Journal article

Influences of moist convection on a cold-season outbreak of clear-air turbulence (CAT)

SB Trier, RD Sharman, TP Lane

Monthly Weather Review | Published : 2012

Abstract

The 9-10 March 2006 aviation turbulence outbreak over the central United States is examined using observations and numerical simulations. Though the turbulence occurs withina deep synoptic cyclone with widespread precipitation, comparison of reports from commercial aircraft with radar and satellite data reveals the majority of the turbulence to be in clear air. This clear-air turbulence (CAT) is located above a strong upper-level jet, where vertical shear rangedbetween 20 and 30 m s -1 km -1. Comparison of a moist simulation with a dry simulation reveals that simulated vertical shear and subgrid turbulence kinetic energy is significantly enhanced by the anticyclonic upper-level flow perturba..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by National Science Foundation


Funding Acknowledgements

The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.Sherrie Fredrick (NCAR) and Simon Caine (University of Melbourne) are acknowledged for assistance in running the simulations. The authors are also grateful to Chris Davis (NCAR) and to three anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments that led to clarifications in the manuscript. One of the authors, Todd Lane, is the recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT0990892). This research presented was funded in part through NOAA Contract S467.