A Summary of Convective-Core Vertical Velocity Properties Using ARM UHF Wind Profilers in Oklahoma

This study presents a summary of the properties of deep convective updraft and downdraft cores over the central plains of the United States, accomplished using a novel and now-standard Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) scanning mode for a commercial wind-profiler system. A unique profi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied meteorology and climatology 2013-10, Vol.52 (10), p.2278-2295
Main Authors: Giangrande, Scott E., Collis, Scott, Straka, Jerry, Protat, Alain, Williams, Christopher, Krueger, Steven
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aircraft
Aircraft observations
Archives & records
Atmospheric radiation
Atmospheric radiation measurements
Behavior
Cell lines
Climate change
Coefficients
Collaboration
Convection
Convection, turbulence, diffusion. Boundary layer structure and dynamics
Cores
Correlation
Datasets
Diameters
Downdraft
Downward long wave radiation
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
Geophysics. Techniques, methods, instrumentation and models
Hydrometeors
Meteorology
Monte Carlo simulation
Observation aircraft
Profilers
Radar
Radiation
Radiation measurement
Radiation standards
Remote sensing
Retrieval
Speed
Storms
Studies
Summaries
Thunderstorms
UHF
Updraft
Velocity
Vertical air currents
Vertical velocities
Wind
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Description
Summary:This study presents a summary of the properties of deep convective updraft and downdraft cores over the central plains of the United States, accomplished using a novel and now-standard Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) scanning mode for a commercial wind-profiler system. A unique profiler-based hydrometeor fall-speed correction method modeled for the convective environment was adopted. Accuracy of the velocity retrievals from this effort is expected to be within 2 m s−1, with minimal bias and base core resolution expected near 1 km. Updraft cores are found to behave with height in reasonable agreement with aircraft observations of previous continental convection, including those of the Thunderstorm Project. Intense updraft cores with magnitudes exceeding 15 m s−1are routinely observed. Downdraft cores are less frequently observed, with weaker magnitudes than updrafts. Weak, positive correlations are found between updraft intensity (maximum) and updraft diameter length (coefficientrto 0.5 aloft). Negligible correlations are observed for downdraft core lengths and intensity.
ISSN:1558-8424
1558-8432
DOI:10.1175/jamc-d-12-0185.1