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Doppler Radar for Education And Mesoscale Studies (DREAMS)

1. Introduction The School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) at Stony Brook University, located in Long Island, New York, is requesting a 3-week Doppler on Wheels (DOW) deployment from 17 June – 8 July 2013 for the Doppler Radar for Education And Mesoscale Studies (DREAMS) project. This opportunity will further the education of meteorology students at SoMAS by providing hands-on experience with the latest radar technology, as well as expose K-12 students and the general public to the latest atmospheric research, potentially inspiring future scientists. There are ~600 undergraduate and over 200 graduate students enrolled at SoMAS, with 50 (25) of these students in the B.S. (M.S./Ph.D) atmospheric science program. SoMAS is ~30 km from the Upton, National Weather Service (NWS) office. There are typically 3-4 Stony Brook students that intern at the Upton, NWS each semester. Stony Brook also has an active collaboration with the NWS through a NOAA Collaborative Science and Technology project on regional weather and ensemble forecasting. The Upton NWS office has written a letter of support for this project. a. Background regional phenomena There are a wide variety of mesoscale weather phenomena over Long Island, NY (Fig. 1) to investigate. Sea breezes (Novak and Colle 2006) impact the multiple high volume airports, local air quality, and wind power. The New York Bight jet (Colle and Novak 2010) is a localized low-level (100 m ASL) wind maximum (11-17 m s-1) to the south of Long Island that has a peak frequency of occurrence during June and July. This low-level jet is a valuable resource to offshore wind power initiatives, and may enhance the low-level ambient shear for approaching convective systems. Furthermore, regional convection and severe weather activity maximizes during May-August (Lombardo and Colle 2010; Murray and Colle 2011; Lombardo and Colle 2011). Previous work on these phenomena has prompted a series of motivational questions:

1. What is the kinematic structure and evolution of the marine boundary layer? 2. What are the characteristic behaviors (i.e. speed), structural properties (i.e. depth)

of the coastal sea breezes and the NY Bight jet? 3. How accurate are mesoscale numerical models at representing shallow coastal

features, such as the marine boundary layer, sea breezes, the New York Bight jet? 4. What are the fine-scale structural changes associated with organized convection

as it moves over the coastal marine layer? The diversity of weather phenomena provides an opportunity to teach students how to obtain and utilize field measurements, providing them with educational training for future employment opportunities. b. Current observational and modeling resources Conventional surface and upper air (radiosonde; Aircraft Communications Addressing and Recording System, ACARS; satellite) observations will be combined with the DOW analysis. Several hand-held instruments will measure wind, temperature,

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Figure 1. Topographical map of Long Island with proposed deployment locations for the DOW marked with an open circle-X. The location of Stony Brook University, the Upton (NYC) National Weather Service Office, and JFK airport is marked by black dots humidity, and pressure. The proximity of the Upton, NWS WSR-88D Doppler radar as well as the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) at JFK, NY offers an opportunity to perform dual-Doppler analysis on the phenomena of interest, with the DOW as another node between JFK and Upton. The PI has an active Department of Energy (DOE) wind energy project collecting observations south of eastern Long Island using a Long-EZ aircraft operated by UltraPure LLC. This aircraft can profile wind, temperature, turbulence, and moisture observations from 30-m ASL to the top of the boundary layer. Stony Brook University has been running mesoscale models (Mesoscale Model Version5 and Weather Research and Forecasting) in real-time and for research for over 10 years. These models have been used to explore the sea breeze (Novak and Colle 2006), New York Bight jet (Colle and Novak 2010), convective storm evolution around Long Island (Lombardo and Colle 2012), and WRF ensemble verification and calibration (Erickson et al. 2012). c. Current educational efforts Atmospheric undergraduate students currently obtain a basic understanding of fundamental weather analysis, mesoscale processes, and radar fundamentals in the following courses (ATM 205, 247, 347, and 437). A few students each semester complete research (ATM487) on these topics, or intern at the NWS (ATM 488). The PI is also a Co-PI on a NSF GeoPrep project at Stony Brook (http://www.stonybrook.edu/est/outreach/stemsmart/geoprep.shtml) that is providing a summer geoscience research experience to high-needs schools around New York City. The 10-15 students and high school teachers begin their summer program at Stony Brook on July 1st, so they will be able to utilize this DOW radar facility for several days.

