Symmetric Double-Eye Structure in Hurricane Bertha (2008) Imaged by SAR

Abstract

Internal dynamical processes play a critical role in hurricane intensity variability. However, our understanding of internal storm processes is less well established, partly because of fewer observations. In this study, we present an analysis of the hurricane double-eye structure imaged by the RADARSAT-2 cross-polarized synthetic aperture radar (SAR) over Hurricane Bertha (2008). SAR has the capability of hurricane monitoring because of the ocean surface roughness induced by surface wind stress. Recently, the C-band cross-polarized SAR measurements appear to be unsaturated for the high wind speeds, which makes SAR suitable for studies of the hurricane internal dynamic processes, including the double-eye structure. We retrieve the wind field of Hurricane Bertha (2008), and then extract the closest axisymmetric double-eye structure from the wind field using an idealized vortex model. Comparisons between the axisymmetric model extracted wind field and SAR observed winds demonstrate that the double-eye structure imaged by SAR is relatively axisymmetric. Associated with airborne measurements using a stepped-frequency microwave radiometer, we investigate the hurricane internal dynamic process related to the double-eye structure, which is known as the eyewall replacement cycle (ERC). The classic ERC theory was proposed by assuming an axisymmetric storm structure. The ERC internal dynamic process of Hurricane Bertha (2008) related to the symmetric double-eye structure here, which is consistent with the classic theory, is observed by SAR and aircraft.