Advanced computer simulations of severe weather
systems, such as the ARPS code, require accurate
boundary condition information. Data, such as wind
profiles as a function of altitude, are an essential input.
Hurricane simulations likewise have identified the
steering winds as crucial to the development and track
of hurricanes. This paper describes a method of
creating artificial ionized plasma patches in the
atmosphere. These can be rapidly heated and used to
provide time dependent diagnostics of temperature
patterns, wind velocity, thermal conductivity and
electrical conductivity in real time in severe storm
systems. [b]Ground based microwave phased arrays,
focused on specific locations in the atmosphere, will
be used to create the plasma patch and to heat the
atmosphere. Initial experiments would correlate
heating in a specific region of a weather system with
computer simulations of the weather system.
Application of such a capability to weather research
and eventually to weather modification is anticipated[/b].