14.6
The dependence of tornado corner flow dynamics on the outer core flow
Karen A. Kosiba, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN ; and R. J. Trapp
The interaction between a tornado and its immediate environment is a critical component in determining corner flow dynamics. Investigation of this interaction has been limited to sparse in situ measurements and idealized simulations. Therefore, in order to better characterize this dependency, a tornado-scale model has been developed that allows for the specification of winds at the lateral and top boundaries. Importantly, winds retrieved from high-resolution, Doppler on Wheels data of the 12 May 2004 Harper, KS tornadoes were used as model boundary conditions. Simulations were conducted on a 1 km×1 km×2 km grid, with a grid spacing of 5 m. The effects of this varied inflow on the corner region dynamics and on the maximum wind speed of the tornado-like vortices will be presented.
Session 14, Numerical Modeling: Tornadoes and Tornadogenesis
Thursday, 30 October 2008, 8:30 AM-10:00 AM, North & Center Ballroom
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