Modeling interaction of a tropical cyclone with its cold wake

Download
Author
Chen, Sue
Date
2014-09Advisor
Harr, Patrick A.
Elsberry, Russell L.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This dissertation examines the tropical cyclone (TC) intensity response to its cold wake first with five idealized cold wakes using an uncoupled version of the Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling System for Tropical Cyclone (COAMPS-TC) and then with simulated cold wakes from the coupled version. These simulations reveal a new dynamical pathway induced by the ocean cold wake that acts in concert with the conventional thermodynamic pathway to modulate the TC structure and intensity change. Wakes with a long trailing part or an irregular shape below the eyewall region force a dynamic response that tends to offset the negative feedback effect of reduced enthalpy flux. In particular, a low-level jet-like feature referred to as the wake jet is found at the top of the atmospheric boundary layer above the trailing cold wake. Significant wake cooling underneath the eye also tends to damp the vorticity gradient in the eyewall region, which forces the eyewall to transition from an unstable ring vortex to a stable Rankine-like vortex.
Rights
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.Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Further examination of the thermodynamic modification of the inflow layer of tropical cyclones by vertical wind shear
Riemer, M.; Montgomery, M.T.; Nicholls, M.E. (2013);Recent work has developed a new framework for the impact of vertical wind shear on the intensity evolution of tropical cyclones. A focus of this framework is on the frustration of the tropical cyclone's power machine by ... -
An analysis of the observed low-level structure of rapidly intensifying and mature hurricane Earl (2010)
Montgomery, Michael T.; Zhang, Jun A.; Smith, Roger K. (2014);We examine dynamic and thermodynamic aspects of Atlantic hurricane Earl (2010) during its intensification and mature phases over four days of intensive measurements. During this period, Earl underwent an episode of rapid ... -
An Observational Study of Tropical Cyclone Spinup in Supertyphoon Jangmi (2008) from 24 to 27 September
Montgomery, Michael T.; Sanger, Neil T.; Smith, Roger K.; Bell, Michael M. (American Meteorological Society, 2014-01);An observational study of tropical cyclone intensification is performed using dropsondes, in situ flight-level data, satellite imagery, and Electra Doppler Radar (ELDORA) during the spinup of Tropical Storm Jangmi (2008) ...