Overview of the 2003 and 2004 Field Program Phases of the Thunderstorm Electrification and Lightning Experiment (TELEX)
Abstract
The scientific purpose of TELEX is to test and revise hypotheses concerning the inter-relationships among the wind field, microphysical characteristics, electrical structure, and lightning of isolated nonsevere and severe storms and mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). We conducted the field program of TELEX in central Oklahoma, 11 May-6 June 2003 and 9 May-20 June 2004. At the beginning of the 2003 field program, several new and upgraded observing systems were operating in central Oklahoma: the polarimetric part of the KOUN 11-cm wavelength Doppler radar, the Oklahoma three-dimensional Lightning Mapping Array (OK-LMA), and a mobile laboratory for storm intercept and mobile ballooning with up to four balloon soundings being possible simultaneously. Furthermore, the balloon-borne electric field meter was substantially upgraded the second year (both mechanically and electronically) to provide higher resolution data, including more accurate determination of instrument orientation to increase the resolution of three-dimensional electric field vectors in context of the three-dimensional structures of storm parameters and lightning. Presented in this paper are examples from both years in which instrumented balloons carrying a radiosonde and electric field meter obtained soundings. Other sensors were sometimes added to the instrument train by visiting researchers. In 2003, fourteen flights were made during seven missions. Owing to a scarcity of isolated deep convection in central Oklahoma during the 2003 program, the flights were mostly in nighttime multicellular storms and MCSs. In 2004, thirty-six flights were made during 13 ballooning missions. Soundings were made through nonsevere and severe storms and mesoscale convective systems. Several flights recorded data on both ascent and descent through the storm. Electric fields ranging above 150 kV/m were measured.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004AGUFMAE41A..08R
- Keywords:
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- 3324 Lightning;
- 3304 Atmospheric electricity