scholarly journals Wind Structure of a Subtropical Squall Line in China: Results from Dual-Doppler Radar Data

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Haiguang Zhou

A subtropical squall line moved from Guangxi to Guangdong province in South China on 23-24 April 2007, which resulted in gale and heavy precipitation. The three-dimensional (3D) wind field of the squall line in its mature period was retrieved by Guangzhou-Shenzhen dual-Doppler data. The 3D conceptual model of this squall line was proposed. On the horizontal plane, the storm-relative front-to-rear inflow prevailed at the lower altitudes of the leading edge. The rear-to-front cold inflow in the stratiform region was observed below 3 km height, which enhanced the convergence in the convective region. At the middle altitudes of the squall line, the front-to-rear horizontal flow prevailed. Strong updrafts were observed at the lower and middle altitudes of the leading edge. Some convergence centers were located at the lower altitudes of the convective region. Furthermore, the storm-relative flow in the vertical cross-section perpendicular to the squall line was revealed. The front-to-rear warm flow extended from the surface to 7.5 km altitude at the leading edge. Above it, part of the front-to-rear inflow blew upward and then forward, and the other part of the inflow blew backward. The descending rear-to-front cold flow was only seen below 3 km height in the stratiform region.

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
Ping Wang ◽  
Kai Gu ◽  
Jinyi Hou ◽  
Bingjie Dou

Airflow structures within convective systems are important predictors of damaging convective disasters. To automatically recognize different kinds of airflow structures (the convergence, divergence, cyclonic rotation, and anticyclonic rotation) within convective systems, an airflow structure recognition method is proposed, in this paper, based on a regular hexagonal template. On the basis of single Doppler radar data, the template is designed according to the appearance model of airflows in radial velocity maps. The proposed method is able to output types and intensities of airflow structures within convective systems. In addition, the outputs of the proposed method are integrated into a projection map of the airflow field structure types and intensities (PMAFSTI), which is developed in this work to visualize three-dimensional airflow structures within convective cells. The proposed airflow structure automatic recognition method and the PMAFSTI were tested using three typical cases. Results of the tests suggest the following: (1) At different evolution stages of the convective systems, e.g., growth, split, and dissipation, the three-dimensional distribution of the airflow fields within convective systems could be clearly observed through the PMAFSTI and (2) on the basis of recognizing the structures of the airflow field, the complex airflow field, such as a squall line, could be further divided into several small parts making the analysis of convective systems more scientific and elaborate.


2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (8) ◽  
pp. 1620-1636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony C. Didlake ◽  
Robert A. Houze

Abstract Airborne Doppler radar data collected from the concentric eyewalls of Hurricane Rita (2005) provide detailed three-dimensional kinematic observations of the secondary eyewall feature. The secondary eyewall radar echo shows a ring of heavy precipitation containing embedded convective cells, which have no consistent orientation or radial location. The axisymmetric mean structure has a tangential wind maximum within the reflectivity maximum at 2-km altitude and an elevated distribution of its strongest winds on the radially outer edge. The corresponding vertical vorticity field contains a low-level maximum on the inside edge, which is part of a tube of increased vorticity that rises through the center of the reflectivity tower and into the midlevels. The secondary circulation consists of boundary layer inflow that radially overshoots the secondary eyewall. A portion of this inflowing air experiences convergence and supergradient forces that cause the air to rise and flow radially outward back into the center of the reflectivity tower. This mean updraft stretches and tilts the vorticity field to increase vorticity on the radially inner side of the tangential wind maximum. Radially outside this region, perturbation motions decrease the vorticity at a comparable rate. Thus, both mean and perturbation motions actively strengthen the wind maximum of the secondary eyewall. These features combine to give the secondary eyewall a structure different from the primary eyewall as it builds to become the new replacement eyewall.


2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1263-1274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangxin He ◽  
Gang Li ◽  
Xiaolei Zou ◽  
Peter Sawin Ray

Abstract A velocity dealiasing algorithm is developed for C-band (5-cm wavelength) Doppler radars. With the shorter wavelength, C-band radars operating in a single PRF mode have a Nyquist interval about one-half that of S-band radars. As a proxy for C-band radar data, S-band Doppler data were sampled to produce radial velocity patterns as they would have been observed by a C-band Doppler radar. This algorithm includes six modules, some of which are modifications to previously existing methods. The modules (i) remove weak signals and determine the reference radials and dealias the radial wind field with a continuity constraint, (ii) perform a bulk continuity check, (iii) perform a “box” check to provide local consistency, (iv) perform a linear consistency fit in the radial direction, (v) provide quadratic least squares fit in the azimuthal direction, and (vi) perform quadratic least squares fit for elevation angle above 6.0° only for data from typhoons. The proposed dealiasing algorithm was tested on data from four typhoons and one squall line observed in China. When compared to the dealiasing results of the synthetic C-band data by the existing Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) algorithm, it was consistently better, particularly with smaller Nyquist cointervals. The algorithm correctly dealiased 91.56% of the aliased radial velocity data in all test cases.


