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At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1984

Mesoscale ageostrophic circulations associated with baroclinic jet streaks

Studies of ageostrophic motion attending jet streaks and convection are examined. Various types of dynamical experiments are carried out with the hybrid isentropic-sigma coordinate model. The effects of vorticity and static stability distributions on the intensity of secondary circulations forced by inertial accelerations as well as the superposition of an amplifying baroclinic wave on the jet streak structure are investigated.

Johnson, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A numerical investigation of the effects of cloudiness on mesoscale atmospheric circulation

The development of a comprehensive scheme for computing radiative transfer in a cloudy, stratified atmosphere is described, and the interactions of radiation, clouds, surface heating, and frictional processes are investigated utilizing a three-dimensional numerical weather prediction model. This model is described along with the design of a reliable radiative transfer scheme which allows any vertical moisture and temperature stratifications occurring within a numerical weather prediction model to be taken into account. Some preliminary results of sensitivity tests for three 24-hour simulations are depicted in order to identify the forecast fields which respond to change in atmospheric radiation induced by cloudiness.

Wong, V. C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Observation of mesoscale ocean features in the northeast Pacific using Geosat radar altimetry data

Mesoscale circulation in the Gulf of Alaska is studied by means of processed Geosat radar altimetry results with comparisons to observations of mesoscale eddies and surface circulation. The first set of Geosat data is treated by sea-surface height (SSH) binning in 1-deg latitude x 2-deg longitude boxes and analyzed by complex empirical orthogonal functions and 2D spectral analysis. The second set is taken from ascending Geosat tracks and analyzed as a time series. The Geosat data are compared to observational data including mesoscale eddies and fluctuations in mean surface circulation as well as sea-surface signals generated by numerical models. The data demonstrate the feasibility of a westward propagation of sea-level anomalies, and the Geosat SSH data are found to agree well with model solutions of seasonal variations in sea level in the northeast Pacific.

Matthews, Paul E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Diabatic forcing and initialization with assimilation of cloud and rain water in a forecast model: Methodology

The focus of this part of the investigation is to find one or more general modeling techniques that will help reduce the time taken by numerical forecast models to initiate or spin-up precipitation processes and enhance storm intensity. If the conventional data base could explain the atmospheric mesoscale flow in detail, then much of our problem would be eliminated. But the data base is primarily synoptic scale, requiring that a solution must be sought either in nonconventional data, in methods to initialize mesoscale circulations, or in ways of retaining between forecasts the model generated mesoscale dynamics and precipitation fields. All three methods are investigated. The initialization and assimilation of explicit cloud and rainwater quantities computed from conservation equations in a mesoscale regional model are examined. The physical processes include condensation, evaporation, autoconversion, accretion, and the removal of rainwater by fallout. The question of how to initialize the explicit liquid water calculations in numerical models and how to retain information about precipitation processes during the 4-D assimilation cycle are important issues that are addressed. The explicit cloud calculations were purposely kept simple so that different initialization techniques can be easily and economically tested. Precipitation spin-up processes associated with three different types of weather phenomena are examined. Our findings show that diabatic initialization, or diabatic initialization in combination with a new diabatic forcing procedure, work effectively to enhance the spin-up of precipitation in a mesoscale numerical weather prediction forecast. Also, the retention of cloud and rain water during the analysis phase of the 4-D data assimilation procedure is shown to be valuable. Without detailed observations, the vertical placement of the diabatic heating remains a critical problem.

