Factors Controlling the Extent and Location of Cumulus Convection over the Sierras de Córdoba

We examine the factors controlling the location and extent of cumuli over the Sierras de Córdoba (SDC) of Argentina during the Cloud, Aerosol, and Complex Terrain Interactions (CACTI) field campaign. While it is well understood that mountains are effective at producing cloud cover via thermal and mechanical lifting of the air to saturation, it is less well understood what factors create nuanced differences in the location of cloud initiation and subsequent development. For example, satellite observations reveal that some days produce clouds directly over the SDC ridge crest, whereas others produce clouds displaced east (and sometimes west) from the SDC ridge. We hypothesize that these variations in cloud location can be explained by variations in the interactions amongst, (1) thermally generated upslope flow layers, (2) background westerly winds near the ridge crest, and (3) mountain wave processes. To investigate these interactions we combine satellite, radar velocity, radar reflectivity, and stereographic/photogrammetric analyses of mountain flows and their resulting cloud cover. We also use thermodynamic analyses to understand what air is being lifted to produce the observed clouds and to what extent the SDC crest is immersed in boundary layer air.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's Degree

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Knopp, Tracen

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Lareau, Neil

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Samburova, Vera
• Mejia, John
• Lutz, Alexandra

Language dc:language.iso

en_US, English

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://scholarwolf.unr.edu/handle/11714/11129

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarwolf.unr.edu:11714/11129