During the field campaign EPIC2001 that took place from September 1 to October 12, 2001, several data sets were collected with the aim of increasing our understanding of the atmospheric and oceanic processes in the east Pacific. In this paper, we show preliminary results for a 4 degree by 4 degree region centered at 10N, 95W. This region was studied using research aircraft deployed from Huatulco, Mexico.

We focus on the relationship between convective inhibition calculated from GPS dropsondes launched from the aircraft and convection as observed by satellite and airborne Doppler radar. The convective inhibition is defined as the difference between surface equivalent potential temperature and the saturated equivalent potential temperature at 850 mb.

For the targeted area, our results suggest a correlation between regions of minimal convective inhibition and the development of new deep convective cells.