Martin Weissmann

THE TERRAIN-INDUCED ROTOR EXPERIMENT : A Field Campaign Overview Including Observational Highlights

Abstract The Terrain-Induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX) is a coordinated international project, composed of an observational field campaign and a research program, focused on the investigation of atmospheric rotors and closely related phenomena in complex terrain. The T-REX field campaign took place during March and April 2006 in the lee of the southern Sierra Nevada in eastern California. Atmospheric rotors have been traditionally defined as quasi-two-dimensional atmospheric vortices that form parallel to and downwind of a mountain ridge under conditions conducive to the generation of large-amplitude mountain waves. Intermittency, high levels of turbulence, and complex small-scale internal structure characterize rotors, which are known hazards to general aviation. The objective of the T-REX field campaign was to provide an unprecedented comprehensive set of in situ and remotely sensed meteorological observations from the ground to UTLS altitudes for the documentation of the spatiotem-poral characteristics ...

The Influence of Assimilating Dropsonde Data on Typhoon Track and Midlatitude Forecasts

A unique dataset of targeted dropsonde observations was collected during The Observing System Research and Predictability Experiment (THORPEX) Pacific Asian Regional Campaign (T-PARC) in the autumn of 2008. The campaign was supplemented by an enhancement of the operational Dropsonde Observations for Typhoon Surveillance near the Taiwan Region (DOTSTAR) program. For the first time, up to four different aircraft were available for typhoon observations and over 1500 additional soundings were collected. This study investigates the influence of assimilating additional observations during the two major typhoon events of T-PARC on the typhoon track forecast by the global models of the European Centre for MediumRange Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), and the limited-area Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Additionally, the influence of T-PARC observations on ECMWF midlatitude forecasts is investigated. All models show an improving tendency of typhoon track forecasts, but the degree of improvement varied fromabout20%to40%inNCEPandWRFtoacomparablylowinfluenceinECMWFandJMA.Thisislikely related to lower track forecast errors without dropsondes in the latter two models, presumably caused by a more extensive use of satellite data and four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4D-Var) of ECMWF and JMA compared to three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3D-Var) of NCEP and WRF. The different behavior of the models emphasizes that the benefit gained strongly depends on the quality of the first-guess field and the assimilation system.

The Impact of Dropwindsonde Observations on Typhoon Track Forecasts in DOTSTAR and T-PARC

The typhoon surveillance program Dropwindsonde Observations for Typhoon Surveillance near the Taiwan Region (DOTSTAR) has been conducted since 2003 to obtain dropwindsonde observations around tropical cyclones near Taiwan. In addition, an international field project The Observing System Research and Predictability Experiment (THORPEX) Pacific Asian Regional Campaign (T-PARC) in which dropwindsonde observations were obtained by both surveillance and reconnaissanceflights was conducted in summer 2008 in the same region. In this study, the impact of the dropwindsonde data on track forecasts is investigated for DOTSTAR (2003‐09) and T-PARC (2008) experiments. Two operational global models from NCEP and ECMWF are used to evaluate the impact of dropwindsonde data. In addition, the impact on the two-model mean is assessed. The impact of dropwindsonde data on track forecasts is different in the NCEP and ECMWF model systems. Using the NCEP system, the assimilation of dropwindsonde data leads to improvements in 1- to 5-day track forecasts in about 60% of the cases. The differences between track forecasts with and without the dropwindsonde data are generallylargerforcasesinwhichthedataimprovedtheforecaststhanincasesinwhichtheforecastsweredegraded. Overall, the mean 1- to 5-day track forecast error is reduced by about 10%‐20% for both DOTSTAR and T-PARC cases in the NCEP system. In the ECMWF system, the impact is not as beneficial as in the NCEP system, likely because of more extensive use of satellite data and more complex data assimilation used in the former, leading to betterperformanceevenwithoutdropwindsondedata. Thestronger impactsofthedropwindsonde dataare revealed forthe3-to5-dayforecastinthetwo-modelmeanoftheNCEPandECMWFsystemsthanforeachindividualmodel.

