Mesoscale Meteorology Group at Iowa State University Department of Agronomy Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 50011

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What we do:

Our main research interests are mesoscale meteorology and boundary-layer meteorology. Much of our research is on mesoscale phenomena that overlap between these disciplines, such as sea breezes and other terrain-forced mesoscale circulations as well as the Great Plains low-level jet.

How we do it:

We use both numerical simulations and observational analyses to study mesoscale phenomena. Over the past few years we have evolved from almost exclusively a numerical modeling program to a roughly equal mix of modeling and observations.

Mesoscale models we are currently using include the NCEP Eta model, the NCAR / Penn State MM5 mesoscale model, the Colorado State University RAMS model and a "home grown" mesoscale model that we have come to call AMBLE (for Atmospheric Model with Boundary-Layer Emphasis). Why use so many different models, you ask? One reason is that we are involved in a model intercomparison project to study how different mesoscale models depict regional climate. Another is that different research topics are sometimes suited to different models.

We use mainstream observed data such as the NOAA wind profilers and GOES satellite imagery, as well as more specialized research facilities such as the NCAR integrated sounding systems or the University of Wyoming King Air research aircraft. We also have a mini-network of four portable surface weather stations that we can quickly transport in a single cargo van (or even by UPS!) in support of field projects.

Who we are:

We are a group of faculty, staff and graduate students in the Agricultural Meteorology Program, one of the many programs in the Department of Agronomy at Iowa State University. Members of our group are:

• Raymond Arritt, Professor
• Moti Segal, Scientist
• Zaitao Pan, Scientist
• Chris Anderson, Graduate Student
• Jenny Bodem, Graduate Student
• Jimmy Correia, Graduate Student

Current and recent projects:

Following are examples of our recent projects, including abstracts for several publications that have not yet appeared in print. If you want to cite any of these in your work please email us first for the correct citation information. (We may agree to send pre-publication copies of the full papers if you ask nicely.)

Mesoscale convective systems: We have an ongoing activity that catalogues mesoscale convective systems over the continental U.S. using GOES infrared satellite imagery. We extended the satellite classification routine used in the annual MCC summaries performed by Augustine and colleagues during the 1980's, by including a second classification of large, long-lived MCS that we call "persistent elongated convective systems" (PECS). Climatologies we have performed so far are:

• A climatology of mesoscale convective complexes and other large, persistent mesoscale convective systems during 1992 and 1993.

• A climatology of mesoscale convective systems during the El Nino of 1997-98.

• A climatology of mesoscale convective systems during the La Nina of 1999-2000.

Low level jets: Another ongoing interest is the Great Plains low-level jet. We have done two studies that evaluate the ability of the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis to represent the low level jet:

• A comparison of low-level jets in the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis with a two-year record of high-resolution research radiosonde profiles.

• A longer-term (7 year) comparison of low-level jets in the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis with observations from microwave wind profilers.

Mesoscale climate: A common thread in much of our research is the effect of mesoscale processes on the climatology growing-season precipitation over the continental U.S. Some more studies related to this overall topic are:

• A study of the North American monsoon system (a/k/a southwest monsoon, Mexican monsoon) as simulated in the Hadley Centre coupled ocean-atmosphere GCM, for both current climate and an increased CO₂ scenario.

• Project to Intercompare Regional Climate Models (PIRCS): A comparative study of medium- to long-term simulations of mesoscale climate using a variety of numerical models.

Sea and lake breezes:

• Operational modeling of the Lake Michigan lake breeze in the Chicago area using AMBLE. We are looking specifically at the usefulness of ACARS data to provide improved initial conditions for the model. This study is performed in cooperation with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Chicago.

• An observational study of the Lake Okeechobee lake breeze in south-central Florida.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. ATM-9627890 and ATM-9616728. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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