Raymond, William H.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Moist wind relationships

The equations describing the temporal and spatial behavior of the kinematic moisture and heat flux are described. In these nonlinear equations, the contribution by diabatic processes to the large-scale flux is composed of two parts. One part is associated with a Rayleigh damping term while the other arises from temporal and spatial changes in the pressure gradient term. It was found that the influence of diabatic processes on large-scale moisture fluxes depends greatly on the degree of balance between forcing and damping terms in the governing kinematic flux equations. The existence of a near balance requires a reduction in the large-scale horizontal geostrophic wind speed. Based on an examination of the moisture flux equations, it is argued that reductions in the large-scale horizontal wind speed observed within major cumulus cloud systems help conserve large-scale moisture fluxes. The deviation of the wind from geostrophic conditions is easily estimated for a near balanced state. This wind modification induces secondary vertical circulations that contribute to convergence, creating or supporting long-lived mesoscale flows. We believe this process to be a major supporter of the mesoscale circulations observed in severe storms and squall lines. In the tropics the wind modification has an antitriptic relationship. These diagnostic findings suggest possible modifications to the wind field in the application of a cumulus parameterization, and may be important in diabatic initialization of numerical weather prediction models.

Raymond, William H.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Application of Land Surface Data Assimilation to Simulations of Sea Breeze Circulations

A technique has been developed for assimilating GOES-derived skin temperature tendencies and insolation into the surface energy budget equation of a mesoscale model so that the simulated rate of temperature change closely agrees with the satellite observations. A critical assumption of the technique is that the availability of moisture (either from the soil or vegetation) is the least known term in the model's surface energy budget. Therefore, the simulated latent heat flux, which is a function of surface moisture availability, is adjusted based upon differences between the modeled and satellite- observed skin temperature tendencies. An advantage of this technique is that satellite temperature tendencies are assimilated in an energetically consistent manner that avoids energy imbalances and surface stability problems that arise from direct assimilation of surface shelter temperatures. The fact that the rate of change of the satellite skin temperature is used rather than the absolute temperature means that sensor calibration is not as critical. The sea/land breeze is a well-documented mesoscale circulation that affects many coastal areas of the world including the northern Gulf Coast of the United States. The focus of this paper is to examine how the satellite assimilation technique impacts the simulation of a sea breeze circulation observed along the Mississippi/Alabama coast in the spring of 2001. The technique is implemented within the PSUNCAR MM5 V3-5 and applied at spatial resolutions of 12- and 4-km. It is recognized that even 4-km grid spacing is too coarse to explicitly resolve the detailed, mesoscale structure of sea breezes. Nevertheless, the model can forecast certain characteristics of the observed sea breeze including a thermally direct circulation that results from differential low-level heating across the land-sea interface. Our intent is to determine the sensitivity of the circulation to the differential land surface forcing produced via the assimilation of GOES skin temperature tendencies. Results will be quantified through statistical verification techniques.

Mackaro, Scott↗
NASA NTRS2000

On The Genesis of Tropical Cyclones: Role of Mesoscale Interactions

Before the last decades of the 20th century, observations were rarely adequate to assess the role of mesoscale circulations in the formation of tropical cyclones. Recent developments in remote-sensing technology have allowed routine collection of measurements that reveal the small- and mesoscale structure of forming tropical cyclones. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Ritchie, Elizabeth↗
NASA NTRS2007

Impact of MODIS High-Resolution Sea-Surface Temperatures on WRF Forecasts at NWS Miami, FL