LIDAR-MEASURED WIND PROFILES The Missing Link in the Global Observing System

The three-dimensional global wind field is the most important remaining measurement needed to accurately assess the dynamics of the atmosphere. Wind information in the tropics, high latitudes, and stratosphere is particularly deficient. Furthermore, only a small fraction of the atmosphere is sampled in terms of wind profiles. This limits our ability to optimally specify initial conditions for numerical weather prediction (NWP) models and our understanding of several key climate change issues. Because of its extensive wind measurement heritage (since 1968) and especially the rapid recent technology advances, Doppler lidar has reached a level of maturity required for a space-based mission. The European Space Agency (ESA)s Atmospheric Dynamics Mission Aeolus (ADM-Aeolus) Doppler wind lidar (DWL), now scheduled for launch in 2015, will be a major milestone. This paper reviews the expected impact of DWL measurements on NWP and climate research, measurement concepts, and the recent advances in technology that ...

The Alpine Mountain–Plain Circulation: Airborne Doppler Lidar Measurements and Numerical Simulations

On summer days radiative heating of the Alps produces rising air above the mountains and a resulting inflow of air from the foreland. This leads to a horizontal transport of air from the foreland to the Alps, and a vertical transport from the boundary layer into the free troposphere above the mountains. The structure and the transports of this mountain–plain circulation in southern Germany (“Alpine pumping”) were investigated using an airborne 2-m scanning Doppler lidar, a wind-temperature radar, dropsondes, rawinsondes, and numerical models. The measurements were part of the Vertical Transport and Orography (VERTIKATOR) campaign in summer 2002. Comparisons of dropsonde and lidar data proved that the lidar is capable of measuring the wind direction and wind speed of this weak flow toward the Alps (1–4 ms 1 ). The flow was up to 1500 m deep, and it extended 80 km into the Alpine foreland. Lidar data are volume measurements (horizontal resolution 5 km, vertical resolution 100 m). Therefore, they are ideal for the investigation of the flow structure and the comparison to numerical models. Even the vertical velocities measured by the lidar agreed with the mass budget calculations in terms of both sign and magnitude. The numerical simulations with the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5) (mesh size 2 and 6 km) and the Local Model (LM) of the German Weather Service (mesh size 2.8 and 7 km) reproduced the general flow structure and the mass fluxes toward the Alps within 86%–144% of the observations.

Targeted Observations with an Airborne Wind Lidar

Abstract This study investigates the possibilities and limitations of airborne Doppler lidar for adaptive observations over the Atlantic Ocean. For the first time, a scanning 2-μm Doppler lidar was applied for targeted measurements during the Atlantic “The Observing System Research and Predictability Experiment” (THORPEX) Regional Campaign (A-TReC) in November and December 2003. The DLR lidar system was operated for 28.5 flight hours, and measured 1612 vertical profiles of wind direction and wind speed with a horizontal and vertical resolution of 5–10 km and 100 m, respectively. On average, there were 25 reliable wind values on every profile, which cover 2500 m in the vertical (about one-third of the mean vertical extent of the profiles). A statistical comparison of 33 dropsondes and collocated lidar winds profiles allowed individual estimates of the standard deviation to be assigned to every wind value and to determine threshold values for an objective quality control of the data. The standard deviation ...

