The role of the Committee on Mesoscale Processes is to provide a forum to
promote the basic scientific understanding of mesoscale events and phenomena
occurring in the earth’s atmosphere and oceans, and to promote their accurate
representation in conceptual and numerical models. From a dynamical point of
view, "mesoscale" refers to circulations that are sufficiently large
to be hydrostatic, yet too small in scale to be quasigeostrophic. Thus, the
study of the mesoscale spans the traditional separation between the synoptic and
planetary scales and the microscale. Examples of the former include baroclinic
instability, planetary waves, blocking, and the general circulation, whereas
examples of the latter include convection, cloud dynamics and microphysics, and
small-scale gravity waves. Phenomena and processes that may be characterized as
mesoscale include fronts and frontogenesis, inertia–gravity waves,
ageostrophic and hydrostatic flows that are thermally or mechanically forces,
mesoscale waves and instabilities, cloud systems resulting from the growth and
interaction of convective elements and thus organized on scales significantly
larger than individual convective plumes, waves and turbulence acting to
transfer energy between the synoptic- and microscales, and the atmosphere’s
dynamical response to cloud microphysics, radiation, and other processes rooted
at small scales.
It is the contention of the committee that significant opportunities remain
for advancing the state of fundamental knowledge and understanding of the
mesoscale. These opportunities are due in part to continued rapid development of
observing and computing technologies suitable for mesoscale research, including
the emergence of sophisticated national observing networks and high-resolution
numerical models. It is considered axiomatic by the committee than an accurate
physical description and theoretical understanding of mesoscale processes are
both necessary conditions for the synthesis of a comprehensive view of
atmospheric and oceanic dynamics. In turn, this comprehensive view is considered
to be a requirement for improving weather forecasting, in general, and the
forecasting of severe weather events, which are of a highly intermittent and
localized nature, in particular.
On the basis of the foregoing considerations, the primary objectives of the
committee are to
- maintain awareness of developments in mesoscale meteorology and
oceanography, as well as progress is related disciplines of primary concern to
other committees, such as the Committees on Atmospheric and Oceanic Waves and
Stability, Boundary Layers and Turbulence, Cloud Physics, Measurements, Radar
Meteorology, Severe Local Storms, Tropical Meteorology and Tropical Cyclones,
and Weather Analysis and Forecasting;
- foster an active dialogue between those engaged in basic research in these
fields and those who apply these sciences for the benefit of humankind;
- advise the Society of developments in mesoscale meteorology and
oceanography as they pertain to the Society’s educational and information
programs, as they may affect other committees of the Society, and as they may be
applied by government and industry; and
- arrange scientific programs for AMS-sponsored conferences, symposia,
workshops, and promote external educational programs to achieve the above goals.
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