The goal of this effort is to provide the educational community
and the public with insight into some of the recent
simulation-based research done on severe storms.
Basic principles such as stability, wind shear, CAPE, and helicity
are provided in order for the viewer to better understand how
severe storm modelers think. Explanations of these
principles have been supported through animated graphics,
diagrams, and images, some developed as part of
COMET efforts. The focus is then shifted to understanding
the behavior of both non-supercell and supercell
thunderstorms where model based stills and animations are used
along with schematics. In addition, streaming
video and chase photography enable the learner to
watch the development of a tornado-producing storm from
perspectives that would either be impossible or unwise.
Supercellular structure is broken down with many images
from thunderstorm simulations. Included in this structure
discussion are two separate VRML visualizations (one at
a low-resolution and one with a high-resolution).
These VRML scenes give the user the chance to move around the
storm and actively explore its structure from any angle.
Contact
redrock-webmaster@ncsa.uiuc.edu
with questions or comments regarding this page.
Last updated : Sep. 27, 1999