Title: Mesoscale Convective Systems
1Mesoscale Convective Systems  Robert
Houze Department of Atmospheric
Sciences University of Washington
Nebraska
Kansas
Oklahoma
Arkansas
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3Figure CONVSF
Precipitation in a Mesoscale Convective System
Houze 1997
Houze 1997
4Heating Cooling Processes in an MCS
Houze 1982
5Idealized Heating Profiles of MCSs
Non-dimensional Heating
Houze 1982
6Circulation Pattern of an MCS, ca 1989
Mesoscale circulation features identified, but
suggests air enters updraft from thin surface
layer
Houze et al. 1989
7Layer lifting
8TOGA COARE Airborne Doppler Observations of MCSs
25 convective region flights Show deep layer of
inflow to updrafts
Kingsmill Houze 1999
9Bryan and Fritsch 2000Analysis and simulation of
midlatitude continental convection
Slab or Layer Overturning
10Mechem et al. 2000Simulation of tropical oceanic
convection
11Pandya Durran 1996
Mean heating in convective line
Horizontal wind
12Simulation of an MCS over the tropical ocean,
near Kwajalein Courtesy Professor Rob Fovell
Gentle, persistent lifting ahead of line
Lower troposphere above boundary layer cooler,
more moist, and less stable
13Discrete Propagation
14Loop showing tropical discrete propagation in an
MCS over Oklahoma
Courtesy Professor Rob Fovell
15Loop showing tropical discrete propagation in an
MCS over the Bay of Bengal
16Midlevel Inflow
17Heating Cooling Processes in an MCS
Houze 1982
18Figure CONVSF
Midlevel inflow can come from any direction
Houze 1997
rear inflow
Houze 1997
19TOGA COARE Airborne Doppler Observations of MCSs
25 Stratiform region flights
Kingsmill Houze 1999
20Heating, PV generation, upscale feedbacks
21Sizes of MCSs observed in TOGA COARE
Chen et al. 1996
22Divergence Profiles of MCSs over West Pacific
Courtesy Brian Mapes
23PV Generation by an MCS
Fritsch et al. 1994(based on Raymond Jiang
1990)
24Vortex Spinup by an MCS
Chen Frank 1993
25Development of a Tropical Cyclone from an MCS
Bister and Emanuel 1997
26Idealized Heating Profiles of MCSs
Stratiform region vortex builds down and sfc
fluxeswarm low levels
Non-dimensional Heating
Houze 1982
27Interaction of MCSs with Synoptic-scale Easterly
Wave
From AMMA Science Plan Thorncroft et al. 2004
28What about momentum feedbacks?
29Perturbation pressure field in a simulated MCS
Yang Houze 1996
30Momentum changes produced by different parts of
simulated MCS
Yang Houze 1996
31Stratiform region momentum transport in TOGA
COARE MCS of 11 February 1993 As seen by ship
radar
reflectivity
stratiformecho
SW
NE
Doppler velocity
midlevel inflow
Downward momentumtransport
Houze et al. 2000
32Stratiform region momentum transport in TOGA
COARE MCS of 15 December 1992 As seen by ship
radar
0.5 km
Houze et al. 2000
33TOGA COARE Ship and aircraft radar data relative
to Kelvin-Rossby wave structure
Low-level flow
strong westerly region
westerlyonset region
Houze et al. 2000
34Mesoscale model simulation of MCS in westerly
onset regime Perturbation momentum structure
Mechem et al. 2004
35Mesoscale model simulation of MCS in strong
westerly regime Perturbation momentum structure
Mechem et al. 2004
36Strong Westerly Case
Momentum fluxes and flux convergences for
simulated cases
feedback
Westerly Onset Case
- feedback
Mechem et al. 2004
37Global satellite observations Global variability
of MCS structure
38TRMM Precipitation Radar Schumacher Houze 2003
39Large-scale response to precipitation heating
Hartmann et al. 1984Schumacher et al. 2004
400 mb heating
200 mb stream function
4 month El Nino season 1998
Most realistic when horizontal distribution of
vertical profile of heating is correct
40The variation of stratiform and convective
structure of MCSs is most pronounced between
land ocean
41TRMM view of Africa vis a vis the Atlantic AMMA
Science Plan, Thorncroft 2004
Rain
Stratiform Rain Fraction
MCSs with large 85GHz ice scattering
Lightning
42India Another example of continental MCS
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53End
54Buoyancy Produced Pressure Minimum in an MCS
LeMone 1983