Different types of hailstones are being measured and 3D scanned to create a global library.
A team of scientists at the University of Queensland aims to enhance storm forecasting quality by studying and creating a global library that stores hailstone samples, focusing on improving safety and resilience for various industries, SciTechDaily reported on August 23rd. The research has recently been published in the journal Atmospheric Sciences.
Joshua Soderholm, a Ph.D. student at the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Queensland (Australia), along with researcher Yuzhu Lin from Penn State University (USA), found that storm modeling results changed significantly when using real hailstone samples.
A hailstone, marked with black paint to assist in 3D scanning, is weighed during the library construction. (Photo: University of Queensland)
“People often think of hailstones as perfect spheres, akin to golf balls or cricket balls. However, hailstones can take on a variety of strange shapes, from elongated to flat or spiky – no two hailstones are exactly alike. Traditional scientific modeling of hail usually considers spherical hailstones, and we wanted to see if the model would change when using natural, non-spherical shapes,” Soderholm shared.
As a result, the research team observed significant differences. “Modeling hailstones with more natural shapes shows that they move through the storm along different paths, develop differently, and fall in different locations. The speed and impact of hail on the ground are also affected. This modeling approach has never been done before, so it is very exciting,” Lin noted.
According to Soderholm, building the hailstone library is crucial for refining storm simulations involving hail. This essentially serves as a dataset representing various shapes of hail, enhancing the accuracy of weather modeling.
Soderholm and his colleagues’ research utilized data from 217 3D-scanned hailstone samples, which were then sliced in half to reveal more information about how hail forms. “This data is now part of the global hailstone library. We are trying to build a clearer picture of the shapes and structures of hailstones,” he explained.
Soderholm believes the new research has significant application potential. “Currently, this modeling is dedicated to scientists studying storms, but the ultimate goal is to predict hailstone sizes and where they will fall in real-time. More accurate forecasting will certainly help warn people to stay safe during hailstorms and minimize damage. Additionally, this could provide substantial benefits to industries such as insurance, agriculture, and solar energy, which are vulnerable to hail impacts,” he stated.