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Stony Brook Upton, NWS

JFK Smith Point Park

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Captree State Park

!!!⊗! West Meadow Beach

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2. Objectives and Educational Goals

The primary objectives of this project include: 1. Advance the students’ knowledge of radar fundamentals, applications, and technology through the collection and processing of data from a research radar. 2. Advance the students’ education of local mesoscale phenomena (i.e. sea breezes, convection) through the analysis of data collected during the project. 3. Provide students with an opportunity to participate in a field project, including hands-on use of research equipment, mesoscale forecasting, development of deployment procedures, and the collection of data. 4. Improve students’ ability to develop research projects given the available data collected from the project 5. Expose a broader community, including K-12 students and their teachers, to current research initiatives at CSWR as well as leading scientific technology.

3. Experimental Design and Activities

a. DOW deployment locations The DOW radar will be deployed at a few different locations depending on what

mesoscale weather phenomenon will be investigated. i. Sea-breeze

The DOW will be deployed at Smith Point Park (30 km from Stony Brook), which is along the Long Island south shore (Fig. 1) during the early morning hours prior to the climatological development time (1500-1600 UTC) of the sea breeze. Additional students will be evenly placed from south to north for 15 km across Long Island on the William Floyd Parkway to record wind, temperature, and moisture measurements and capture the progression of the front. At this park there are numerous observation points with unobstructed views to the south over the ocean, such as a turn-off just before the bridge to Fire Island and the ranger station at the park.

ii. Marine boundary layer and New York Bight Jet

The DOW will also be deployed at Smith Point and Captree State Park on Long Island (cf. Fig. 1) prior to sunrise. The evolution of the marine layer and developing New York Bight jet will be sampled from dawn through sunset to get the structural evolution.

iii. Convective storms The deployment location of the DOW for convective storms will depend on the propagation of the convective system. Potential deployment locations are selected for the northern, southern, and central regions on Long Island (Fig. 1). The northern site will be targeted to understand how convective cells and lines are modified by Long Island Sound. The south shore will be used to better understand the Atlantic Ocean marine layer impacts. Deployment locations for remaining students in the field will be dependent on the nature of the convection and will be determined that day.

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b. Experimental timeline i. Two weeks prior to DOW arrival: The DREAMS project will build on current undergraduate and graduate classes offered at SoMAS, including graduate level Synoptic and Mesoscale Meteorology (MAR598) and undergraduate Advanced Synoptic Meteorology and Weather Forecasting (ATM347). For this DOW radar project, undergraduate students will enroll in either ATM487 (Research) or ATM447 (Senior Tutorial) for the first summer session that runs from the first week in June through the second week in July, and graduate students will register for MAR800 (Summer Research). During the two weeks before the DOW arrives, the students will review radar basics/interpretation, local mesoscale phenomena, complete the experimental design. ii. 2 days following arrival of DOW Students and PIs will be trained by a CSWR staff member to use the DOW, and the students and faculty will be divided up into teams (daily forecast briefing, radar operators, car instrumentation team, and data processing team). The forecast briefing team will be responsible for conducting the daily weather briefing as well as any updates while out in the field. The car instrumentation team will organize a plan to drive cars and take observations using hand held instruments. The data processing team will be responsible to save and archive the observations collected each day. iii. Daily routine Students and PIs will meet every evening (4 pm EDT) prior to the next day deployment for a daily map discussion and weather briefing. Based on the atmospheric conditions, a collective decision will be made as to the target phenomena of interest for the following day, as well as the location and time of deployment. The group will reconvene the following morning to confirm or adjust the day’s strategy. During deployment, each student within a predetermined group assigned to DOW operations for the day will have an opportunity to operate the DOW, allowing multiple students to sample the mesoscale phenomenon each day. iv. Research projects and data analysis Based on the data obtained from the DOW deployment during DREAMS, projects will be constructed around one of the following topics:

• Kinematic structure and speed of a sea breeze front moving across Long Island • Dual-Doppler analysis using the Upton WSR-88D, TDWR at JFK,, and DOW. • Analysis of organized convective structures and comparisons to radar reflectivity

obtained from the Upton, NWS WSR-88D • Identification of meso-gamma circulations within evolving organized convection • Kinematic vertical structure of the marine boundary layer • Mesoscale model verification and data assimilation of coastal flows

