Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-781
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-781
07 Jun 2023
 | 07 Jun 2023

Design and Rocket Deployment of a Trackable Pseudo-Lagrangian Drifter based Meteorological Probe into the Lawrence/Linwood EF4 Tornado and Mesocyclone on 28 May 2019

Reed Timmer, Mark Simpson, Sean Schofer, and Curtis Brooks

Abstract. A custom lightweight, miniaturized, and trackable meteorological probe was launched by a model rocket into the inflow region near an EF4, long-tracked tornado south of Lawrence, Kansas, on 28 May 2019 and sampled tornado core flow. The rocket reached apogee at 439 m AGL, releasing the "pseudo-Lagrangian drifter" by parachute directly into the tornado vortex. The probe reached a velocity of 85.1 m s-1 in the first revolution around the tornado, measured a pressure deficit of -113.5 hPa at 475 m MSL, and sampled a tornadic updraft of 65.0 m s-1. The probe then transitioned to an environment exhibiting more tilted ascent above an altitude of 4,300 m MSL at speeds up to 84.0 m s-1 to a maximum altitude of 11,914 m MSL. 1 Hz pressure, temperature, relative humidity, GPS, acceleration, gyroscope, and magnetometer data for the flight were transmitted in real-time to a ground station until the probe landed 51 km northeast of the launch position. The probe was recovered without damage, which is attributed to the pseudo-Lagrangian Drifter design, and then higher resolution 10 Hz data was downloaded. This novel deployment method and design facilitate data collection in real-time from within tornadoes, the mesocyclone, and downdraft without requiring the probes to be recovered or for researchers to enter the circulation to deploy equipment.

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

08 Feb 2024
| Highlight paper
Design and rocket deployment of a trackable pseudo-Lagrangian drifter-based meteorological probe into the Lawrence/Linwood EF4 tornado and mesocyclone on 28 May 2019
Reed Timmer, Mark Simpson, Sean Schofer, and Curtis Brooks
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 943–960, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-943-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-943-2024, 2024
Short summary Executive editor
Reed Timmer, Mark Simpson, Sean Schofer, and Curtis Brooks

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-781', Anonymous Referee #1, 27 Jun 2023
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Mark Simpson, 10 Jul 2023
  • AC2: 'Response to Anonymous Referee #2', Mark Simpson, 10 Jul 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-781', Anonymous Referee #3, 28 Sep 2023
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC2', Mark Simpson, 25 Oct 2023
    • AC4: 'Reply on RC2', Mark Simpson, 25 Oct 2023

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-781', Anonymous Referee #1, 27 Jun 2023
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Mark Simpson, 10 Jul 2023
  • AC2: 'Response to Anonymous Referee #2', Mark Simpson, 10 Jul 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-781', Anonymous Referee #3, 28 Sep 2023
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC2', Mark Simpson, 25 Oct 2023
    • AC4: 'Reply on RC2', Mark Simpson, 25 Oct 2023

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Mark Simpson on behalf of the Authors (26 Oct 2023)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (27 Oct 2023) by Wiebke Frey
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (13 Nov 2023)
RR by Anonymous Referee #3 (28 Nov 2023)
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (29 Nov 2023) by Wiebke Frey
AR by Mark Simpson on behalf of the Authors (06 Dec 2023)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (08 Dec 2023) by Wiebke Frey
AR by Mark Simpson on behalf of the Authors (20 Dec 2023)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

08 Feb 2024
| Highlight paper
Design and rocket deployment of a trackable pseudo-Lagrangian drifter-based meteorological probe into the Lawrence/Linwood EF4 tornado and mesocyclone on 28 May 2019
Reed Timmer, Mark Simpson, Sean Schofer, and Curtis Brooks
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 943–960, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-943-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-943-2024, 2024
Short summary Executive editor
Reed Timmer, Mark Simpson, Sean Schofer, and Curtis Brooks

Data sets

Data Received By The Probe Reed Timmer, Mark Simpson, Sean Schofer, Curtis Brooks https://www.doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/Z64FD

Video supplement

A video animation of the probe trajectory (Supplemental1.mov) and a video recording of the rocket launch (Supplemental2.mov) Reed Timmer, Mark Simpson, Sean Schofer, Curtis Brooks https://www.doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/UBTN5

Reed Timmer, Mark Simpson, Sean Schofer, and Curtis Brooks

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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Tornadoes are having impact on peoples live and are in a general interest.
Short summary
This work discusses a probe launched by a model rocket into an EF4 tornado, and is the first time an airborne probe has directly sampled a tornado. The rocket deployed a parachuted probe recording wind speeds of 306 km h-1 in addition to temperature, humidity, and pressure deficit. Data from the probe was sent in real-time to a receiver in an armored vehicle. Taking measurements directly from inside tornadoes provides new data about this violent phenomena.