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Exploring a Physically Based Tool for Lightning Cessation: Preliminary ResultsThe University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) and NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center are collaborating with the 45th Weather Squadron (45WS) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) to enable improved nowcasting of lightning cessation. The project centers on use of dual-polarimetric radar capabilities, and in particular, the new C-band dual-polarimetric weather radar acquired by the 45WS. Special emphasis is placed on the development of a physically based operational algorithm to predict lightning cessation. While previous studies have developed statistically based lightning cessation algorithms, we believe that dual-polarimetric radar variables offer the possibility to improve existing algorithms through the inclusion of physically meaningful trends reflecting interactions between in-cloud electric fields and microphysics. Specifically, decades of polarimetric radar research using propagation differential phase has demonstrated the presence of distinct phase and ice crystal alignment signatures in the presence of strong electric fields associated with lightning. One question yet to be addressed is: To what extent can these ice-crystal alignment signatures be used to nowcast the cessation of lightning activity in a given storm? Accordingly, data from the UAHuntsville Advanced Radar for Meteorological and Operational Research (ARMOR) along with the North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array are used in this study to investigate the radar signatures present before and after lightning cessation. A summary of preliminary results will be presented.
Document ID
20100026043
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Schultz, Elsie V.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Petersen, Walter A.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Carey, Lawrence D.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Buechler, Dennis E.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Gatlin, Patrick N.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
June 7, 2010
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Report/Patent Number
M10-0752
Meeting Information
Meeting: Proceedings of The 2010 NOAA STAR AWG/GOES-RRR Review
Location: Madison, WI
Country: United States
Start Date: June 7, 2010
End Date: June 11, 2010
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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