Projects

MSU Award Number

191001-363513-4B

Current NGI File Number

17-NGI3-31

Associated MSU Award or NGI File Numbers

N/A

Start Date

8/1/2017

End Date

2019-7-31 0:0:0

Project Status

Completed

Award Amount

$27,319.00

Project Title

VORTEX-SE 2018 Field Campaign Activities: High-CAPE, Low-Shear Emphasis

PI Last Name

Knupp

PI First Name

Kevin

PI Affiliation

UAH

Research Theme

CH-CE

Funding Source

OAR

Project Description

Factors that contribute to tornado formation were investigated by researchers who conducted field observations over northern Alabama from November 2017 to May 2018, followed by initial analysis and quality control. They examined horizontal shearing instability with tornadic quasi-linear convective systems (QLCSs) and of stratocumulus cloud behavior and their interaction with the boundary layer during cold season tornado events. They also completed analysis of data collected during previous VORTEX-SE field campaigns in 2016 and 2017, including analysis of wind profiler and balloon sounding data sets collected during a violent tornado over Sand Mountain. Completed work included an initial examination of horizontal shearing instability (HIS) within QLCSs, characterization of stratocumulus clouds during cool season tornado events, and evaluation (risk reduction) of observational strategies for a future experiment. This effort supported the development of a preliminary hypotheses regarding the propagation characteristics, internal structure and dynamical behavior, and development of mesovortices within high-shear, low-cape (HSLC) QLCSs.