous studies, a core is defined as having vertical velocity of the same sign and greater than an absolute value of 1 m s−1 for at least 500 m. A requirement that the core contain either cloud or precipitation throughout is added, but this should not affect the results significantly.
Since the Electra was equipped with the Ophir III radiometric temperature sensor, it was also possible to make estimates of core buoyancies. As in TAMEX and EMEX, where core temperatures were estimated using the modified side-looking Barnes radiometer on the NOAA P3s, a significant fraction of both updraft and downdraft cores had apparent virtual temperatures greater than their environments. In fact, the average virtual temperature deviation from the environment for downdraft cores was +0.4 K.
Sixteen of the strongest downdraft cores were examined, all of which had positive virtual-temperature deviations, to find the source of this surprising result. It is concluded that the downdraft cores are artificially warm because 100% relative humidity was assumed in calculating virtual temperature. However, reducing core mixing ratios to more physically realistic values does not eliminate warm virtual potential temperature downdraft cores, nor does water loading make all cores negatively buoyant. Thus positively buoyant convective downdrafts do exist, though probably in smaller numbers than previously suggested.
Abstract
An examination of the properties of updraft and downdraft cores using Electra data from TOGA COARE shows that they have diameters and vertical velocities similar to cores observed over other parts of the tropical and subtropical oceans. As in previous studies, a core is defined as having vertical velocity of the same sign and greater than an absolute value of 1 m s−1 for at least 500 m. A requirement that the core contain either cloud or precipitation throughout is added, but this should not affect the results significantly.
Since the Electra was equipped with the Ophir III radiometric temperature sensor, it was also possible to make estimates of core buoyancies. As in TAMEX and EMEX, where core temperatures were estimated using the modified side-looking Barnes radiometer on the NOAA P3s, a significant fraction of both updraft and downdraft cores had apparent virtual temperatures greater than their environments. In fact, the average virtual temperature deviation from the environment for downdraft cores was +0.4 K.
Sixteen of the strongest downdraft cores were examined, all of which had positive virtual-temperature deviations, to find the source of this surprising result. It is concluded that the downdraft cores are artificially warm because 100% relative humidity was assumed in calculating virtual temperature. However, reducing core mixing ratios to more physically realistic values does not eliminate warm virtual potential temperature downdraft cores, nor does water loading make all cores negatively buoyant. Thus positively buoyant convective downdrafts do exist, though probably in smaller numbers than previously suggested.
Abstract
This study documents the precipitation and kinematic structure of a mature, eastward propagating, oceanic squall line system observed by instrumented aircraft during the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE). Doppler radar and low-level in situ observations are used to show the evolution of the convection from an initially linear NNW–SSE-oriented convective line to a highly bow-shaped structure with an embedded low- to midlevel counterclockwise rotating vortex on its northern flank. In addition to previously documented features of squall lines such as highly upshear-tilted convection on its leading edge, a channel of strong front-to-rear flow that ascended with height over a “rear-inflow” that descended toward the convective line, and a pronounced low-level cold pool apparently fed from convective and mesoscale downdrafts from the convective line; rearward, the observations of this system showed distinct multiple maxima in updraft strength with height and reflectivity bands extending rearward transverse to the principal convective line. Vertical motions within the active convective region of the squall line system were determined using a new approach that utilized near-simultaneous observations by the Doppler radars on two aircraft with up to four Doppler radial velocity estimates at echo top. Echo-top vertical motion can then be derived directly, which obviates the traditional dual-Doppler assumption of no vertical velocity at the top boundary and results in a more accurate estimate of tropospheric vertical velocity through downward integration of horizontal divergence.
Low-level flight-level observations of temperature, wind speed, and dew point collected rearward of the squall line are used to estimate bulk fluxes of dry and moist static energy. The strong near-surface fluxes, due to the warm sea and high winds, combined with estimates of mesoscale advection, are used to estimate boundary layer recovery time; they indicate that the boundary layer could recover from the effects of the cold dome within about 3 h of first cold air injection if the observed near-surface winds were maintained. However, the injection and spreading of air from above leads to cooling at a fixed spot ∼20 km rearward of the convective line (surface θ e minimum point), suggesting that the cold pool could be still intensifying at the time of observation. Recovery time at a point is probably similar to that measured in previous studies.
