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CloudSat tropical cyclone database

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dc.contributor.authorTourville, Natalie Dawn, author
dc.contributor.authorStephens, Graeme L., 1952-, advisor
dc.contributor.authorDeMaria, Mark, committee member
dc.contributor.authorEykholt, Richard Eric, 1956-, committee member
dc.contributor.authorMaloney, Eric D., committee member
dc.coverage.spatialTropics
dc.date.accessioned2007-01-03T04:52:04Z
dc.date.available2007-01-03T04:52:04Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.description.abstractCloudSat (CS), the first 94 GHz space borne cloud profiling radar (CPR), launched in 2006 to study the vertical distribution of clouds. Not only are CS observations revealing inner vertical cloud details of water and ice globally but CS overpasses of tropical cyclones (TC's) are providing a new and exciting opportunity to study the vertical structure of these storm systems. CS TC observations are providing first time vertical views of TC's and demonstrate a unique way to observe TC structure remotely from space. Since December 2009, CS has intersected every globally named TC (within 1000 km of storm center) for a total of 5,278 unique overpasses of tropical systems (disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm and hurricane/typhoon/cyclone (HTC)). In conjunction with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), each CS TC overpass is processed into a data file containing observational data from the afternoon constellation of satellites (A-TRAIN), Navy's Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System Model (NOGAPS), European Center for Medium range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) model and best track storm data. This study will describe the components and statistics of the CS TC database, present case studies of CS TC overpasses with complementary A-TRAIN observations and compare average reflectivity stratifications of TC's across different atmospheric regimes (wind shear, SST, latitude, maximum wind speed and basin). Average reflectivity stratifications reveal that characteristics in each basin vary from year to year and are dependent upon eye overpasses of HTC strength storms and ENSO phase. West Pacific (WPAC) basin storms are generally larger in size (horizontally and vertically) and have greater values of reflectivity at a predefined height than all other basins. Storm structure at higher latitudes expands horizontally. Higher vertical wind shear (≥ 9.5 m/s) reduces cloud top height (CTH) and the intensity of precipitation cores, especially in HTC strength storms. Average zero and ten dBZ height thresholds confirm WPAC storms loft precipitation sized particles higher into the atmosphere than in other basins. Two CS eye overpasses (32 hours apart) of a weakening Typhoon Nida in 2009 reveal the collapse of precipitation cores, warm core anomaly and upper tropospheric ice water content (IWC) under steady moderate shear conditions.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifierTourville_colostate_0053N_10138.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10217/44954
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subjecttropical cyclone
dc.subjectCloudSat
dc.subjectremote sensing
dc.subjectpassive microwave instruments
dc.subjecthurricane
dc.subjectsatellite
dc.subject.lcshCyclones -- Tropics
dc.subject.lcshCyclones -- Tracking
dc.subject.lcshSatellite meteorology
dc.subject.lcshArtificial satellites in remote sensing
dc.subject.lcshHurricanes -- Tropics
dc.subject.lcshDynamic meteorology
dc.titleCloudSat tropical cyclone database
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineAtmospheric Science
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)

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