Potential observing systems for tropical cyclone motion studies

Abstract

A synopsis is presented of a workshop during April 1987 sponsored jointly by the Hurricane Research Division (HRD) of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Marine Meteorology Section of the Office of Naval Research (0NR). The objective of the workshop was to exchange information and begin documentation of observational systems that can be used in tropical cyclone studies. HRD personnel described the objectives of their annual field program studies and ONR personnel described plans for a field experiment on tropical cyclone motion during 1989 or 1990. Potential observational systems that were presented include: space-based systems; dropwindsondes; airborne radar systems; remotely-sensed surface wind speed systems; rawinsondes; wind profilers; and surface observations with drifting buoys. Recent HRD efforts to objectively analyze observations in the region of hurricanes were also described. Future plans for the ONR field experiment are briefly discussed.