Over the past few years,studies at the Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center have suggested that the use of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) composite sea-surface temperature (SST) products in regional weather forecast models can have a significant positive impact on short-term numerical weather prediction in coastal regions. The recent paper by LaCasse et al. (2007, Monthly Weather Review) highlights lower atmospheric differences in regional numerical simulations over the Florida offshore waters using 2-km SST composites derived from the MODIS instrument aboard the polar-orbiting Aqua and Terra Earth Observing System satellites. To help quantify the value of this impact on NWS Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs), the SPoRT Center and the NWS WFO at Miami, FL (MIA) are collaborating on a project to investigate the impact of using the high-resolution MODIS SST fields within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) prediction system. The scientific hypothesis being tested is: More accurate specification of the lower-boundary forcing within WRF will result in improved land/sea fluxes and hence, more accurate evolution of coastal mesoscale circulations and the associated sensible weather elements. The NWS MIA is currently running the WRF system in real-time to support daily forecast operations, using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model dynamical core within the NWS Science and Training Resource Center's Environmental Modeling System (EMS) software; The EMS is a standalone modeling system capable of downloading the necessary daily datasets, and initializing, running and displaying WRF forecasts in the NWS Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) with little intervention required by forecasters. Twenty-seven hour forecasts are run daily with start times of 0300,0900, 1500, and 2100 UTC on a domain with 4-km grid spacing covering the southern half of Florida and the far western portions of the Bahamas, the Florida Keys, the Straights of Florida, and adjacent waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. Each model run is initialized using the Local Analysis and Prediction System (LAPS) analyses available in AWIPS, invoking the diabatic. "hot-start" capability. In this WRF model "hot-start", the LAPS-analyzed cloud and precipitation features are converted into model microphysics fields with enhanced vertical velocity profiles, effectively reducing the model spin-up time required to predict precipitation systems. The SSTs are initialized with the NCEP Real-Time Global (RTG) analyses at l/12 degree resolution (approx. 9 km); however, the RTG product does not exhibit fine-scale details consistent with its grid resolution. SPoRT is conducting parallel WRF EMS runs identical to the operational runs at NWS MIA in every respect except for the use of MODIS SST composites in place of the RTG product as the initial and boundary conditions over water. The MODIS SST composites for initializing the SPoRT WRF runs are generated on a 2-km grid four times daily at 0400, 0700, 1600, and 1900 UTC, based on the times of the overhead passes of the Aqua and Terra satellites. The incorporation of the MODIS SST composites into the SPoRTWRF runs is staggered such that the 0400UTC composite initializes the 0900 UTC WRF, the 0700 UTC composite initializes the 1500 UTC WRF, the 1600 UTC composite initializes the 2100 UTC WRF, and the 1900 UTC composite initializes the 0300 UTC WRF. A comparison of the SPoRT and Miami forecasts is underway in 2007, and includes quantitative verification of near-surface temperature, dewpoint, and wind forecasts at surface observation locations. In addition, particular days of interest are being analyzed to determine the impact of the MODIS SST data on the development and evolution of predicted sea/land-breeze circulations, clouds, and precipitation. This paper will present verification results comparing the NWS MIA forecasts the SPoRT experimental WRF forecasts, and highlight any substantial differences noted in the predicted mesoscale phenomena.

Case, Jonathan L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Shallow convection on day 261 of GATE - Mesoscale arcs

Cloudy convection in the moist layer of a cloud cluster growing in the GATE ship array is examined. Analyses suggest that the moist layer was dominated by features of horizontal dimension roughly 40 km and lifetime roughly 2 h, with arc patterns triggered by dense downdraft air accompanying rainfall, and composed of many small cumulus clouds. Aircraft recorded data on thermodynamic quantities and winds, indicating that the arcs persisted as mesoscale circulations driven by the release of latent heat in the clouds, rather than being driven by the original density current at the surface. It is also suggested that the mesoscale cloud patterns of the moist layer play a primary role in heat transfer upward within this layer, and contribute to the forcing of showering midtropospheric clouds.

Warner, C.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Land Surface Data Assimilation and the Northern Gulf Coast Land/Sea Breeze

A technique has been developed for assimilating GOES-derived skin temperature tendencies and insolation into the surface energy budget equation of a mesoscale model so that the simulated rate of temperature change closely agrees with the satellite observations. A critical assumption of the technique is that the availability of moisture (either from the soil or vegetation) is the least known term in the model's surface energy budget. Therefore, the simulated latent heat flux, which is a function of surface moisture availability, is adjusted based upon differences between the modeled and satellite observed skin temperature tendencies. An advantage of this technique is that satellite temperature tendencies are assimilated in an energetically consistent manner that avoids energy imbalances and surface stability problems that arise from direct assimilation of surface shelter temperatures. The fact that the rate of change of the satellite skin temperature is used rather than the absolute temperature means that sensor calibration is not as critical. The sea/land breeze is a well-documented mesoscale circulation that affects many coastal areas of the world including the northern Gulf Coast of the United States. The focus of this paper is to examine how the satellite assimilation technique impacts the simulation of a sea breeze circulation observed along the Mississippi/Alabama coast in the spring of 2001. The technique is implemented within the PSU/NCAR MM5 V3-4 and applied on a 4-km domain for this particular application. It is recognized that a 4-km grid spacing is too coarse to explicitly resolve the detailed, mesoscale structure of sea breezes. Nevertheless, the model can forecast certain characteristics of the observed sea breeze including a thermally direct circulation that results from differential low-level heating across the land-sea interface. Our intent is to determine the sensitivity of the circulation to the differential land surface forcing produced via the assimilation of GOES skin temperature tendencies. Results will be quantified through statistical verification techniques.

