Collaborative Research: Targeted Observation by Radars and UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) of Supercells (TORUS)

合作研究：雷达和 UAS（无人机系统）对超级细胞（TORUS）的定向观测

• 批准号: 1824713
• 负责人: Christopher Weiss
• 金额: $ 69.88万
• 依托单位: Texas Tech University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-09-01 至 2025-02-28
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1824713&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Targeted; Observation; Radars

Storm-generated boundaries are the focal point for tornadogenesis. As such, a more complete understanding of boundary and gust front structure in supercells is required to advance understanding of the processes responsible for supporting or obstructing the concentration of near-surface rotation. Targeted Observation by Radars and UAS of Supercells (TORUS) aims to improve the conceptual model of supercells by explicating the relationship of storm-generated boundaries and coherent structures within storm outflow to the generation/amplification of near-surface rotation. New insight will be enabled through coordinated and tightly-focused deployments of new and established remote-sensing and in-situ instruments tasked to collect thermodynamic and kinematic observations both aloft and at the surface.Intellectual Merit:Hypothesized mechanisms for tornadogenesis move beyond a focus on just the canonical rear-flank and forward-flank gust fronts and also address the role of boundaries and coherent structures recently revealed in observational and numerical analyses of supercell tornadoes. Accurate identification of these roles will advance the frontiers of knowledge and transform the conceptual model of supercells. Overarching objectives are to 1) expose the 4D character of these boundaries and coherent structures, 2) relate the 4D character of these boundaries and coherent structures to the thermodynamics and kinematics of supercell outflow, 3) associate boundary and coherent structure characteristics to ensuing contraction or failed contraction of near-surface vertical vorticity beneath low-level mesocyclones, and 4) and relate these characteristics to the ambient conditions within which storms reside. The TORUS field campaign will be executed across 42 days of deployments spanning two spring seasons (May-June 2019 and 2020) over an operations domain covering ~1,300,000 km2 of the central US. Observing platforms involved in TORUS include four unmanned aircraft systems, two mobile Ka-band radars, seven mobile mesonets, one mobile X-band radar, and one mobile sounding systems. Assets will be deployed to focus data collection in different parts of storms.Broader Impacts:TORUS will promote teaching, training, and learning by involving ~40 students in the project's field deployments. At least three graduate students will use the data collected during the TORUS field deployments for their thesis research. Undergraduate students will also have opportunities to use TORUS data for mentored research projects. TORUS data will be integrated into undergraduate and graduate courses taught by the PIs. TORUS research will also provide students the opportunity to attend and present at national conferences in atmospheric science and aerospace engineering. TORUS will enhance infrastructure for research and education by codifying collaborations between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Texas Tech University, the National Severe Storms Laboratory, and the University of Colorado-Boulder and by supporting the refinement of cutting-edge instrumentation. Results from TORUS will be broadly disseminated in an effort to enhance scientific and technological understanding. This will include publication in peer-reviewed journals, presentations to local and regional groups (e.g., K-12 schools, museums, etc.), and seminars at participating institutions and elsewhere. Direct interaction with the operational forecasting community will also be sought (e.g., via local National Weather Service Forecast Offices) so that these results can be expediently and effectively disseminated to operational forecasters.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

风暴产生的边界是龙卷风发生的焦点。因此，需要对超级单体中的边界和阵风锋结构有更全面的了解，以促进对支持或阻碍近地表旋转集中的过程的理解。 超级单体雷达和无人机定向观测（TORUS）旨在通过解释风暴产生的边界和风暴流出内的相干结构与近地表旋转的产生/放大之间的关系来改进超级单体的概念模型。新的见解将通过协调和集中部署新的和已建立的遥感和现场仪器来实现，这些仪器的任务是收集高空和地表的热力学和运动学观测结果。 智力优点：龙卷风发生的假设机制超越了对龙卷风发生的关注。只是典型的后侧和前侧阵风锋，还解决了最近在超级单体龙卷风的观测和数值分析中揭示的边界和相干结构的作用。准确识别这些角色将推进知识的前沿并改变超级细胞的概念模型。 总体目标是 1) 揭示这些边界和相干结构的 4D 特征，2) 将这些边界和相干结构的 4D 特征与超级单元流出的热力学和运动学联系起来，3) 将边界和相干结构特征与随后的收缩或低层中气旋下方近地表垂直涡度的收缩失败，4) 并将这些特征与风暴所在的环境条件联系起来。 TORUS 野战活动将在两个春季（2019 年 5 月至 6 月和 2020 年）进行为期 42 天的部署，覆盖美国中部约 1,300,000 平方公里的作战区域。 TORUS涉及的观测平台包括四个无人机系统、两个移动Ka波段雷达、七个移动介网、一个移动X波段雷达和一个移动探测系统。将部署资产以重点收集风暴不同部分的数据。更广泛的影响：TORUS 将通过让约 40 名学生参与该项目的现场部署来促进教学、培训和学习。至少三名研究生将使用 TORUS 现场部署期间收集的数据进行论文研究。本科生还将有机会使用 TORUS 数据进行指导研究项目。 TORUS 数据将被整合到 PI 教授的本科生和研究生课程中。 TORUS 研究还将为学生提供参加大气科学和航空航天工程国家会议并发表演讲的机会。 TORUS 将通过规范内布拉斯加大学林肯分校、德克萨斯理工大学、国家强风暴实验室和科罗拉多大学博尔德分校之间的合作以及支持尖端仪器的改进来加强研究和教育基础设施。 TORUS 的结果将被广泛传播，以加强科学和技术的理解。这将包括在同行评审期刊上发表文章、向当地和区域团体（例如 K-12 学校、博物馆等）进行演示，以及在参与机构和其他地方举办研讨会。还将寻求与业务预报界的直接互动（例如，通过当地国家气象局预报办公室），以便将这些结果方便有效地传播给业务预报员。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并被认为值得通过以下方式获得支持：使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估。

项目成果

Using the Translation Speed and Vertical Structure of Gust Fronts to Infer Buoyancy Deficits within Thunderstorm Outflow

利用阵风锋的平移速度和垂直结构来推断雷暴流出中的浮力不足

• DOI: 10.1175/mwr-d-18-0439.1
• 发表时间: 2019
• 期刊: Monthly Weather Review
• 影响因子: 3.2
• 作者: Hutson, Abby;Weiss, Christopher;Bryan, George
• 通讯作者: Bryan, George

Using Ensemble Sensitivity Analysis to Identify Storm Characteristics Associated with Tornadogenesis in High-Resolution Simulated Supercells

使用集合敏感性分析来识别与高分辨率模拟超级单体中龙卷风发生相关的风暴特征

• DOI: 10.1175/mwr-d-22-0288.1
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Monthly Weather Review
• 影响因子: 3.2
• 作者: Hutson, Abby;Weiss, Christopher
• 通讯作者: Weiss, Christopher

Comparing Observations and Simulations of the Streamwise Vorticity Current and the Forward Flank Convergence Boundary in a Supercell Storm

超级单体风暴中流向涡流和前翼辐合边界的观测与模拟比较

• DOI: 10.1175/mwr-d-20-0251.1
• 发表时间: 2021
• 期刊: Monthly Weather Review
• 影响因子: 3.2
• 作者: Schueth, Alex;Weiss, Christopher;Dahl, Johannes M.L.
• 通讯作者: Dahl, Johannes M.L.