This project will examine characteristics of gravity waves above convective storms and their relationships to fine-scale spatial and temporal variations in associated precipitation, with an ultimate goal of improved understanding of the effects of gravity waves generated by convection upon global climate via their influence on the general atmospheric circulation. In global models, gravity waves drive circulation changes in the stratosphere that can affect climate, particularly on seasonal and regional scales. A hierarchy of tools will be utilized, including full-physics cloud-resolving weather research models as well as simpler one-dimensional wave propagation models (parameterizations). Results from the observationally-validated cloud-resolving models will be distilled to simplified relationships and linked to current physical process parameterizations within climate models. Specific objectives of the effort will include: Prediction of where convectively-generated waves will propagate, break, and drive changes in the wind; estimation of diurnal and seasonal variations in the spectrum of waves generated by convection over the continental U.S. by utilizing the dense network of precipitation radar observations and validated weather model studies; testing and improving a state-of-the-art parameterization of these waves generated by convection; and evaluations of indicated improvements in climate model runs. Broader impacts of this effort will include training of a female graduate student for a research career in dynamic meteorology or related atmospheric/climate science, as well as potential benefits to human safety via improved understanding and potential for improved prediction of thunderstorm-generated gravity waves and associated clear-air turbulence as well as broader weather and climate patterns.