Lapenta, William M.↗
NASA NTRS2008

A Multi-Season Study of the Effects of MODIS Sea-Surface Temperatures on Operational WRF Forecasts at NWS Miami, FL

Studies at the Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPORT) Center have suggested that the use of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sea-surface temperature (SST) composites in regional weather forecast models can have a significant positive impact on short-term numerical weather prediction in coastal regions. Recent work by LaCasse et al (2007, Monthly Weather Review) highlights lower atmospheric differences in regional numerical simulations over the Florida offshore waters using 2-km SST composites derived from the MODIS instrument aboard the polar-orbiting Aqua and Terra Earth Observing System satellites. To help quantify the value of this impact on NWS Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs), the SPORT Center and the NWS WFO at Miami, FL (MIA) are collaborating on a project to investigate the impact of using the high-resolution MODIS SST fields within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) prediction system. The project's goal is to determine whether more accurate specification of the lower-boundary forcing within WRF will result in improved land/sea fluxes and hence, more accurate evolution of coastal mesoscale circulations and the associated sensible weather elements. The NWS MIA is currently running WRF in real-time to support daily forecast operations, using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model dynamical core within the NWS Science and Training Resource Center's Environmental Modeling System (EMS) software. Twenty-seven hour forecasts are run dally initialized at 0300, 0900, 1500, and 2100 UTC on a domain with 4-km grid spacing covering the southern half of Florida and adjacent waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. Each model run is initialized using the Local Analysis and Prediction System (LAPS) analyses available in AWIPS. The SSTs are initialized with the NCEP Real-Time Global (RTG) analyses at 1/12deg resolution (approx.9 km); however, the RTG product does not exhibit fine-scale details consistent with its grid resolution. SPORT is conducting parallel WRF EMS runs identical to the operational runs at NWS MIA except for the use of MODIS SST composites in place of the RTG product as the initial and boundary conditions over water, The MODIS SST composites for initializing the SPORT WRF runs are generated on a 2-km grid four times daily at 0400, 0700, 1600, and 1900 UTC, based on the times of the overhead passes of the Aqua and Terra satellites. The incorporation of the MODIS SST data into the SPORT WRF runs is staggered such that SSTs are updated with a new composite every six hours in each of the WRF runs. From mid-February to July 2007, over 500 parallel WRF simulations have been collected for analysis and verification. This paper will present verification results comparing the NWS MIA operational WRF runs to the SPORT experimental runs, and highlight any substantial differences noted in the predicted mesoscale phenomena for specific cases.

Case, Jonathan L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Equatorial and eastern boundary current variability in the North and South Pacific Oceans

The overall objective of our investigation within the TOPEX/POSEIDON project is to describe the large-scale and mesoscale circulation of the upper ocean in the eastern North and South Pacific Oceans. We also wish to understand the relation between these currents and local and distant wind forcing. In this contest, 'large scale' refers to basin-scale fluctuations at annual and interannual time scales; 'mesoscale' refers to variability with periods less than 60 days, regardless of the spatial scale.

