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NASA NTRS2002

The NASA Thunderstorm Observations and Research (ThOR) Mission: Lightning Mapping from Space to Improve the Short-term Forecasting of Severe Storms

The ThOR mission uses a lightning mapping sensor in geostationary Earth orbit to provide continuous observations of thunderstorm activity over the Americas and nearby oceans. The link between lightning activity and cloud updrafts is the basis for total lightning observations indicating the evolving convective intensification and decay of storms. ThOR offers a national operational demonstration of the utility of real-time total lightning mapping for earlier and more reliable identification of potentially severe and hazardous storms. Regional pilot projects have already demonstrated that the dominance in-cloud lightning and increasing in-cloud lash rates are known to precede severe weather at the surface by tens of minutes. ThOR is currently planned for launch in 2005 on a commercial or research satellite. Real-time data will be provided to selected NWS Weather Forecast Offices and National Centers (EMC/AWC/SPC) for evaluation.

Goodman, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

The North Alabama Severe Thunderstorm Observations, Research, and Monitoring Network (STORMnet)

The Severe Thunderstorm Observations, Research, and Monitoring network (STORMnet) became operational in 2001 as a test bed to infuse new science and technologies into the severe and hazardous weather forecasting and warning process. STORMnet is collaboration among NASA scientists, National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters, emergency managers and other partners. STORMnet integrates total lightning observations from a ten-station 3-D VHF regional lightning mapping array, the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN), real-time regional NEXRAD Doppler radar, satellite visible and infrared imagers, and a mobile atmospheric profiling system to characterize storms and their evolution. The storm characteristics and life-cycle trending are accomplished in real-time through the second generation Lightning Imaging Sensor Demonstration and Display (LISDAD II), a distributed processing system with a JAVA-based display application that allows anyone, anywhere to track individual storm histories within the Tennessee Valley region of north Alabama and Tennessee, a region of the southeastern U.S. well known for abundant severe weather.

Goodman, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Florida Thunderstorms: A Faucet of Reactive Nitrogen to the Upper Troposphere

During the NASA Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers-Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) enhanced mixing ratios of nitric oxide were measured in the anvils of thunderstorms and in clear air downwind of storm systems on flights of a Wl3-57F high-altitude aircraft. Mixing ratios greater than l0 - 20 times background were readily observed over distances of 25-120 km due to lightning activity. In many of the Florida storms deposition of NO occurred up to near the tropopause but major deposition usually occurred 1 - 2 km below the tropopause, or mostly within the visible anvil volume formed prior to storm decay. Observations from two storms of very different anvil size and electrical activity allowed estimates of the total mass of NO, vented to the middle and upper troposphere. Using the cloud-to ground (CG) flash accumulations from the National Lightning Detection Network, climatological intra-cloud (IC) to CG ratios, and assuming that CG and IC flashes were of equivalent efficiency for NO production, the ranges of production per flash for a moderate-sized and a large storm were (0.51 - 1.0) x l0(exp 26) and (2.3 - 3.1) x 10(exp 26) molecules NO/flash, respectively. Using the recently determined average global flash rate of 44 8, a gross extrapolation of these two storms to represent possible global annual production rates yield 1.6 - 3.2 and 7.3 - 9.9 Tg(N)/yr, respectively. If the more usual assumption is made that IC efficiency is l/l0th that of CG activity, the ranges of production for the moderate-sized and large storm were (1.3 - 2.7) x l0(exp 26) and (6.0 - 8.1) x l0(exp 26) molecules NO/CG flash, respectively. The estimates from the large storm may be high because there is indirect evidence that the IC/CG ratio was larger than would be derived from climatology. These two storms and others studied did not have flash rates that scaled as approx. H(sup 5) where H is the cloud top altitude. The observed CG flash accumulations and NO(x) mass production estimate for the month of July over the Florida area were compared with a representative 3D global Chemistry-Transport Model (CTMJ that uses the Price et al. lightning parameterization. For two land grid points representing the Florida peninsula the model compared well with the observations: CG flash rates were low by only a factor of approx. 2. When the model grid points included the coastal regions of Florida the flash accumulations were lower than observed by a factor of 3.4 - 4.6. It is recommended that models using the Price et al. parameterization allow any global coastal grid point to maintain the land rather than the marine flash rate parameterization. The convection in this CTM underestimated the actual cloud top heights over Florida by 1 - 2 km and thus the total lightning flash rates and the altitude range of reactive nitrogen deposition. Broad scale (20 - 120 km) median mixing ratios of NO within anvils over Florida were significantly larger than in storms previously investigated over Colorado and New Mexico.

Ridley, B.↗
NASA NTRS1946

Evaluation of Gust and Draft Velocities from Flights of P-61C Airplanes within Thunderstorms. IV - July 19, 1946 to July 20, 1946 at Orlando, Florida: July 19, 1946 to July 20, 1946 at Orlando, Florida - Part 4

Summaries of the gust and draft velocities evaluated from acceleration and airspeed-altitude records taken by NACA instruments installed n P-61c airplanes participating in thunderstorm flights 12 and 13 of July 19, 1946, and July 20, 1946, respectively, are presented in tables I and II herein. These data are of the type presented in reference 1 for previous flights. Inspection of the motion picture records of the pilots' instrument panels for the present flights indicated that the milliameter connected to equipment for measuring ambient air temperature read zero throughout all traverses.