These topics were designed to emphasize the analysis of local weather through the use of the DOW as well as highlight the strengths of the DOW over other tools (numerical models, WSR-88D). Projects will be conducted in small groups (1-3 students). Students

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will complete a written summary of their findings within 1-month following DREAMS and present their work to the group. Those who choose to continue pursuing research based on their findings will continue to receive guidance and feedback. Students will be encouraged to present their research at regional conferences such as the Northeast Regional Operational Workshop (early November), Northeastern Storm Conference (March), as well as undergraduate and graduate research symposiums at SoMAS. 4. Student Education and Outreach

a. Student education and assessment of student learning The DOW field project will enhance and build on material from the classroom, educate students on local mesoscale phenomenon, and offer real-time synthesis of course concepts through applications. Approximately 10-15 undergraduate and 5-10 graduate students will participate in the project for credit during the first summer session. b. K-12 and public outreach This project provides a unique educational opportunity for those within the community as well. We have invited Dr. Josh Wurman or one of his staff to conduct an on-campus seminar, which will provide an opportunity for students not involved in the project, as well as those at the National Weather Service office, to become educated on the DOW as well as ongoing research at CSWR. Opportunities exist to collaborate with the Long Island Science Museum to educate K-12 students on meteorology and weather radars. The high school students in the NSF Geoprep program will participate in the field measurements with an undergraduate or graduate mentor, and many of these students will use this data for their summer projects, which they present in early August 2013. References

Colle, B. A., D. R. Novak, 2010: The New York Bight Jet: Climatology and Dynamical Evolution. Mon. Wea. Rev., 138, 2385–2404.

Colle, B. A., J. B. Olson, J. S. Tongue, 2003: Multiseason Verification of the MM5. Part II: Evaluation of High-Resolution Precipitation Forecasts over the Northeastern United States. Wea. Forecasting, 18, 458–480.

Lombardo, K. A., B. A. Colle, 2011: Convective Storm Structures and Ambient Conditions Associated with Severe Weather over the Northeast United States. Wea. Forecasting, 26, 940–956.

Lombardo, K. A., B. A. Colle, 2010: The Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Organized Convective Structures over the Northeast and Their Ambient Conditions. Mon. Wea. Rev., 138, 4456–4474.

Murray, J. C., B. A. Colle, 2011: The Spatial and Temporal Variability of Convective Storms over the Northeast United States during the Warm Season. Mon. Wea. Rev., 139, 992–1012.

Novak, D. R., B. A. Colle, 2006: Observations of Multiple Sea Breeze Boundaries during an Unseasonably Warm Day in Metropolitan New York City. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 87, 169–174.

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Appendix I – Facility Request Form for Educational Activities Part I: General Information Requestor Name Dr. Brian A. Colle Institution and Address Stony Brook University, School of Marine

and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5000

Phone and Email 631-928-0886; brian.colle@stonybrook.edu

Part II: Project Description Project Title Doppler Radar for Education And

Mesoscale Studies (DREAMS)

Project Location Stony Brook, NY Start and End Dates of Field Deployment 17 June 2013 - 8 July 2013 NSF Facilities requested (type and # of systems)

1 Doppler on Wheels

Number of Expendables requested (if applicable):

None

Part III: Educational Activities Description Number of students involved Graduate: 5-10

Undergraduate: 10-15

Desired training activities conducted by Facility Staff incl. time in the field:

2 days of training to operate DOW. One technician will remain at Stony Brook during the duration of deployment.

Desired teaching activities conducted by Facility Staff incl. time in the field

None

Additional special requirements that pertain to Facility support

None

Ancillary/Opportunistic K-12 Outreach Activities

10-15 GeoPrep High School students and teachers Long Island Science Museum

Part IV: Operational Requirements Please specify data access needs (e.g. real time)

Archived radar data in Cf/Radial, and DORADE format

Please specify data analysis needs PI has some experience with Solo and Dual-Doppler processing, but may require some assistance following the project.

Please specify communications need None

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Appendix II – NWS Letter of Support