Cold-pool shear balance within a simulated 2-dimensional squall line

Lab Overview:

The purpose of this lab is to examine how the cold-pool shear balance affects the evolution of a 2-dimensional squall line.  You will run a series of experiments varying the strength and depth of the environmental shear.  From these experiments, you will access the impact of shear strength and depth on squall line evolution.

After you have learned how the run the model:

Perform the following sensitivity runs.  As you choose your wind profile, do so such that storm motion is = 0.

1.  For each run, plot the hodograph.  Discuss the evolution of the squall line:

• When does the squall line transition from down shear tilted to up shear?  Is this time the same or different for your runs?  Explain.

2.  What is the "optimal" amount of shear to produce an intense squall line?  Is C/Du approximately = 1 in this case?  You will need to quantitatively estimate both parameters to answer the question.  Use a later time when the squall line has matured.

3.  Are your simulation results reasonably consistent with the cold-pool/shear interaction theory we discussed in class?  Explain.