Tolefson, H. B.↗
NASA NTRS1947

Evaluation of Gust and Draft Velocities from Flights of P-61C Airplanes Within Thunderstorms September 17, 1946 to September 18, 1946 at Orlando, Florida

The results obtained from measurements of gust velocities, draft velocities, and ambient-air temperature within thunderstorms for the period September 17, 1946 to September 18, 1946 at Orlando, Fla. are presented herein. These data are summarized in tables I, II, and III, respectively, and are of the type presented in reference 1 for previous flights.

Tolefson, H. B.↗
NASA NTRS1946

Evaluation of Gust and Draft Velocities from Flights of P-61c Airplanes within Thunderstorms. III - July 12, 1946 to July 18, 1946 at Orlando, Florida: July 12, 1946 to July 18, 1946 at Orlando, Florida - Part 3

The gust and draft velocities evaluated from acceleration and airspeed-altitude records taken by NACA instruments installed in P-61c airplanes participating in thunderstorm flights 9, 10, and 11 of July 12, 1946, July 17, 1946, and July 18, 1946, respectively, are presented in references 1 and 2 for previous flights. In accordance with a recent discussion with a member of the U.S. Weather Bureau staff, motion-picture records of the pilots' instrument panels for the present flights were inspected to note variations in the readings of a milliammeter used in conjunction with other equipment to indicate ambient air temperature. The inspection indicated that the instrument read zero throughout all traverses.

Tolefson, H. B.↗
NASA NTRS1947

Evaluation of Gust and Draft Velocities from Flights of P-61C Airplanes within Thunderstorms August 17, 1946 to August 19, 1946 at Orlando, Florida

Results obtained from gust and draft velocity measurements within thunderstorms for the period August 17, 1946 to August 19, 1946 at Orlando, Florida are presented herein. These data are summarized in tables I and II and are of the type presented in reference 1 for previous flights. Inspection of photo-observer records taken on the present flights indicated that mo ambient-air temperature data were obtained.

Tolefson, H. B.↗
NASA NTRS1946

Evaluation of Gust and Draft Velocities from Flights of P-61C Airplanes within Thunderstorms: August 23, 1946 to September 4, 1946 at Orlando, Florida

This report presents the results obtained from gust and draft velocity measurements within thunderstorms for the period August 23, 1946 to September 4, 1946 at Orlando, Florida. These data are summarized in tables I end II and are of the type presented in reference 1 for previous flights. In several of the surveys, indications of ambient air temperature were obtained from photo-observer records. These data are summarized in table III.

Tolefson, H. B.↗
NASA NTRS1946

Evaluation of Gust and Draft Velocities from Flights of P-61c Airplanes within Thunderstorms. II - July 9, 1946 to July 11, 1946 at Orlando, Florida: July 9, 1946 to July 11, 1946 at Orlando, Florida - II

The results obtained from an evaluation for gust and draft velocities of acceleration and airspeed-altitude records taken by NACA recording instruments installed in P-61c airplanes participating in thunderstorm flights 6, 7, and 8 of July 9, 1946, July 10, 1946, and July 11, 1946, respectively, are presented herein. These data are summarized in tables I and II. In accordance with a recent discussion with a member of the U.S. Weather Bureau staff, the tabulated results for the present flight include in addition to data of the type presented in reference 1, the initial heading of the airplane for each traverse, the pressure altitude at the start of each traverse in increments of 500 feet, and the gust gradient distance when it could be evaluated. The cloud entry and exit times for the present data were taken from motion-picture records of the pilot's instrument panels whenever such records were available while the length fo the traverses in seconds and feet was taken from the airspeed-altitude records. In many cases, however, poor agreement is indicated between the duration of the cloud traverses as obtained from the motion-picture records and from the airspeed-altitude records. This result is believed to be due to camera stoppages, inaccurate spring mechanisms of the clocks, and loss of motion-picture record in exposure or development. With reference to the evaluation of gust data, the nominal threshold was about 2 feet per second. In making gust counts to this threshold, some gusts below that threshold have been included due to limitations of the procedure used. Thus, it will be noted that in some instances gust counts are given in table I although now corresponding gust velocities are listed.

Tolefson, Harold B.↗
NASA NTRS1946

Evaluation of Gust and Draft Velocities from Flights of P-61c Airplanes within Thunderstorms August 7, 1946 to August 13, 1946 at Orlando, Florida

This report presents the results obtained from gust and draft velocity measurements within thunderstorms for the period August 7, 1946 to August, 13, 1946 at Orlando Florida. In several of the surveys, indications of ambient air temperature were obtained from photo-observer records. These data are summarized in the report.

Tolefson, Harold B.↗