9301227 Chen The interactions of atmospheric flows with mountains is an important issue in atmospheric sciences. Orography plays a role in both local weather as well as influencing the larger scale flow. The isolation of the mountainous Island of Hawaii provides a natural laboratory for these studies. In 1990 a cooperative project among several researchers, the Hawaiian Rainband Project (HaRP), was executed to study the influence of the island on local weather and fundamental mountain/atmospheric flow interactions. The Principal Investigator will continue and extend his previous research on the relationship between rainbands and the mesoscale environment using data collected during the HaRP. Using results from prior observational studies and extensive numerical simulations, he will examine the diurnal evolution of the rainbands, which are a consistent atmospheric feature on the windward side of the island of Hawaii. The Principal Investigator will focus on the larger scale forcing that controls the location and strength of the convergence zone responsible for the rainbands. Specifically, the researcher will attempt to verify previous numerical model results pertaining to dynamic forcing of rainbands and will reexamine the role of thermal forcing. ***
