Transcript Document

Rainband and Intensity Change
Experiment “RAINEX”
An Observational and Modeling Study of Hurricane Rainbands and
Intensity Changes
(Collaboration between NSF & NOAA, NSF ~$ 3+M)
NSF PIs: Shuyi S. Chen and Robert A. Houze, Jr.
dropsondes
model
Doppler radar
Approach:
•Use a/c Doppler radar to observe both
eyewall and rainband internal vorticity
structures simultaneously
•Use intensive dropsondes for
thermodynamic environment of
mesoscale rainbands and eyewall to
support both analysis and modeling
Seek match between model and
aircraft- observed structures at an
instant of time, in both eyewall and
rainband
•Use model to determine how the
vorticity features evolve and storm
intensity changes
RAINEX Meeting Objectives
1) Foundation for project operations plan, to be written
after meeting
2) Critical operations issues:
•
Flight track plan, incorporating both Doppler &
dropsondes
•
Communications links, including radar data
•
Science operations center, for near real time
synthesis of a/c data, model output, & other info
•
Contingency plans, if weather doesn’t cooperate
•
Other
3) Data management & archive
4) Timeline leading up to hurricane season
5) Meeting report—due next week!!
Four characteristic tropical cyclone
rainband/eyewall structures
RAINEX A/C Plan
Suggested
tracks of
GIV,C130
3 a/c
mission
NRL-black
Piggy-white
Kermit-blue
GIV/C130-red
100 km
2 a/c
mission
Piggy-white
Kermit-blue
GIV/C130-red
100 km
2 a/c
mission
NRL-black
Kermit-blue
GIV/C130-red
100 km
Simplified RAINEX Data Flow
C130/GIV
Piggy
Kermit
NRL/P3
air
ground
RSMAS
ATD
NHC
HRD
JOSS
P3 Airborne Mission Scientists
Lee (NRL)
Smull (NOAA or NRL)
Jorgensen* (NOAA or NRL)
Chen (NOAA or NRL)
Rogers (NOAA)
M. Black (NOAA)
Gamache (NOAA)
Dodge (NOAA)
Zipser* (NOAA)
*volunteer
Some Issues identified yesterday
Dropsondes from high altitude
Environment
Eyewall
Principal rainband
Protocol for requesting dropsondes
RAINEX-HRD-NHC-EMC-CARCAH
Communications & coordination—
43 needs to be lead P3
Need to transmit LF every 10 to 15 mins, content?
People who will do this development
Operations
Dropsonde chute on NRL P3 (pressurization)
RAINEX A/C Plan
Suggested
tracks of
GIV,C130
Specific Questions Regarding Dropsonde Flight Tracks
1) RAINEX critically needs PV budget information need dropsondes
launched from the GIV and/or C130 flying at 30,000 feet. Best if in
eyewall region and principal band region. To what extent can this be
done?
2) Can RAINEX desired tracks be done within the constraints of NOAA
operational surveillance flights and HRD research flights?
3) Can GIV dropsonde flight tracks be reprogrammed while a/c are in
the air?
4) What is the exact protocol for RAINEX to request special dropsonde
flight patterns?
RAINEX TIMELINE
2004
Sep
Oct
2005
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug Sep
Field
phase
Planning Meeting
in Miami
Practice Missions
Funding Approval
Initial information gathering trip
to HRD and RSMAS
Final setup & testing of
Science Operations Center
Initial setup of Science
Operations Center
Science Objectives

Use a/c to examine the dynamic and thermodynamic
structures of hurricane outer rainband regions where the
positive potential vorticity associated with deep convective
cores are located

Use model to investigate the interactions of the rainbands
and primary hurricane vortex circulation and their role in
hurricane intensity change.
Working hypothesis, based on
recent research:
In the convective
rainband region
outside of the
hurricane inner core,
convectively induced
potential vorticity may
be “axisymmetrized”
by high wave number
Rossby waves.
Specific questions
1) How do PV maxima associated with
rainbands organize (axisymmetrize) into the
primary eyewall?
2) How do PV maxima associated with
rainbands outside the primary eyewall
interact with the eyewall?
3) How do PV maxima associated with
rainbands outside the primary eyewall
axisymmetrize into a secondary eyewall
4) How do the secondary and primary eyewall
interact with each other