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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Meteorological Comparison Of Three Cave Systems, Matthew Wine
Meteorological Comparison Of Three Cave Systems, Matthew Wine
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Cave systems are home to delicate underground ecosystems that can be affected by changes in surface atmospheric conditions which in turn affect underground meteorology. Modern human use of caves is typically for tourism, so understanding surface-underground weather-climate interactions is important when caves carry streams that are prone to flooding in response to surface precipitation. The purpose of this research is to document the effects of surface weather conditions on cave meteorology in three different cave system types located in different geographic locations including an island, the central USA, and at high elevations in British Columbia. The study caves include Kaumana …
A Climatology Of Convective And Non-Convective High-Wind Events Across The Eastern United States During 1973-2015, Victoria Murley
A Climatology Of Convective And Non-Convective High-Wind Events Across The Eastern United States During 1973-2015, Victoria Murley
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
High-wind events (HWE) occur across every region of the United States (U.S.) and result in hundreds of fatalities, as well as thousands of dollars in damages annually. HWEs are classified as sustained high-winds or high-wind gusts and can be generated from convective or non-convective weather systems. This study investigates high-wind observations across the eastern U.S. during a 43-year climatological period (1973-2015) for spatial and temporal variations in wind speed and direction. Hourly surface wind observations were gathered from the National Centers for Environmental Information Data Center Integrated Surface Database (NCEI-ISD). This dataset includes qualitycontrolled wind observations from 391 first-order weather …
Storm Chasing Across The Plains: An Experience Portfolio, Isaac Bowers
Storm Chasing Across The Plains: An Experience Portfolio, Isaac Bowers
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
The opportunity to predict and document severe weather across the Plains is not available to many, but it is a vital experience for those who hope to truly excel in meteorology. The ability to travel alongside one of the professors that has guided you through the program, apply the knowledge gained from that professor and many others, and view nature’s breathtaking power in person is truly a capstone experience for any meteorology major. Luckily, the B.S. Meteorology Program at WKU offers a select group of students this opportunity annually. This portfolio report will consist of documentation I recorded during my …
Karst Landscape Influence On The Planetary Boundary Layer Atmosphere, Zachary S. Sullivan
Karst Landscape Influence On The Planetary Boundary Layer Atmosphere, Zachary S. Sullivan
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Karst landscapes cover approximately 20% of the ice-free land area worldwide. The soluble nature of the bedrock within a karst landscape allows for the formation of caverns, joints, fissures, sinkholes, and underground streams, which affect the hydrological behavior of the region. Currently, the Noah Land-Surface Model (Noah- LSM), coupled with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, does not provide a representation of the physical behavior of a karst terrain. Previous research has attempted to model karst behavior through soil moisture and land cover/land use changes to determine the influence this unique landscape may have on atmospheric phenomenon. This highlights …
Large, Long-Lived Convective Systems Over Subtropical South America And Their Relationships With Atmospheric Teleconnections, Kyle Mattingly
Large, Long-Lived Convective Systems Over Subtropical South America And Their Relationships With Atmospheric Teleconnections, Kyle Mattingly
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
This study provides a climatological assessment of persistent elongated convective systems (PECS) over subtropical South America during the austral warm seasons of 1998-2007 and a comparison of PECS frequency and physical characteristics to mesoscale convective complexes (MCCs) in the region. Relationships between the Antarctic Oscillation (AAO) and El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) teleconnections and large, long-lived convective systems (LLCSs) are explored. An average of 143 PECS and 37 MCCs occurred per warm season. PECS lasted longer on average than MCCs (17 hrs. vs. 14 hrs.) and reached a greater average maximum cloud-shield extent than MCCs (297,300 km2 vs. 256,500 …
Long-Term Changes To The Frost-Free Season As A Function Of Climatic Continentality, Ian Blaylock
Long-Term Changes To The Frost-Free Season As A Function Of Climatic Continentality, Ian Blaylock
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
The beginning, end, and length of the annual frost-free season vary considerably both spatially and temporally. The continentality of the climate of a given area has a close connection with the magnitude and nature of these variations. Long term changes in the frost-free season can be divided into three distinct phases: a lengthening of the frost-free season in the early 20th century, a shortening in the mid-20th century, and a renewed, intensified lengthening from 1970 to today. While oceanic and ultraoceanic climates experience decreased incidence of frosts relative to their continental counterparts, analysis has shown that overall 20 …