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University of Utah Group- TCSP and NAMMA. Ed Zipser (PI), Zhaoxia Pu (co-PI) and Chuntao Liu, Brandon Kerns, Kantave Greene. Big Question: What is the essential difference between developing and non-developing [African] waves?
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University of Utah Group- TCSP and NAMMA Ed Zipser (PI), Zhaoxia Pu (co-PI) and Chuntao Liu, Brandon Kerns, Kantave Greene Big Question: What is the essential difference between developing and non-developing [African] waves? • Is it sufficient to have “strong enough” synoptic-scale vorticity maxima in the waves? Mid-level or low level? • Is it sufficient to have a few strong convective bursts to concentrate the vorticity on smaller scales? • Given both, is development inevitable? • Challenge in NAMMA: Synoptic scale, mesoscale, and convective scale data for analysis and numerical experimentation for these questions.
All non-developing vorticity maxima, Jun-Oct.1998-2001, mid-levels (700/600 hPa) (Colors represent relative vorticity (x 10-6s-1) ERA40, 1.125° X All non-developing vorticity maxima, Jun-Oct.1998-2001, low-levels (925/850 hPa) (Colors represent relative vorticity (x 10-6s-1) ERA40, 1.125° X Message: No shortage of waves with substantial vorticity passing north and south of Cape Verdes at both low and mid-levels; (mid-level centers are often farther north)
All developing vorticity maxima, Jun-Oct.1998-2001, mid-levels (700/600 hPa) (Colors represent relative vorticity (x 10-6s-1) ERA40, 1.125° X All developing vorticity maxima, Jun-Oct.1998-2001, low-levels (925/850 hPa) (Colors represent relative vorticity (x 10-6s-1) ERA40, 1.125° X Message: Almost all developing systems will pass south of Cape Verdes, even at mid-levels. (This is not conventional wisdom-- is ERA40 getting it right?)
All non-developing vorticity maxima, Jun-Oct.1998-2001, low-levels (925/850 hPa) (Colors represent relative vorticity (x 10-6s-1) ERA40, 1.125° X All developing vorticity maxima, Jun-Oct.1998-2001, low-levels (925/850 hPa) (Colors represent relative vorticity (x 10-6s-1) ERA40, 1.125° X Message: Most systems weaken in longitude of Cape Verdes, except for a small fraction of systems passing to the south. What distinguishes the successful ones?