Tornadic events in central and south sectors of Brazil

• Grant number: 09/16117-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2010
• End date: January 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Physical Geography
• Principal Investigator: Lucí Hidalgo Nunes
• Grantee: Laura de Bona
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The study aims to analyze the spatial and temporal distribution of tornadoes in central and south sectors of Brazil between 1988 and 2008, in view of evaluating the conditions that generate the phenomena and their characteristics. A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending to the ground from a cumulonimbus, with strong, fast and destructive winds. The central and south sectors of Brazil register this sort of phenomenon, which is associated with atmospheric and morphologic conditions and maybe to the position of the subtropical Jet Stream, aspect which will be investigated in this research.