Momentum flux in the subcloud layer of a microburst-producing thunderstorm determined from JAWS Dual-Doppler data

Abstract

Dual-Doppler winds at 1647 MDT for the 14 July, 1982 convective storm collected during the Joint Airport Weather Studies (JAWS) project at Denver's Stapleton International Airport were objectively analyzed to produce a three-dimensional wind field. The domain of interest had dimensions of 10 × 10 × 8.5 km centered on the microburst. Vertical velocities were computed by integrating the anelastic continuity equation downward from the storm's top. A variational approach was then employed to adjust the derived three-dimensional wind field. Subsequently, fields of deviation perturbation pressure and virtual temperature were retrieved from a detailed wind field using the three momentum equations. These retrieved fields were subjected to internal consistency checks to determine the level of confidence before interpetation. The fields were then used to calculate the generation of the vertical transport of horizontal momentum in the subcloud layer of a microburst-producing storm during the quasi-steady mature stage.

Results show that the microburst occurrence in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) enhances eddy transfer of momentum. Direct calculation of the vertical transport of u- and v-momentum reveals that momentum was being transferred downward from the mid-levels of the storm to the microburst. The dominant processes contributing to the generation/dissipation of horizontal momentum flux were the total buoyancy production, pressure effects, vertical mean wind shear and vertical transport of momentum. The above processes play an important role in maintaining the strength of the microburst outflow in the ABL during the quasi-steady mature stage of the microburst life cycle.