A study of the triggering mechanisms for deep convection in the Tropics using a Mesoscale Model: Hector events during SCOUT-O-3 and TWP-ICE campaigns. (3.10)

One of the purposes of SCOUT-O-3 (Stratosphere-Climate Links with emphasis on the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere) campaign was to improve our understanding of the interaction between convection and the tropical tropopause layer. Within the framework of SCOUT-O-3 project a study on Hector events has been carried out. Hector is a deep convective cell developing on Tiwi Islands during the pre-monsoon period and break monsoon period. In this study two Hector events are investigated: 30 November 2005 a multicells event occurred during SCOUT-O-3 campaign, and a single cell developed on 6 February 2006 during the TWP-ICE (Tropical Warm Pool International Cloud Experiment) campaign. The first event was characterized by two cells: the first cell downdraft triggering the second cell. The second Hector event was characterized by a cell triggered by the interaction of a previous convective cell and the south breeze front.