Download or read book Characteristics of Decaying Storms During Lightning Cessation at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station written by Holly Alison Anderson and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ABSTRACT: Although most storms experienced gradually decaying flash rates until cessation, two other cessation behaviors also were observed, making flash activity an unreliable indicator of cessation. Trends in composite reflectivity, reflectivity at three temperatures crucial to storm electrification (i.e., 0°C, -10°C, -20°C), storm thickness of 30 dBZ above -10°C, and vertical gradients of reflectivity were analyzed for 20 storms during the 8 min period prior to cessation to determine if any indicated imminent cessation. Results showed substantial variability in the decaying storms. Although these parameters decreased in most storms during the 8 min period, some increased. Distributions of the parameters at the last flash also were considered, but no clearly preferred value was evident at the last flash. Neither the inversion of lightning initiation criteria (e.g., 40 dBZ at -10°C) nor the descent of 45 dBZ below -10°C were found to be a useful indicator of cessation. Previously-documented lightning "bubbles" of LDAR sources were observed and were consistent with pulses in the intensifying updrafts. The last lightning "bubble" signatures were found to precede lightning cessation by ~35 min.

Download or read book A Study of the Characteristics of Thunderstorm Cessation at the NASA Kennedy Space Center written by Michael Shawn Hinson and published by . This book was released on 1997-07-01 with total page 103 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A lightning summary was developed for a 100x100 kilometer area centered at the NASA Kennedy Space Center. Spatial and temporal patterns, and first stroke peak currents were analyzed from 1986-1995. Three thunderstorms were chosen due to their proximity to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and examined for their end of storm characteristics. Radar echoes at the -10 deg C and -20 deg C temperature heights were associated with cloud to ground (CG) lightning strike locations from the National Lightning Detection Network. Electric fields were also examined during the same time frame for any correlations. A pattern was observed for the spatial distribution of CG lightning. An inland maximum in ground flash density was observed during the summer months for both negative and positive flashes. The summer months had the lowest percentage positive flashes (2.5%) while the maximum value occurred during the winter (11.4%). Although thunderstorms can occur at any time during the day, the diurnal distribution of lightning flashes showed that the afternoon (2000 UTC) was the time of maximum lightning activity. From a time history of radar echoes, it was found that a 45 dBZ echo, last detected at the -10 deg C temperature height, may be a good indicator of the end of lightning activity. The observed lag times between this lightning termination signature and the end of all CG lightning flashes was 30 min for all three thunderstorms.

Download or read book Techniques for Forecasting the Cessation of Lightning at Cape Canaveral Air Station and the Kennedy Space Center written by Michael W. Holmes and published by . This book was released on 2000-03 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The focus of this research effort is directed toward identifying new methods of forecasting the cessation of lightning along the Central Atlantic Coast of Florida. Cloud-to-ground lightning flashes place Air Force (AF) personnel and assets at risk almost daily at this location. Providing a more accurate method of forecasting the cessation of lightning would allow for safer and more efficient execution of AF operations. A data set consisting of 40 thunderstorm cases was identified within a 90 nautical miles (nmi) region surrounding the Melbourne, Florida WSR-88D (KMLB) site. Each case falls between the months of May and September and the years of 1995 through 1997. Simple and multiple linear regression models are built using this dataset. Variables included max Vertically Integrated Liquid water (VIL), max reflectivity, max peak current, peak cumulative flash rate, peak negative flash rate, and peak positive flash rate. Results indicate that three of the simple linear regression models to some extent accurately represent the data. Additionally, when the data set is separated by thunderstorm cell type (multi or single) and cell specific regressions are built, results indicate that the regressions based on the single-cell data set produce a substantial increase in forecast skill compared to that of climatology. In fact, some regressions are shown to improve forecast accuracy by 90% over that of climatology. Moreover, multiple linear regression models are shown to produce similar results and further reinforce the notion that each thunderstorm cell type (multi or single) behaves substantially different from the other with respect to forecasting the cessation of lightning.

Download or read book Lightning at Kennedy Space Center written by William C. Gibbons and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page 10 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Kennedy Space Center/Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (KSC/CCAFS) area borders the area of highest frequency of thunderstorms in the United States (Fig. 11). Since the majority of the thunderstorms occur in the summer months, lightning frequencies in the area during these months approach the highest level of any location in the world. This high level of frequency presents three major problems: danger to personnel damage to equipment and property and loss of time in order to minimize the previous items. Two major lightning detection systems currently in use in the KBC/CCAFS area are the Launch Pad Lightning Warning System (LPLWS) and the Lightning Location and Protection (LLP) system. Lightning activity in the KSC/CCAFS area is both a curse and a blessing. The high lightning frequency is a threat to life and slows space vehicle operations. Yet, the presence of numerous lightning strikes as well as sophisticated lightning detection systems make KSC an ideal location for lightning research to perfect lightning detection and protection.

