The Multiscale Nature of Tropical Convection in Observations and Models

Abstract

This dissertation seeks to improve understanding of tropical convection's multiscale nature. By utilizing high-resolution observations, global reanalysis, and convection-permitting numerical models, this dissertation examines the multiscale structure of tropical convection. The physical processes that couple different scales of motion to one another are also examined. In this dissertation we will: use satellite observations to show that the multiscale structure of tropical precipitation features impacts the likelihood of the feature generating a local-scale, intense rain rate event; use high-resolution idealized models to explore the possible mechanism behind this coupling, namely the interaction between convective updrafts via turbulent mixing; and use a global, storm-resolving model to separate large-scale and small-scale convective motions, and characterize their co-evolutions and mutual influences on one another.