Measurement and Anaylsis of Vertical Profiles of the Electric Field in Severe Storms During STEPS

University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus, Norman OK

Investigators

Abstract

The Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study field program (STEPS), planned for the early summer of 2000 in western Kansas, will provide a wide range of observations in and around thunderstorms using aircraft, radar, and other observing systems. As part of STEPS, Dr. MacGorman and his Co-PI Dr. David Rust will launch balloons that are equipped to measure and transmit back to ground the temperature, wind speed and direction, and electric field strength as the balloons ascend through thunderstorms. Objectives of the research are (1) to examine the genesis of lightning flashes relative to the charge distribution of different types of severe storms; (2) to ascertain whether the relatively infrequent occurrence of positively charged cloud-to-ground lightning is associated with hail production and may be used as an indicator of storm severity; (3) to determine the electrical structure of thunderstorms in relation to the air motions and precipitation in the storms. Analysis of the data will be closely coordinated with other NSF-supported STEPS projects, including the New Mexico Tech lightning mapper (ATM-9912073), the CHILL radar (ATM-9912051 and -9982030), and the South Dakota armored T-28 airplane (ATM-9981175).