Sensitivity of tropical cyclone intensification to perturbations in the surface drag coefficient
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Authors
Thomsen, Gerald
Montgomery, Michael
Smith, Roger
Subjects
hurricanes
typhoons
wind–wave coupling
typhoons
wind–wave coupling
Advisors
Date of Issue
2014-01
Date
Publisher
Language
Abstract
The recent studies of the sensitivity of tropical-cyclone intensification to the surface
drag coefficient in a three-dimensional model by Montgomery et al. and Smith
et al. are extended to include perturbations of the surface drag coefficient in one
of four boundary-layer parametrization schemes: the bulk scheme, the Blackadar
scheme, the MRF scheme, and the Gayno–Seaman scheme. The schemes are slightly
modified to have the same drag coefficient formulation and the same constant
exchange coefficients for sensible heat and moisture.We find that the intensification
rate and mature intensity are essentially unaltered when the drag coefficient is
perturbed randomly by variations of up to 60%. The results, in conjunction with
an analysis of coherent drag coefficient variations for a moving vortex, question
the notion that coupled wind–wave models are necessary to accurately forecast
tropical-cyclone intensification and mature intensity.
Type
Article
Description
The article of record as published may be located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/qj.2048
Series/Report No
Department
Meteorology
Organization
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NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
MTM acknowledges the support of grant no. N00014-03-
1-0185 from the US Office of Naval Research, and the US
National Science Foundation grant ATM-0715426.
Format
Citation
Sensitivity of tropical cyclone intensification to perturbations in the surface drag coefficient, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., in press: 2013, Gerald Thomsen, Michael Montgomery and Roger Smith
Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 140: 407–415, January 2014 B
Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 140: 407–415, January 2014 B
Distribution Statement
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This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.