Mesoscale convective systems observed during LBA-TRMM

LBA-TRMM included the so-called Wet Atmospheric Mesoscale Experiment (AMC), conducted in Rondonia Brazil during January and February 1999. It was a successful cooperative international program, and this talk uses data from many scientists from several nations. The focus of this program was intensive observation of precipitating systems. There were numerous case studies where mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) were observed by the TRMM (Tropcal Rain Measuring Mission) satellite, the NASA ER-2 with airborne Doppler radar and passive microwave radiometry, cloud microphysics data from the Univ. of North Dakota Citation, dual-Doppler data from surface radars, and other sources. This talk describes a few of these MCSs, emphasizing ways of diagnosing the strength of the convective clouds which are the building blocks of the MCS. Occasionally we will have direct estimates of the vertical velocity within convective cells, but more often the strength of convection will be estimated by learning to use proxy measurements, such as the radar reflectivity aloft and the passive microwave signature as observable from overflying aircraft and satellites. The talk concludes with a few speculations concerning the relative strength of convective systems over South America and over Africa.<