Thu, 15 Dec 2011
Researchers from the University of East Anglia have been flying directly into the powerful storms that have battered the UK in recent weeks.
Driven by an exceptionally strong ‘jet stream’ around 8km above the North Atlantic, the series of storms have brought high winds and heavy rainfall during late November and early December – with further stormy weather forecast in the coming days.
While disruptive for many, the violent weather has provided an ideal test-bed for the researchers who are part of the DIAMET project (diabatic influences on mesoscale structures in extratropical storms). The project includes scientists from the universities of Manchester, Reading, Leeds and UEA, as well as from the Met Office. It is led by the Natural Environment Research Council’s National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS).
The aim of the project is to understand the complex structure of such storms so that strong winds and heavy rainfall can be forecast more accurately at the county, rather than country, level.
“The observations we can obtain from these research aircraft flights are vital for working out how these storms work and how we can simplify some of the crucial processes for inclusion in our forecast models,” said Prof Ian Renfrew (pictured) of UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences.
The DIAMET scientists use a specially-instrumented research aircraft to obtain unique observations of the storms’ associated winds, temperature, humidity, cloud microphysical properties and their interaction with the ocean surface. The aircraft is a modified passenger jet which has been refitted to carry a range of state-of-the-art equipment, measuring the properties of the air in which the plane flies.
A team of 16 aircrew and scientists work on each flight, some operating specialised instruments, and others analysing the data in real time so that changes can be made to the flight pattern as a storm develops.
In extreme storms the condensation and evaporation of water are thought to play a crucial role in development, as these processes release (or take in) heat when clouds are formed, raindrops evaporate or moisture leaves the sea surface. These ‘diabatic’ processes transfer energy within the weather system, changing the way it develops and the location and strength of the peak winds or heaviest rainfall. For example, evaporation of falling raindrops is thought to accelerate the downward movement of very high winds in the so-called ‘sting jets’ that form in particularly ferocious storms and are not yet fully understood. This hypothesis can now be tested following the comprehensive observations made by the DIAMET team during last week’s storm in Scotland, which led to widespread school closures, bridge closures, structural damage and loss of power to around 50,000 people.
In addition to the Scottish storm, the DIAMET project has flown in: the heavy rainfall event of November 28-29 over the southwest of England; the storm of December 1 which battered the Shetland and Orkney Islands; and the heavy rain and strong winds of December 12-13 over England.
While disruptive for many, the violent weather has provided an ideal test-bed for the researchers who are part of the DIAMET project (diabatic influences on mesoscale structures in extratropical storms). The project includes scientists from the universities of Manchester, Reading, Leeds and UEA, as well as from the Met Office. It is led by the Natural Environment Research Council’s National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS).
The aim of the project is to understand the complex structure of such storms so that strong winds and heavy rainfall can be forecast more accurately at the county, rather than country, level.
“The observations we can obtain from these research aircraft flights are vital for working out how these storms work and how we can simplify some of the crucial processes for inclusion in our forecast models,” said Prof Ian Renfrew (pictured) of UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences.
The DIAMET scientists use a specially-instrumented research aircraft to obtain unique observations of the storms’ associated winds, temperature, humidity, cloud microphysical properties and their interaction with the ocean surface. The aircraft is a modified passenger jet which has been refitted to carry a range of state-of-the-art equipment, measuring the properties of the air in which the plane flies.
A team of 16 aircrew and scientists work on each flight, some operating specialised instruments, and others analysing the data in real time so that changes can be made to the flight pattern as a storm develops.
In extreme storms the condensation and evaporation of water are thought to play a crucial role in development, as these processes release (or take in) heat when clouds are formed, raindrops evaporate or moisture leaves the sea surface. These ‘diabatic’ processes transfer energy within the weather system, changing the way it develops and the location and strength of the peak winds or heaviest rainfall. For example, evaporation of falling raindrops is thought to accelerate the downward movement of very high winds in the so-called ‘sting jets’ that form in particularly ferocious storms and are not yet fully understood. This hypothesis can now be tested following the comprehensive observations made by the DIAMET team during last week’s storm in Scotland, which led to widespread school closures, bridge closures, structural damage and loss of power to around 50,000 people.
In addition to the Scottish storm, the DIAMET project has flown in: the heavy rainfall event of November 28-29 over the southwest of England; the storm of December 1 which battered the Shetland and Orkney Islands; and the heavy rain and strong winds of December 12-13 over England.
