Figure 8: Schematic of (a) horizontal and (b) vertical MCS cross-sections for experiment Option IIa. Dots in (b) depict system-relative location at which each flight leg intersects the cross-section.

Option IIa:

Goal: Document mesoscale wind fields, limited microphysical sampling, 2-D EFM coverage

Aircraft: The P-3 will conduct a series of 15 minute flight legs, at various altitudes, centered on the location of one of the mobile laboratories. Tail Doppler radar data will be collected in FAST-continuous mode during the flight legs. A two minute "purl" pattern will be conducted near the center of each flight leg to document the mesoscale vertical motion structure and hydrometeor fallspeed profile.

Mobile Labs: The mobile laboratories will line up perpendicular to the convective line to document the MCS's 2-D electrical structure. NSSL2 will launch a PTH sounding ahead of the convective line. NSSL1 and NSSL2 will then launch balloon-borne EFMs into the convective updraft and downdraft, respectively (launches separated by 5-10 minutes) followed by alternating NSSL1 and NSSL2 EFM launches approximately every 1 hour.

Cimarron: During the balloon-borne EFM launches, Cimarron will collect data in PPI mode. Since data the MCS kinematic structure in Region II is well documented by P-3 pseudo-dual-Doppler, Cimarron data collection will focus on high temporal resolution low elevation scans with which to compare aircraft microphysical profiles.

Notes: The launch of other balloon-borne electrical instrumentation (Q-D, x-ray, field change, and cloud particle replicator) from NSSL1, NSSL2 and NSSL3 will be coordinated by mobile laboratory chief scientists. Cimarron may conduct occasional RHI scans when regions of aligned ice crystals are observed.