2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (11) ◽  
pp. 2353-2374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette M. Foerster ◽  
Michael M. Bell

AbstractThermodynamic retrievals can derive pressure and temperature information from kinematic measurements in regions where no in situ observations are available. This study presents a new retrieval technique called SAMURAI-TR (Spline Analysis at Mesoscale Utilizing Radar and Aircraft Instrumentation–Thermodynamic Retrieval) that derives three-dimensional fields of pressure and density potential temperature from multiple-Doppler radar data using a variational approach. SAMURAI-TR advances existing methods by 1) allowing for a horizontal variation in the reference-state definition and 2) representing the retrieved quantities of pressure and temperature as three-dimensional functions consisting of a series of finite-element cubic B-splines. The first advancement enables the retrieval to explicitly account for the large radial gradient of the mean thermodynamic state in tropical cyclones and other rapidly rotating vortices. The second advancement allows for specification of the three-dimensional pressure and temperature gradients as pseudo-observations from Doppler-derived winds, effectively linking the vertical levels without the use of the thermodynamic equation or a microphysical closure. The retrieval uses only the horizontal and vertical momentum equations, their derivatives, and low-pass filters. The accuracy and sensitivity of the retrieval are assessed using a WRF simulation of a tropical cyclone. SAMURAI-TR has good accuracy compared to prior techniques and retrieves pressure to within 0.25 hPa and temperature to within 0.7 K RMSE. The application of the method to real data is demonstrated using multiple-Doppler data from Hurricane Rita (2005).


2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 4459-4495 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. López Carrillo ◽  
D. J. Raymond

Abstract. In this work, we describe an efficient approach for wind retrieval from dual Doppler radar data. The approach produces a gridded field that not only satisfies the observations, but also satisfies the anelastic mass continuity equation. The method is based on the so-called three-dimensional variational approach to the retrieval of wind fields from radar data. The novelty consists in separating the task into steps that reduce the amount of data processed by the global minimization algorithm, while keeping the most relevant information from the radar observations. The method is flexible enough to incorporate observations from several radars, accommodate complex sampling geometries, and readily include dropsonde or sounding observations in the analysis. We demonstrate the usefulness of our method by analyzing a real case with data collected during the TPARC/TCS-08 field campaign.


2018 ◽  
Vol 146 (10) ◽  
pp. 3461-3480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason M. Apke ◽  
John R. Mecikalski ◽  
Kristopher Bedka ◽  
Eugene W. McCaul ◽  
Cameron R. Homeyer ◽  
...  

Abstract Rapid acceleration of cloud-top outflow near vigorous storm updrafts can be readily observed in Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-14 (GOES-14) super rapid scan (SRS; 60 s) mode data. Conventional wisdom implies that this outflow is related to the intensity of updrafts and the formation of severe weather. However, from an SRS satellite perspective, the pairing of observed expansion and updraft intensity has not been objectively derived and documented. The goal of this study is to relate GOES-14 SRS-derived cloud-top horizontal divergence (CTD) over deep convection to internal updraft characteristics, and document evolution for severe and nonsevere thunderstorms. A new SRS flow derivation system is presented here to estimate storm-scale (<20 km) CTD. This CTD field is coupled with other proxies for storm updraft location and intensity such as overshooting tops (OTs), total lightning flash rates, and three-dimensional flow fields derived from dual-Doppler radar data. Objectively identified OTs with (without) matching CTD maxima were more (less) likely to be associated with radar-observed deep convection and severe weather reports at the ground, suggesting that some OTs were incorrectly identified. The correlation between CTD magnitude, maximum updraft speed, and total lightning was strongly positive for a nonsupercell pulse storm, and weakly positive for a supercell with multiple updraft pulses present. The relationship for the supercell was nonlinear, though larger flash rates are found during periods of larger CTD. Analysis here suggests that combining CTD with OTs and total lightning could have severe weather nowcasting value.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emir Yapıcı ◽  
Ahmet Öztopal ◽  
Erdem Erdi

<p>As is known, rainfall varies spatially and temporally with regard to intensity and frequency. Floods, related to extreme rainfall cases, cause stress on geophysical system and community if climate change is considered. For this reason determining of extreme rainfall patterns is very important. While obtaining three dimensional status of hydrometors in atmosphere is not possible only by using ground station networks, it is possible by using weather radars. Therefore, weather radars provide significant contribution to studies about getting cloud and rainfall patterns. The aim of this study is to investigate spatial patterns of extreme rainfall events in Antalya and Muğla cities which are located on the Mediterranean coast of Türkiye. Firstly, hourly rainfall (RN1) and rain rate (SRI) products of 2 C band doppler radars and raingauge data between 2015 and 2020 will be processed by a software named MeteoRadar which is developed by İstanbul Technical University. It is capable of reading, decoding, parallel processing and visualization. Secondly, extreme rainfall patterns will be obtained over 2 study areas. Finally, after validation by using raingauge data, results will be discussed in detail.</p><p><strong>Key Words</strong>: Antalya, Extreme rainfall, MeteoRadar, Muğla, RN1, SRI, Weather radar.</p>


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