Download or read book Objective Lightning Probability Forecasting for Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Phase III written by Winifred C. Crawford and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Objective lightning probability forecasting for Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station phase IV written by William H. Bauman and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Reader s Digest Magazine 02 10 written by and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Predicting Lightning Events in the KSC Area written by Robert O. Berthel and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Using the WSR 88D to Forecast Downburst Winds at Cape Canaveral Air Station and the Kennedy Space Center CCAS KSC written by Gerald Sullivva and published by . This book was released on 1999-03-01 with total page 111 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 45 Weather Squadron is tasked with providing several convective wind warnings in support of the U. S. Space Program. The forecasters use a radar-based forecast technique to determine if a thunderstorm has the potential to produce a gust that meets warning criteria. This technique, the Echo Top/ Vertically Integrated Liquid Wind Gust Potential (ET/VIL WGP), has not previously been evaluated for use in the Cape Canaveral Air Station and Kennedy Space Center (CCAS/KSC) locale. Additionally, there are two other radar-based forecast techniques that required evaluation for possible inclusion into the 45 WS forecast process. These are the Maximum Reflectivityl Height of Maximum Reflectivity (d/H) Wind Gust Potential and the Storm Top/Vertically Integrated Liquid (STIVIL) Wind Gust Potential techniques. Radar data from 15 pulse-type storms that occurred in the CCAS/KSC locale were collected. Potential wind gust forecasts were calculated using the techniques mentioned above. The forecast and observed wind gusts were analyzed using visual and numerical tools to assess the performance of the WGP techniques. Results of the research indicated that the WGP techniques could not consistently predict the magnitude of the downburst gust. The average errors of the prediction were on the order of 10 knots and were quite variable. Because of the small sample size, these results can not be considered as conclusive; however, they may indicate that these techniques do not display the degree of accuracy required to be used operationally by the 45 WS.

Download or read book The Horizontal Extent of Cloud to Ground Lightning Over the Kennedy Space Center written by Todd M. McNamara and published by . This book was released on 2002-01 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Military base weather stations are required to issue lightning warnings to protect military equipment and personnel. The issuance of warnings is based on a 5 nautical mile (n mi) distance criterion. This criterion appears to have evolved over time as a balance between safety and mission impact. The goal of this thesis is to challenge the 5 n mi lightning warning criteria by quantifying the distance that CG lightning travels. A secondary goal is to examine the characteristics of the peak current of CG lightning strokes to determine if a relationship exits between peak current, the distance a stroke travels, and the altitude of the origin point of the lightning stroke. This study found 28.6% of lightning flashes traveled further than 5 n mi from the point of origin. The study used approximately 4 years of data and found that the spring and winter seasons had the highest seasonal frequencies of occurrence of distances greater than 5 n mi. Peak current analysis indicated that higher peak currents are associated with shorter distances that lightning strokes traveled and higher peak currents were found to be associated with strokes that originated at lower altitudes

Download or read book Dual polarimetric Radar Characteristics of Convective wind producing Thunderstorms Over Kennedy Space Center written by Cort A. Scholten and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Exploration of the Meteorological Characteristics Leading to the Rapid Cessation of Cloud to ground Lightning in Winter Cyclones Along the East Coast of the United States written by Nicholas William Snow Demetriades and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Nature of Violent Storms written by Louis J Battan and published by . This book was released on 1961 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book On the Short range Forecasting of Lightning at the Kennedy Space Center written by Steven G. Hoffert and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF PEAK LIGHTNING CURRENT PROBABILITIES AT THE NASA KENNEDY SPACE CENTER NASA written by and published by . This book was released on 2000* with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Predicting Warm Season Nocturnal Cloud to Ground Lightning Near Cape Canaveral Florida written by Christopher E. Cantrell and published by . This book was released on 1999-08-01 with total page 83 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two aspects of nocturnal convection over Florida are examined in this study: A climatology of all warm season nocturnal cloud-to-ground lightning (COL) flashes over east central Florida, and nocturnal COL that develops near Cape Canaveral, Florida during undisturbed conditions. Seven years of warm season (May - October) radiosonde data (1992 - 1998) are used to categorize nights into one of five wind regimes based on the 1000-700 mb mean vector wind. Cloud-to-ground flashes are used to examine the spatial distribution of nocturnal lightning. Flashes are found to occur on 525 of the 825 nights with available soundings. Spatial maps of CGL flashes reveal that most occur over the Gulf Stream. Nights with flow parallel to the peninsula from the south are found to have the greatest percent occurrence of nights with COL flashes. Enhanced midlevel moisture (700 - 500 mb) increases the percent occurrence of nights having COL flashes. Midlevel lapse rates (850 - 500 mb) show little variation among the wind regimes. Streamline analyses reveal that the synoptic flow is crucial in determining thermodynamic characteristics of air over the study area. Data from the local lightning detection network reveal 74 nights during the warm season months of 1995 - 1997 with cloud-to-ground lightning within a 40 km radius of study. Surface analyses are used to eliminate nights with disturbed flow, while radar data are analyzed to eliminate pre-existing convection. A data set of nights without COL (NCOL nights) also is constructed. Stability, temperature, wind, and moisture parameters of the two categories are examined statistically. The 1000 - 800 mb lapse rate is the only temperature related parameter that statistically discriminates between the two categories. Relative humidities at 850, 800, and 750 mb all show statistically significant discrimination between categories. The K-Index is found to have the greatest forecast skill of all the standard stability parameters.

Download or read book Liquid Water in Thunderstorm Anvils Over Kennedy Space Center Florida written by Jeffrey James Schild and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: