Kenichi Kusunoki

Finescale Doppler Radar Observation of a Tornado and Low-Level Misocyclones within a Winter Storm in the Japan Sea Coastal Region

Abstract Life histories of low-level misocyclones, one of which corresponded to a tornado vortex within a winter storm in the Japan Sea coastal region on 1 December 2007, were observed from close range by X-band Doppler radar of the East Japan Railway Company. Continuous plan position indicator (PPI) observations at 30-s intervals at the low-elevation angle revealed at least four cyclonic misocyclones within the head of the comma-shaped echo of the vortical disturbance under winter monsoon conditions. The meso-β-scale vortical disturbance developed within the weak frontal zone at the leading edge of cold-air outbreaks. High-resolution observation of misocyclones revealed the detailed structures of these misocyclones and their temporal evolution. As the parent storm evolved, a low-level convergence line was observed at the edge of the easternmost misocyclone. This convergence line was considered to be important for the initiation and development of the misocyclones and the tornado through vortex stretching...

The Characteristics and Evolution of Orographic Snow Clouds under Weak Cold Advection

Abstract On 25 February 1999, on the western side of the central mountain range of Japan, orographic snow clouds had formed under conditions of weak cold advection due to a winter monsoon after a cyclonic storm. The data from Ka-band Doppler radar, microwave radiometer, hydrometeor videosondes, and 2D Grey imaging probe provided unique datasets that were used to analyze the evolution of meso- and microscale structures, especially ice and supercooled liquid water (SLW) evolutions associated with variations in surrounding conditions. In the present case, four stages were identified in the evolution of the clouds: stratiform (I), transition (II), shallow convective (III), and dissipating (IV). During stage I, substantial blocking of the low-level flow occurred. The echo top was relatively flat and the echo pattern was stratiform with a bright band. The clouds were considered to be almost glaciated, primarily by the deposition growth of ice crystals. The wind speed up the slope gradually increased in the latt...

Initial results of LF sensor network for lightning observation and characteristics of lightning emission in LF band

We have been developing an LF sensor network called Broadband Observation network for Lightning and Thunderstorm (BOLT), to image the structure of lightning discharges in 3D using time of arrival (TOA) technique. This paper documents initial results and characteristics of BOLT source locations for further understanding of LF radiation associated with lightning. Theoretical reduced Chi-square distribution fitted to BOLT observation data indicates a root mean square (rms) timing error of about 200 ns for each sensor. Monte Carlo simulations of BOLT indicate that at an altitude of 5000 m the standard deviations for horizontal differences between a known source and a location that the BOLT algorithm produces are less than 200 m, and vertical differences are less than 400 m in most of the network. Furthermore, comparison of BOLT and VHF source locations arriving at the same site within 5 µs indicates that the average difference for elevation direction is 0.73° with a standard deviation of 3.64°, and that for the azimuth direction is 0.58° with a standard deviation of 1.98°. Lightning flash processes of intracloud (IC) and cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes, including preliminary breakdown pulses, negative leaders, breakdown in the negative charge region (NCR), and an attempted leader, are well imaged by BOLT. Normalized amplitudes in E-field change waveform of BOLT sources associated with negative leaders and breakdown occurred in the NCR do not have significant difference, implying that most BOLT sources in the NCR might be associated with negative recoil leaders.

Three-Dimensional VHF Lightning Mapping System for Winter Thunderstorms

AbstractA three-dimensional (3D) winter lightning mapping system employing very high frequency (VHF) broadband signals was developed for continuous remote observation in winter. VHF broadband pulses radiated by leader progression are received with three discone antennas arranged in a triangle (20–30 m) and recorded on a high-speed digital oscilloscope (1.25-GHz sampling) with GPS digital timing data. The two-dimensional (2D) mapping for azimuth and elevation of the VHF radiation sources was conducted by computing the arrival time differences of three pulses using a cross-correlation technique. From azimuth and elevation data from two sites extracted within a given time frame, 3D lightning mapping was performed using the triangulation scheme. An observation network for winter lightning was constructed within a comprehensive meteorological observation network in the Shonai area, which is located on the coast of the Japan Sea. This report includes the preliminary 2D and 3D mapping of winter lightning observe...

Observations of quasi-stationary and shallow orographic snow clouds: Spatial distributions of supercooled liquid water and snow particles

Abstract On 25 February 1999, due to a winter monsoon after a cyclonic storm, orographic snow clouds formed under conditions of weak cold advection on the western side of the central mountain range of Japan. In this study, the Ka-band Doppler radar and vehicle-mounted microwave radiometer and 2D-Grey imaging probe were used to obtain unique datasets for analyzing the spatial distributions of microphysical structures of the snow clouds at the windward slope. The liquid water path, number concentration of snow particles (0.1–6.4 mm diameter), and precipitation rate were found to be correlated with altitude. The greater concentration of larger particles tended to appear up the slope. The echo top was at about 2.5 km (−30 dBZ), and the relatively strong echo region (>−3 dBZ) appeared at 5 km up the slope and extended nearly parallel to the slope. According to the echo pattern, the ice water path increased with terrain height and reached the maximum intensity at about 14 km up the slope. These observations pro...