Observations and Numerical Simulations of Subrotor Vortices during T-REX

High-resolution observations from scanning Doppler and aerosol lidars, wind profiler radars, as well as surface and aircraft measurements during the Terrain-induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX) provide the first comprehensive documentation of small-scale intense vortices associated with atmospheric rotors that form in the lee of mountainous terrain. Although rotors are already recognized as potential hazards for aircraft, it is proposed that these small-scale vortices, or subrotors, are the most dangerous features because of strong wind shear and the transient nature of the vortices. A life cycle of a subrotor event is captured by scanning Doppler and aerosol lidars over a 5-min period. The lidars depict an amplifying vortex, with a characteristic length scale of 500–1000 m, that overturns and intensifies to a maximum spanwise vorticity greater than 0.2 s−1. Radar wind profiler observations document a series of vortices, characterized by updraft/downdraft couplets and regions of enhanced reversed flow, that are generated in a layer of strong vertical wind shear and subcritical Richardson number. The observations and numerical simulations reveal that turbulent subrotors occur most frequently along the leading edge of an elevated sheet of horizontal vorticity that is a manifestation of boundary layer shear and separation along the lee slopes. As the subrotors break from the vortex sheet, intensification occurs through vortex stretching and in some cases tilting processes related to three-dimensional turbulent mixing. The subrotors and ambient vortex sheet are shown to intensify through a modest increase in the upstream inversion strength, which illustrates the predictability challenges for the turbulent characterization of rotors.

Sensitivity of Typhoon Forecasts to Different Subsets of Targeted Dropsonde Observations

For the first time, joint tropical cyclone (TC) surveillance missions by several aircraft were conducted in the western North Pacific basin within the framework of The Observing System Research and Predictability Experiment (THORPEX) Pacific Asian Regional Campaign (T-PARC) 2008. The collected dropsonde observations were divided into three different subsets depending on their location relative to the TC to investigate which observations are most beneficial for typhoon track forecasting. Data denial experiments with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) global model were performed to analyze the influence of the different dropsonde subsets. In these experiments, the largest TC track forecast improvements are found for observations in the vicinity of the storm, placed at a circular ring at the outer boundary of the TC. In contrast, observations in remote regions indicated to be sensitive by singular vectors seem to have a relatively small influence with a slight positive tendency on average. Observations in the TC core and center lead to large analysis differences, but only very small mean forecast improvements. This is likely related to the fact that even modern high-resolution global models cannot fully resolve the TC center and thus can only use a relatively small part of the information provided by observations within the TC center. Times prior to landfall and recurvature are stronger affected by additional observations, while the influence on the track forecast after recurvature is relatively weak.

Coplanar Doppler Lidar Retrieval of Rotors from T-REX

Abstract Dual-Doppler analysis of data from two coherent lidars during the Terrain-Induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX) allows the retrieval of flow structures, such as vortices, during mountain-wave events. The spatial and temporal resolution of this approach is sufficient to identify and track vortical motions on an elevated, cross-barrier plane in clear air. Assimilation routines or additional constraints such as two-dimensional continuity are not required. A relatively simple and quick least squares method forms the basis of the retrieval. Vortices are shown to evolve and advect in the flow field, allowing analysis of their behavior in the mountain–wave–boundary layer system. The locations, magnitudes, and evolution of the vortices can be studied through calculated fields of velocity, vorticity, streamlines, and swirl. Generally, observations suggest two classes of vortical motions: rotors and small-scale vortical structures. These two structures differ in scale and behavior. The level of coordination of ...

Three-Dimensional Wind Retrieval: Application of MUSCAT to Dual-Doppler Lidar

Abstract During the field campaign of the Terrain-induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX) in the spring of 2006, Doppler lidar measurements were taken in the complex terrain of the Californian Owens Valley for six weeks. While fast three-dimensional (3D) wind analysis from measured radial wind components is well established for dual weather radars, only the feasibility was shown for dual-Doppler lidars. A computationally inexpensive, variational analysis method developed for multiple-Doppler radar measurements over complex terrain was applied. The general flow pattern of the 19 derived 3D wind fields is slightly smoothed in time and space because of lidar scan duration and analysis algorithm. The comparison of extracted wind profiles to profiles from radiosondes and wind profiler reveals differences of wind speed and direction of less than 1.1 m s−1 and 3°, on average, with standard deviations not exceeding 2.7 m s−1 and 27°, respectively. Standard velocity–azimuth display (VAD) retrieval method provided higher ...