Composite life cycle of tropical mesoscale convective systems from geostationary and low Earth orbit satellite observations: method and sampling considerations

2013 ◽  
Vol 139 (673) ◽  
pp. 941-953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Fiolleau ◽  
Rémy Roca
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Satellite Observations ◽  
Mesoscale Convective Systems ◽  
Earth Orbit ◽  
Convective Systems ◽  
Orbit Satellite ◽  
Low Earth Orbit Satellite ◽  
Mesoscale Convective

Composite Life Cycle of Maritime Tropical Mesoscale Convective Systems in Scatterometer and Microwave Satellite Observations

2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Mapes ◽  
Ralph Milliff ◽  
Jan Morzel
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Precipitable Water ◽  
Satellite Observations ◽  
Mesoscale Convective Systems ◽  
Convective Systems ◽  
Mesoscale Convective ◽  
The Common ◽  
Cloud Tops

Abstract This study examines scatterometer-observed surface wind divergence and vorticity, along with precipitable water (PW), across the life cycle of tropical maritime mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) as resolved in 0.5° data. Simple composites were constructed around first appearances of cold (<210 K) cloud tops in infrared (IR) data at 3-hourly resolution. Many thousands of such events from the tropical Indo-Pacific in 2000 were used. Composites of subpopulations were also constructed by subdividing the dataset according to IR event size and duration, as well as by prevailing values of PW and vorticity at a 5° scale. The composite MCS life cycle here spans about a day and covers a few hundred kilometers, with a remarkable sameness across subpopulations. Surface wind convergence and PW buildup lead cold cloud appearance by many hours. Afterward there are many hours of divergence, indicative of downdrafts. Contrary to motivating hypotheses, the strength of this divergence relative to convergence is scarcely different in humid and dry subpopulation composites. Normalized time series of composite vorticity show an evolution that seems consistent with vortex stretching by this convergence–divergence cycle, with peak vorticity near the end of the period of convergence (3 h prior to cold cloud appearance). In rotating conditions, the common 1-day MCS life cycle is superposed on large-scale mean vorticity and convergence, approximately in proportion, which appear to be well scale-separated (covering the whole of the 48-h and 5°–10° averages) and are as strong as or stronger than the MCS signature.

The study of gravity gradient effect on attitude of low earth orbit satellite

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nor Hazadura Hamzah ◽  
Sazali Yaacob ◽  
Hariharan Muthusamy ◽  
Norhizam Hamzah ◽  
Najah Ghazali
Keyword(s):  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Gravity Gradient ◽  
Earth Orbit ◽  
Gradient Effect ◽  
Orbit Satellite ◽  
Low Earth Orbit Satellite
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