| NSF Org: |
AGS Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences |
| Recipient: |
|
| Initial Amendment Date: | January 18, 2006 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | February 2, 2007 |
| Award Number: | 0541681 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Bradley F. Smull
AGS Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | January 15, 2006 |
| End Date: | December 31, 2007 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $0.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $35,693.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
|
| History of Investigator: |
|
| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
201 PRESIDENTS CIR SALT LAKE CITY UT US 84112-9049 (801)581-6903 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
|
| Primary Place of Performance: |
201 PRESIDENTS CIR SALT LAKE CITY UT US 84112-9049 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
|
| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
|
| Parent UEI: |
|
| NSF Program(s): | Physical & Dynamic Meteorology |
| Primary Program Source: |
|
| Program Reference Code(s): |
|
| Program Element Code(s): |
|
| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.050 |
ABSTRACT
Thin layers of cirrus are widespread in the tropopause transition layer (TTL) between 14 and 18 km altitude. They have attracted considerable recent attention for their role in climate, stratospheric humidity, and remote sensing. However, because the clouds are very tenuous and very high, their origins remain largely uncertain. This study explores a hypothesis that some TTL cirrus originates as pileus cloud - thin stratiform layers of condensate that form ahead of vigorous convective uplift - that subsequently evolve to cover large areas of the tropics. It appears that, at least in its initial stages, the problem of pileus evolution is essentially one of determining how atmospheric deep convection forces motions in the stratified TTL. A large-eddy-simulation cloud resolving model is used to investigate three main scenarios of the how convection interacts with its environment to form pileus clouds.
The broader impacts of this study are derived from the important roles that tropopause transition layer cirrus have in climate and in controlling stratospheric humidity. Moreover, this grant supports one female graduate student.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
Note:
When clicking on a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, you will be taken to an external
site maintained by the publisher. Some full text articles may not yet be available without a
charge during the embargo (administrative interval).
Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from
this site.
Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.
