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Ann. Geophys., 23, 1673-1683, 2005
www.ann-geophys.net/23/1673/2005/
© European Geosciences Union 2005
VHF/UHF radar observations of tropical mesoscale convective systems over southern India
K. Kishore Kumar1, A. R. Jain2, and D. Narayana Rao3
1Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, Trivandrum 695022, India
2National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, India
3National MST Radar Facility, P.B. 123, Tirupati-517502, India
Abstract. Several campaigns have been carried out to study the convective systems over
Gadanki (13.5° N, 79.2° E), a tropical station in India, using VHF
and UHF radars. The height-time sections of several convective systems are
investigated in detail to study reflectivity, turbulence and vertical
velocity structure. Structure and dynamics of the convective systems are the
main objectives of these campaigns. The observed systems are classified into
single- and multi-cell systems. It has been observed that most of the
convective systems at this latitude are multi-cellular in nature.
Simultaneous VHF and UHF radar observations are used to classify the
observed precipitating systems as convective, intermediary and stratiform
regions. Composite height profiles of vertical velocities in these regions
were obtained and the same were compared with the profiles obtained at other
geographical locations. These composite profiles of vertical velocity in the
convective regions have shown their peaks in the mid troposphere, indicating
that the maximum latent heat is being released at those heights. These
profiles are very important for numerical simulations of the convective
systems, which vary significantly from one geographical location to the
other.
Keywords. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics
(Mesoscale meteorology; Convective processes) – Radio
science (Remote sensing)
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