A new tool to study hurricanes and improve forecasting and warning!

In a new research paper published on the open access server arXiv, a group of physicists confirmed this. The technology of searching for cosmic particles on Earth is of great value. And for those Severe Storm Investigation As a potential new tool for predicting, monitoring and improving warnings.

Cosmic rays that could help meteorologists

Muons They are cosmic particles. the On the ground a lot Important applications For example, they help scientists observe the interiors of large, dense objects (such as the pyramids), and even allow them to detect dangerous nuclear materials.

this Particles are sensitive to the properties of the atmosphere through which they move.This important concept has stimulated the world. William Luschka Member of the The Ohio State University Center for Cosmology and Astroparticle PhysicsHe and his team recently published a research paper addressing the question of how to do this. Severe storms over the cell the It has the ability to form hurricanes and influence the flow of muons in the atmosphere..

For a group of muons that traveled during a severe storm, the amount you measure on the other side will be different than for a group of muons that traveled on a day when the weather was good, Loszczak said.

This new study suggests that cosmic rays could give scientists a new way to track and study violent hurricanes and other severe weather events.

They analyze atmospheric muons as a tool for predicting severe weather disasters.

Traditional measurements, weather balloon launches, and drone flights are currently used to monitor and track hurricanes. These techniques Requires people to get dangerously close to the path of the storm.

However, when examined, How do these storms affect muons?This could be a very good supplementary tool for scientists. More detailed information about the weather conditions in the area To get.

By combining Local meteorological data with complex astrophysical simulations Researchers investigated whether a device that normally detects these high-energy particles could help. Telemetry of supercell thunderstorms that produce tornadoescan be used.

For study user Researchers 3D cloud model Which can take into account multiple variables such as wind, potential temperature, rain, snow and hail. Then they used it Aerial observations of the 2011 supercell that passed over El Reno, Oklahoma, causing the tornado to erupt.

Luszczak used this information to: To measure the fluctuations in air pressure in the area surrounding the simulated storm over an hour.In general, their results showed that Muons are actually affected by the pressure field inside hurricanes.although more research is needed to learn more about this process.

Advances in research with muons

The idea, Atmospheric muon measurements for forecasting and analysis of weather patterns Its use is attractive. It would be a huge advance if scientists “didn't have to try to put instruments so close to the hurricane to get the necessary pressure measurements,” Luszak said.

The size of the device also affects the accuracy of the measurements. Because the bigger it is, the more particles it can detect. The type of muon detector that Luszczak considers in his paper is much smaller than other known cosmic ray projects, such as the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina and the University of Utah Telescope Array.

For example, if detectors of this type are used in… Tornado Alley in the United States prove, The device can According to researchers, that's typical of hurricane activity. Meteorological and barometric measurements without any problems. add to.

The report highlights that it may be useful for future scientists to do so. Large detector deployed in some areas of high hurricane activity It should be taken into account because supercell storms typically form, develop, and disappear within short periods of time.

The smallest detector described by the researchers in this article has one. 50 meters diameterWhile it will be portable enough to ensure scientists can place it close to different storm systems, it will also be easily portable. small size He was Most likely Some errors When collecting dataa reason Luszczak said.

“By making better measurements of the atmosphere around the hurricane, we can… Improving modelswhich in turn increases accuracy. From our warnings “This concept is very promising and a really exciting idea that we want to put into practice,” Luszczak said.

Since current weather modeling systems are directly tied to when and where severe weather warnings are issued, Using cosmic rays to enhance these models would give the community a more detailed idea of ​​storm behavior. And above all more Time to prepare On the occurrence of the extreme phenomenon.

Source Note:

William Luszczak and Lee Orff.Supercell effect on atmospheric muon flux“. Published in arXiv.