We started our fieldwork in Red Rock Canyon.

We developed an overriding question that goes along with the main focus of our trip. The question is: In the past 20 years, have we learned more about tornados, or have we learned we know less than we thought? Our hypothesis about this is even though we have gained knowledge in the past 20 years, we have made minor strides rather than major leaps. After careful conversation with Tim Samaras, our JASON host researcher who is a professional storm chaser, we came up with a very simple answer. He said to really explain, it would take an hour, but he did say we have generated more questions than we have answers. I think we will probably discover a little bit more about this throughout our time here in Denver.

 

We all had a lot of questions for Tim. Matheus came up with some great questions. He asked, “Will lightning from thunderstorms ever be generated into electricity that we can use?” Another question he had was, “Are the numbers of tornados occurring increasing? If so what can this tell us about Earth and/or the universe itself?” He also asked, “Can tornadoes occur other than in tornado season?”

 

We have so many questions.

Jing also had some great questions. She asked, “How do temperature, dew point, wind speed and direction, and atmospheric pressure contribute to the formation of tornados?” Tornados are developed with a combination of each of these elements. When the pressure is low, the dew point is in a range of 50-70%, the temperature is cooler, and winds blowing from southeast or southwest, a tornado is likely to form.  But, as of right now, scientists do not yet know exactly the process of tornado development.  Another indicator of the development of tornados is thunderstorms.  Not all thunderstorms develop into tornados, but they are the initiation. Another of her questions was, “Do tornados occur around high or low pressure systems?” Tornados usually form around low-pressure systems, because in high pressure areas, the air is pressing down hard on the ground. It does not leave much room for such severe and powerful winds to form. One more question of hers was, “What is the difference between hurricanes,

Looking for answers in the lab.

typhoons, cyclones, and tornados?”  Hurricanes and typhoons are basically the same, but different regions of the world call them differently. Cyclones can be referred to both hurricanes and tornados, depending on the area of the country or world. Tornados can sometimes be called twisters also. Tornados generally start with thunderstorms.  

 

Amanda had a lot of questions to ask Tim as well. One was, “How much time prior to a tornado occurrence can we forecast it?” The National Weather Service, which provides all of the storm warnings for all other weather forecasts, tries to forecast the storm warnings as soon as possible before the storms touches down. But the problem is they really have to be careful putting warnings out, because if a tornado does not touch down, then the next time people might not evacuate as quickly. Another was, “What type of weather indicates a tornado?” Tornados are always part of a thunderstorm. So that is really the best weather indicator if a tornado will occur. Tornados are really rare though, so they definitely do not result every time a thunderstorm occurs. But that is really something to look for before a tornado does touch down. One more of hers was, “How did y

Following our leader.

ou get the idea for the shape of the probes?” Tim works in a scientific research building where many different types of research is done. He used many of his coworkers’ knowledge to help him design a probe that would survive high winds. He used a conical pyramid shape, which is a modified shape of the nose cone of a missile, so when pressure was applied to it by strong winds, the pressure spread out around the outside of the perimeter of the probe. So when a tornado passes over the probe, the pressure that spreads out actually creates a kind of suction cup to the ground. The higher the wind speed, the more the probe sticks to the ground, preventing it from being taken by the storm. So, it has been great for him to utilize the talent he has available in his office building to create this probe.

 

John also managed to form some of his own questions.  The first question was, “Are tornadoes occurring with more frequency?” According to Tim the answer seems to be no…at this point. Another question was, “Why is hail associated with thunderstorms?” The simple answer is hail is not always associated with tornadoes. It takes a huge tornado with incr

Observing.

edible updrafts to produce significant hail. We learned from Tim a large single tornado could pack smaller tornadoes within the vortex.  This generated the following question, “Do the smaller tornadoes create lower pressure relative to the main tornado?” The answer was yes. Tim explained the main tornado with its incredible winds and updraft creates somewhat of a microclimate relative to its environment. If smaller tornadoes are formed within the larger tornado, they in turn also create a microclimate relative to their environment within the main tornado, hence the even lower pressure. 

 

These questions naturally led to John’s culminating question, “What is the history of tornado research?” As it turns out tornado research began in earnest in the mid-1950s with Neil Ward. He actually pioneered the first tornado simulator, the use of primitive radar, and mobile communications while hunting tornadoes.  Neil can be considered the nation’s first tornado chaser. Armed with a radar ,Neil used a police squad car to communicate with a central station that could relay and receive information. Shortly after, Dr. Fujita invented the Fujita scale, which could rate tornado damage. In the 1980s, Doppler radar made its way into the tornado scene and brought a wealth of information to storm chasers. By the 1990s a device meant to collect data within the tornado itself, named TOTO, was invented and deployed several times with no success.  However, within a decade, fueled by his passion for tornadoes and armed with an engineering background, Tim Samaras challenged himself to create a device that would collect tornado data at the ground level. After receiving a grant from the Department of Commerce Tim, along with a lot of other talented people, constructed the Hardened In-Situ Tornado Pressure Recorder (HITPR) and the rest is history.  

 

Matheus also had numerous questions to ask Tim. One of which includes, “Will lightning from thunderstorms ever be able to be converted into electricity we can use?” Tim’s answer was it is near impossible, at this point in time, because there isn’t anything large enough to store the energy from the lightning strike. Tim also stated that although it is near impossible, now it might be possible in the future.