Transcript Tropical Cyclone Structure-2008 (TCS
Tropical Cyclone Structure-2008 (TCS-08) ONR/NRL Funded Projects
Project Title and Principal Investigator(s)
Long-Range Lightning Detection over the Western Pacific Ocean
Steven Businger ( [email protected]
) University of Hawaii Department of Meteorology Honolulu, HI 96822 Scientific Objectives • Expand PacNet long-range lightning detection network coverage to the Western Pacific Ocean and calibrate the extended network (Pessi et al. 2008).
• Establish relationships over the network domain between lightning rates, electric field strength, rainfall rates, precipitable ice content, and vertical motion. • Investigate the morphology of lightning in storms with an emphasis on TC genesis and intensity change.
• Conduct numerical experiments to assimilate the lightning data stream into the COAMPS with the objective to improve the location, timing, and rate of deepening of TCs.
Background • Lightning outbreaks in TCs are often associated to certain stages of the storm development.
• For instance, hurricanes Katrina and Rita produced eyewall lightning outbreaks during the period of most rapid intensification, during eyewall replacement cycles, and during the time period that encompassed the maximum intensity for each storm (Squires and Businger 2008, Mon. Wea. Rev.).
• Moreover, lightning observations can be used to improve the initial conditions of the NWP models by identifying the intensity and location of latent heating over the TCs. Field Experiment Requirements • All of the data collected during T-PARC (radar, dropsonde, flight level, field mill, etc.) will be synthesized to undertake a careful evaluation of the relationship of lightning to the vigor of convection (rainfall rate, latent heat release, CAPE, and updraft strength). • The research process will follow the approach of Squires and Businger (2008). However, the analysis will go deeper into the microphysical processes and the evolution of the cloud electric field, and a larger variety of storm systems will be analyzed than were evaluated by Squires and Businger.