On Tornadogenesis in Supercells as Detected by Rapid-scan, Mobile, Doppler Radars

Since the advective or orbit time scale of tornadoes is only on the order of 1 – 10 s, “rapid-scan” radars are needed to document the formation of tornadoes with enough temporal resolution to sample adequately the evolution in storm structure during tornadogenesis and thus provide clues as to what are the relevant physical processes. Since 2011, our research group at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, has been using an X-band, rapid-scan (mechanically scanning), mobile, polarimetric, Doppler radar (RaXPol) to probe supercells in the Plains of the U. S., during tornadogenesis. It has also, during some years beginning in 2007, used a hybrid - mechanically scanning and electronically scanning - mobile, X-band, non-polarimetric Doppler radar (MWR-05XP). In this talk we will summarize what we have learned about tornadogenesis from analyses of the data we have collected in almost a dozen tornadoes in supercells between 2009 and 2016.