Strub, P. Ted↗
NASA NTRS1994

Large and small scale circulation signatures of the ERS-1 SAR over the Gulf Stream

Since September 1991, the ERS-1 SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) has collected approximately 170 frames of ocean imagery on 28 passes over the western Gulf Stream in support of ESA experiment US8-2c. SAR signatures of the north wall are seen on nearly all passes, with modulation depth varying from 3% to 35% for 100 m samples. Many small and mesoscale circulation features associated with the Stream are evident. The detailed form of the signature varies considerably, however. Narrow bright or dark linear features appear to follow streamlines, and on one occasion a strong dark line was associated with an in situ measurement of a sharp current shear. Similarly, larger spatial scale changes in backscatter over the Stream were associated with in situ measurements of atmospheric stability transitions. Physical explanations for the narrow features are not so obvious. However, the accumulation of surfactants along converging current boundaries or local short wave straining and breaking appear plausible. These preliminary results strongly suggest that a wide swath (approximately 500 km) SAR with at least 100 m resolution would be a useful adjunct to existing satellite AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) imagery.

Beal, R.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Using a Network of Boundary Layer Profilers to Characterize the Atmosphere at a Major Spaceport

Space launch, landing, and ground operations at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in east-central Florida are highly sensitive to mesoscale weather conditions throughout the year. Due to the complex land-water interfaces and the important role of mesoscale circulations, a high-resolution network of five 915-MHz Doppler Radar Wind Profilers (DRWP) and 44 wind towers was installed over the KSC/CCAFS area. By using quality-controlled 915-MHz DRAT data along with the near-surface tower observations, the Applied Meteorology Unit and KSC Weather Office have studied the development and evolution of various mesoscale phenomena across KSC/CCAFS such as sea and land breezes, low-level jets, and frontal passages. This paper will present some examples of mesoscale phenomena that can impact space operations at KSC/CCAFS, focusing on the utility of the 915-MHz DRWP network in identifying important characteristics of sea/land breezes and low-level jets.

Case, Jonathan L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Mesoscale characteristics of a monsoon rainband

A Doppler-radar-based case study of a monsoonal rainband (MRB) observed on the evening of January 12, 1990 near Darwin, Austrialia, is presented. Convective and mesoscale circulation features of this system are elucidated. The structure of the MRB is similar to the conceptual model of Houze (1989). The convergence profiles observed in the stratiform region differed considerably from the classical Houze model. Divergence and not convergence existed at heights of 3-6 km. It is suggested that in the MRB stratiform region, consistent with the observed rearward advection of decaying convective cells, the observed mesoscale updraft/downdraft configuration is a result of decaying convection and not a separately evolving mesoscale process.

Keenan, T. D.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Workstation-Based Real-Time Mesoscale Modeling Designed for Weather Support to Operations at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Station

This paper describes the capabilities and operational utility of a version of the Mesoscale Atmospheric Simulation System (MASS) that has been developed to support operational weather forecasting at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS). The implementation of local, mesoscale modeling systems at KSC/CCAS is designed to provide detailed short-range (less than 24 h) forecasts of winds, clouds, and hazardous weather such as thunderstorms. Short-range forecasting is a challenge for daily operations, and manned and unmanned launches since KSC/CCAS is located in central Florida where the weather during the warm season is dominated by mesoscale circulations like the sea breeze. For this application, MASS has been modified to run on a Stardent 3000 workstation. Workstation-based, real-time numerical modeling requires a compromise between the requirement to run the system fast enough so that the output can be used before expiration balanced against the desire to improve the simulations by increasing resolution and using more detailed physical parameterizations. It is now feasible to run high-resolution mesoscale models such as MASS on local workstations to provide timely forecasts at a fraction of the cost required to run these models on mainframe supercomputers. MASS has been running in the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) at KSC/CCAS since January 1994 for the purpose of system evaluation. In March 1995, the AMU began sending real-time MASS output to the forecasters and meteorologists at CCAS, Spaceflight Meteorology Group (Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas), and the National Weather Service (Melbourne, Florida). However, MASS is not yet an operational system. The final decision whether to transition MASS for operational use will depend on a combination of forecaster feedback, the AMU's final evaluation results, and the life-cycle costs of the operational system.

Manobianco, John↗