DOMEX: Island Wakes

For the next few weeks most of my entries will be with regards to DOMEX, a field project on the Island on Dominica in the Lesser Antilles. The goal of the project is to explore the dynamics that contribute to intense orographic precipitation that occurs on the mountains of Dominica. Scattered cumulus congestus in the easterly trade wind flow advect on shore and then experience bulk orographic ascent of the air mass, which frequently leads to widespread convection anchored to the mountains.

Today is the first day in sometime, from what I've been told that has a good trade wind flow with a healthy field of upstream cumulus. In the image below you can see the cumulus to the east of the Islands, some orographic clouds, but also a striking feature known as Island wakes:


It is visually very apparent that there are cloud free regions down stream of each Island with tongues of flow between the island gaps. There appear to be convergent bands of cumulus along the edges of the wake flow and the gap flow.

The first of many core dumps from my sleepless brain

A few thoughts spinning around tonight. Mostly thinking about diurnal changes in the character of turbulence near the surface. The simple thought is to construct hovmuller diagrams of turbulent spectra, where the spectra are evaluated over 30 minute intervals. This would provide a sense of the timing and character of changes in the frequency and length scales of turbulence. It might be an easy way to visualize the nocturnal development of sporadic turbulence, the growth of the CBL, and the cessation of buoyant turbulence in the evening. Accompanying time series of stability, richardson number and more could further elucidate these changes.

I am also thinking about how much I want to buy a macbook pro.