Recorded presentation15B.3
NOAA's 2005 & 2006 Saharan Air Layer Experiment (SALEX) aircraft missions: Tropical Storm Irene, Tropical Storm Debby & Hurricane Helene
Jason P. Dunion, NOAA/AOML/HRD, Miami, FL
The NOAA/AOML/Hurricane Research Division conducted several aircraft missions of its Saharan Air Layer Experiment (SALEX) in the environment of 2005 Tropical Storm Irene, 2006 Tropical Storm Debby and 2006 Hurricane Helene. The main objectives of these missions were to observe the mechanisms by which the Saharan Air Layer's (SAL's) dry air, mid-level easterly jet, and suspended mineral dust affect Atlantic tropical cyclone genesis and intensity change. The SAL's dry air typically extends from ~500-850 hPa in the lower to middle troposphere and is 30-50% drier than the Jordan mean tropical sounding. This air mass can also be significantly warmer than the surrounding atmosphere and is often characterized by strong temperature inversions at its base. Comparisons are currently being made between GPS dropwindsondes collected during NOAA's SALEX missions and collocated temperature and moisture retrievals from AIRS on Aqua and the GOES-12 Sounder, as well as aerosol retrievals from the Calipso satellite. The impact of the SALEX GPS dropwindsonde data on GFS and GFDL model analyses and forecasts of track and intensity and the ability of these models to accurately depict and predict the SAL are also being investigated. Results from these efforts will be presented. Recorded presentation
Session 15B, Results from Recent Field Experiments and Their Potential Relevance to Operational Prediction
Thursday, 24 January 2008, 1:30 PM-3:15 PM, 205
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