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.

风暴生成的边界是龙卷风发生的焦点。因此，需要对超级电池中的边界和阵风前结构进行更完整的了解，以提高对负责支撑或阻碍近表面旋转浓度的过程的理解。 雷达和UAS的靶向观察（圆环）旨在通过阐明风暴生成的边界和风暴流出结构之间的关系，以改善超级电池的概念模型，以与近距离旋转的产生/扩增相关。通过协调且重点紧密的部署新的遥远和建立的遥感和原位仪器将获得新的见解最近在超级细胞龙卷风的观察和数值分析中揭示了。这些角色的准确识别将推进知识的前沿，并改变超级电池的概念模型。 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风暴居住的环境条件的特​​征。圆环现场运动将在42天的部署中进行，涵盖两个春季季节（2019年5月至6月和2020年），覆盖美国中部约1,300,000 km2的运营领域。 观察圆环涉及的平台包括四个无人飞机系统，两个移动ka波段雷达，七个移动中套，一个移动X频段雷达和一个移动声音系统。资产将被部署以将数据集中在风暴的不同部分。至少三名研究生将使用在圆环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圆环数据进行指导的研究项目。 Torus数据将集成到PIS教授的本科和研究生课程中。 Torus Research还将为学生提供参加大气科学和航空航天工程全国会议的机会。 Torus将通过编纂内布拉斯加州林肯大学，得克萨斯州理工大学，国家严重风暴实验室和科罗拉多大学博尔德大学的合作来增强研究和教育的基础设施，并通过支持切割仪器的改进。圆环的结果将被广泛传播，以增强科学和技术理解。这将包括在同行评审期刊上出版，向当地和地区团体（例如K-12学校，博物馆等）以及参与机构和其他地方的研讨会上的演讲。还将寻求与运营预测社区的直接互动（例如，通过当地的国家气象服务预报办公室），以便可以方便地有效地将这些结果分解为运营预报员。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过该基金会的知识分子优点和广泛的影响来评估NSF的法定任务。

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.