Abstract
This study documents the precipitation and kinematic structure of a mature, eastward propagating, oceanic squall line system observed by instrumented aircraft during the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE). Doppler radar and low-level in situ observations are used to show the evolution of the convection from an initially linear NNW–SSE-oriented convective line to a highly bow-shaped structure with an embedded low- to midlevel counterclockwise rotating vortex on its northern flank. In addition to previously documented features of squall lines such as highly upshear-tilted convection on its leading edge, a channel of strong front-to-rear flow that ascended with height over a “rear-inflow” that descended toward the convective line, and a pronounced low-level cold pool apparently fed from convective and mesoscale downdrafts from the convective line; rearward, the observations of this system showed distinct multiple maxima in updraft strength with height and reflectivity bands extending rearward transverse to the principal convective line. Vertical motions within the active convective region of the squall line system were determined using a new approach that utilized near-simultaneous observations by the Doppler radars on two aircraft with up to four Doppler radial velocity estimates at echo top. Echo-top vertical motion can then be derived directly, which obviates the traditional dual-Doppler assumption of no vertical velocity at the top boundary and results in a more accurate estimate of tropospheric vertical velocity through downward integration of horizontal divergence.
Low-level flight-level observations of temperature, wind speed, and dew point collected rearward of the squall line are used to estimate bulk fluxes of dry and moist static energy. The strong near-surface fluxes, due to the warm sea and high winds, combined with estimates of mesoscale advection, are used to estimate boundary layer recovery time; they indicate that the boundary layer could recover from the effects of the cold dome within about 3 h of first cold air injection if the observed near-surface winds were maintained. However, the injection and spreading of air from above leads to cooling at a fixed spot ∼20 km rearward of the convective line (surface θ e minimum point), suggesting that the cold pool could be still intensifying at the time of observation. Recovery time at a point is probably similar to that measured in previous studies.
Abstract
During the 2010 Bio–Hydro–Atmosphere Interactions of Energy, Aerosols, Carbon, H2O, and Nitrogen (BEACHON) experiment in Colorado, nighttime temperatures over a site within the 2002 “Hayman” fire scar were considerably warmer than over the “Manitou” site that was located outside the fire scar. Temperature differences reached up to 7 K at the surface and extended to an average of 500 m AGL. Afternoon temperatures through the planetary boundary layer (PBL) were similar at the two locations. PBL growth during the day was more rapid at Manitou until 1300 local time, after which the two daytime PBLs had similar temperatures and depths. Observations were taken in fair weather, with weak winds. Runs of the Advanced Research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting model (ARW-WRF) coupled to the Noah-MP land surface model suggest that the fire-induced loss of surface and soil organic matter accounted for the 3–4-K warming at Hayman relative to its prefire state, more than compensating for the cooling due to the fire-induced change in vegetation from forest to grassland. Modeled surface fluxes and soil temperature and moisture changes were consistent with observational studies comparing several-year-old fire scars with adjacent unaffected forests. The remaining difference between the two sites is likely from cold-air pooling at Manitou. It was necessary to increase vertical resolution and replace terrain-following diffusion with horizontal diffusion in ARW-WRF to better capture nighttime near-surface temperature and winds. Daytime PBL growth and afternoon temperature profiles were reasonably reproduced by the basic run with postfire conditions. Winds above the surface were only fairly represented, and refinements made to capture cold pooling degraded daytime temperature profiles slightly.