High-Speed Volumetric Observation of a Wet Microburst Using X-Band Phased Array Weather Radar in Japan

AbstractThis paper reports a high-speed volumetric observation of a wet microburst event using X-band phased array weather radar (PAWR) in Japan. On 10 September 2014, PAWR observed the three-dimensional structure of a convection cell, which had a vertical extent of 5–6 km and a horizontal dimension of 2–10 km, moving toward the east-northeast. At 2310 Japan standard time (JST), a precipitation core with a radar reflectivity of >40 dBZ appeared at 3–5 km above ground level. The core then increased in size and intensity and rapidly descended to the ground. During this time, a reflectivity notch associated with midlevel inflow was initially formed near the top of the precipitation core and, subsequently, at lower altitudes. A strong low-level outflow with a radial divergence of >4 × 10−3 s−1 appeared just below the notch at around 2321 JST. The outflow lasted for approximately 13 min and eventually disappeared after 2333 JST along with dissipation of the causative storm cell. These results suggest that, in ...

Analysis of the horizontal two-dimensional near-surface structure of a winter tornadic vortex using high-resolution in situ wind and pressure measurements

The horizontal two-dimensional near-surface structure of a tornadic vortex within a winter storm was analyzed. The tornadic vortex was observed on 10 December 2012 by the high-resolution in situ observational linear array of wind and pressure sensors (LAWPS) system in conjunction with a high-resolution Doppler radar. The 0.1 s maximum wind speed and pressure deficit near the ground were recorded as 35.3 m s−1 and −3.8 hPa, respectively. The horizontal two-dimensional distributions of the tornadic vortex wind and pressure were retrieved by the LAWPS data, which provided unprecedented observational detail on the following important features of the near-surface structure of the tornadic vortex. Asymmetric convergent inflow toward the vortex center existed. Total wind speed was strong to the right and rear side of the translational direction of the vortex and weak in the forward part of the vortex possibly because of the strong convergent inflow in that region. The tangential wind speed profile of the vortex was better approximated using a modified Rankine vortex rather than the Rankine vortex both at 5 m above ground level (agl) and 100 m agl, and other vortex models (Burgers-Rott vortex and Wood-White vortex) were also compared. The cyclostrophic wind balance was violated in the core radius R0 and outside the core radius in the forward sector; however, it was held with a relatively high accuracy of approximately 14% outside the core of the vortex in the rearward sector (from 2 R0 to 5 R0) near the ground.

Relationship between thunderstorm electrification and storm kinetics revealed by phased array weather radar

We examine 3-D lightning location data and radar data obtained through multiple radar observation stations, including two X-band phased array weather radars (PAWRs), in order to understand the relationship between thunderstorm electrification and storm kinetics. In an investigated convective cell, both intracloud (IC) and cloud-to-ground (CG) flash rates drastically change within 25 min. First, the IC flash rate shows a steep increase with a peak at 10 min−1, and then, the CG flash rate peaks 7 min afterward. During the increase phase of the IC flash rate, the radar observation indicates that the echo top height and updraft echo volume in the upper level increase. The upper positive charge regions removed by IC flashes are located in or near the updraft region at high altitudes. On the contrary, the IC flash rate decreases when the updraft at high altitudes weakens. The IC flash rate is well correlated with a proxy for updraft volume in 1 min interval comparison. These results indicate that the IC flash rate has a strong connection with updraft at high altitudes. The CG flash rate peaks when precipitation particles, probably involving graupel, from high altitudes arrive at approximately the −10°C isotherm level. We speculate that graupel from high altitudes might contribute to the initiations of CG flashes. We show an abrupt ascent of the upper positive charge region involved in IC flashes. PAWR observation results indicate that the updraft might have contributed to the ascent of the upper positive lightning charge region.

Analytical Studies of Low-Level Internal Gravity Waves over the Kanto Plain Associated with a Stationary Front

Abstract An observational analysis of the low-level internal gravity waves over the Kanto Plain in Japan on 17 October 1998 was performed. The data from the Doppler Radar for Airport Weather (DRAW), as well as Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) data of wind and temperature, provided unique observations with high spatial and temporal resolutions and were used to analyze detailed wave structures and environmental conditions, especially the wave-trapping mechanism. According to the data analysis, the horizontal wavelength was approximately 7 km, the ground-relative phase speed of the waves was approximately 1 m s−1, and the direction of propagation was toward 50° (NE). The profiles from ACARS revealed that the Scorer parameter decreased rapidly with height above 1500 m AGL and became less than the horizontal wavenumber near 2600 m AGL. These results indicate that the atmosphere acts as a duct and the waves were trapped vertically and reflected downward. The observed horizontal wa...

Characteristics of radiation of lightning discharge in LF band

We have been developing a LF sensor network, called Broadband Observation network for Lightning and Thunderstorm (BOLT), to image whole structure of lightning discharges in 3D. This paper documents initial results of BOLT source locations for further understanding of characteristics of LF radiations. Whole lightning flash of a cloud-to-cloud and a cloud-to-ground flashes, including preliminary breakdown pulses, negative leaders at both high and low altitudes, breakdown in negative charge region (NCR), and a pulse burst, are well imaged by the BOLT. Normalized radiation amplitudes of BOLT sources associated with negative leaders and breakdown in NCR do not differ so much, implying that most of BOLT sources in NCR might be associated with negative recoil leaders.