Current Projects

Analysis of Deep Convective Initiation Environments
This research aims to develop a climatology of environmental parameters associated with the initiation of deep convection over the central U.S. using data from 2005-2009. The research is designed to contribute to the scientific understanding of deep convection initiation (DCI) as well as to the forecasting of DCI.
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Lightning Characteristics as a Function of Thunderstorm Lifecycle
This research attempts to identify cycles in lightning multiplicity and peak current as a function of thunderstorm lifecycle then attempts to correlate these cycles with environmental parameters.
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Monitoring and Modeling Episodic Recharge Responses to Weather Events
This project will involve monitoring ground water recharge due to extreme precipitation events in Western Nebraska. Heat dissipation matric potential sensors will be used to monitor water flow in the unsaturated zone. The data will be correlated with radar reflectivity data collected from the Automated Weather Data Network monitoring site of the High Plains Regional Climate Center. The combined data will be used to develop an algorithm to model and predict ground water recharge.
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Influences of Cold Pool Stability on Bow Echo Mesovortex Genesis
Cold pool stability is hypothesized to regulate the generation of low-level rotation in supercell thunderstorms. The optimal state for generation of rotation is a cold pool that is strong enough to generate strong horizontal vorticity while not being too stable to prevent tilting and stretching of horizontal vorticity. This project will test the applicability of the 'Goldilocks hypothesis' to quasi-linear convective systems in the formation of bow echo mesovortices.
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Thunderstorm Climatology for the Great Plains
A thunderstorm climatology for the Great Plains will developed using the Thunderstorm Observation by Radar (ThOR) algorithm, an algorithm which identifies thunderstorm clusters and creates tracks based on their movement.
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Supercell Thunderstorm Climatology for the Great Plains
The frequency of occurrence of supercells relative to non-supercells has never been formally documented. Using the ThOR algorithm and the Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm (MDA), ThOR tracks corresponding with a mesocyclone will be weeded out to create a supercell thunderstorm climatology and determine the ratio of supercells to non-supercells.
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