Abstract
During the 2010 Bio–Hydro–Atmosphere Interactions of Energy, Aerosols, Carbon, H2O, and Nitrogen (BEACHON) experiment in Colorado, nighttime temperatures over a site within the 2002 “Hayman” fire scar were considerably warmer than over the “Manitou” site that was located outside the fire scar. Temperature differences reached up to 7 K at the surface and extended to an average of 500 m AGL. Afternoon temperatures through the planetary boundary layer (PBL) were similar at the two locations. PBL growth during the day was more rapid at Manitou until 1300 local time, after which the two daytime PBLs had similar temperatures and depths. Observations were taken in fair weather, with weak winds. Runs of the Advanced Research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting model (ARW-WRF) coupled to the Noah-MP land surface model suggest that the fire-induced loss of surface and soil organic matter accounted for the 3–4-K warming at Hayman relative to its prefire state, more than compensating for the cooling due to the fire-induced change in vegetation from forest to grassland. Modeled surface fluxes and soil temperature and moisture changes were consistent with observational studies comparing several-year-old fire scars with adjacent unaffected forests. The remaining difference between the two sites is likely from cold-air pooling at Manitou. It was necessary to increase vertical resolution and replace terrain-following diffusion with horizontal diffusion in ARW-WRF to better capture nighttime near-surface temperature and winds. Daytime PBL growth and afternoon temperature profiles were reasonably reproduced by the basic run with postfire conditions. Winds above the surface were only fairly represented, and refinements made to capture cold pooling degraded daytime temperature profiles slightly.
Scientific investigation is supposed to be objective and strictly logical, but this is not always the case: the process that leads to a good conclusion can be messy. This narrative describes interactions among a group of scientists trying to solve a simple problem that had scientific implications. It started with the observation of a cloud exhibiting behavior associated with supercooled water and temperatures around −20°C. However, other aspects of the cloud suggested an altitude where the temperature was around −40°C. For several months following the appearance of the cloud on 23 March 2011, the people involved searched for evidence, formed strong opinions, argued, examined evidence more carefully, changed their minds, and searched for more evidence until they could reach agreement. While they concluded that the cloud was at the higher and colder altitude, evidence for supercooled liquid water at that altitude is not conclusive.
Scientific investigation is supposed to be objective and strictly logical, but this is not always the case: the process that leads to a good conclusion can be messy. This narrative describes interactions among a group of scientists trying to solve a simple problem that had scientific implications. It started with the observation of a cloud exhibiting behavior associated with supercooled water and temperatures around −20°C. However, other aspects of the cloud suggested an altitude where the temperature was around −40°C. For several months following the appearance of the cloud on 23 March 2011, the people involved searched for evidence, formed strong opinions, argued, examined evidence more carefully, changed their minds, and searched for more evidence until they could reach agreement. While they concluded that the cloud was at the higher and colder altitude, evidence for supercooled liquid water at that altitude is not conclusive.
Abstract
Heights of nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) features are determined using vertical profiles from the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting Model (ARW-WRF), and then compared to data for three moderately windy fair-weather nights during the April–May 1997 Kansas-based Cooperative Atmosphere–Surface Exchange Study (CASES-97) to evaluate the success of four PBL schemes in replicating observations. The schemes are Bougeault–LaCarrere (BouLac), Mellor–Yamada–Janjić (MYJ), quasi-normal scale elimination (QNSE), and Yonsei University (YSU) versions 3.2 and 3.4.1. This study’s chosen objectively determined model NBL height h estimate uses a turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) threshold equal to 5%
Abstract
Heights of nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) features are determined using vertical profiles from the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting Model (ARW-WRF), and then compared to data for three moderately windy fair-weather nights during the April–May 1997 Kansas-based Cooperative Atmosphere–Surface Exchange Study (CASES-97) to evaluate the success of four PBL schemes in replicating observations. The schemes are Bougeault–LaCarrere (BouLac), Mellor–Yamada–Janjić (MYJ), quasi-normal scale elimination (QNSE), and Yonsei University (YSU) versions 3.2 and 3.4.1. This study’s chosen objectively determined model NBL height h estimate uses a turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) threshold equal to 5%