Collaborative Proposal: Improved Understanding/Prediction of Severe Convective Storms and Attendant Phenomena through Advanced Numerical Simulation

Summary

This project seeks to improve our understanding of severe convective storms and attendant phenomena through the use of advanced numerical simulation. Specific problems this research will address include the following:

1. environmental and model parameters influencing tornado genesis, intensity, and longevity,
2. tornado representation using improved model physics, and
3. the impact of a rapidly changing environment on tornadogenesis.

One of our recent model physics advances is the development of a very sophisticated ice/liquid microphysics scheme (Straka and Gilmore 2005). Application of this microphysical model and others currently under development (under separate funding) will aid in our ability to the address the above key foci and to improve the community's understanding of tornadic storms.

Project Members

Matthew Gilmore - Project Lead & PI
Robert Wilhelmson - PI
Jerry Straka - PI (University of Oklahoma)

Funding

NSF ATM-0449753

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Collaborative Proposal: Concentrating Vorticity Near the Ground: Investigation of Rear-Flank Precipitation, Vorticity Generation, and Transport Processes

Summary

This project advances the means by which microburst-like descending reflectivity cores appear in the rear flank and hook echo region of supercells and their relationships to tornadoes. We have submitted a paper (Rasmussen et al. 2005) describing this phenomenon for several radar case studies. A follow-up study utilizing supercell numerical simulations is underway to understand the microphysics processes that lead to these microburst-like features and what their thermodynamic properties are (Gilmore et al. 2005) which has consequences for tornadogenesis (Markowski et al. 2002). This will be accomplished using an advanced microphysics scheme with greatly improved rain and ice representation (Straka and Gilmore 2005). This advanced microphysics scheme is also being used to understand the spectrum of supercell storms (from LP to classic to HP; Straka et al. 2006).

Project Members and co-PI's

Bob Davies-Jones (NSSL)
Matthew Gilmore - CMG Contact
Paul Markowski (Penn State University)
Erik Rasmussem (CIMMS)
Jerry Straka (University of Oklahoma)

Funding

NSF ATM-0339519