Affiliation:
1. Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
2. NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Abstract
This review discusses a simple family of models capable of simulating tropical cyclone life cycles, including intensification, the formation of the axisymmetric version of boundary layer shocks, and the development of an eyewall. Four models are discussed, all of which are axisymmetric, f-plane, three-layer models. All four models have the same parameterizations of convective mass flux and air–sea interaction, but differ in their formulations of the radial and tangential equations of motion, i.e., they have different dry dynamical cores. The most complete model is the primitive equation (PE) model, which uses the unapproximated momentum equations for each of the three layers. The simplest is the gradient balanced (GB) model, which replaces the three radial momentum equations with gradient balance relations and replaces the boundary layer tangential wind equation with a diagnostic equation that is essentially a high Rossby number version of the local Ekman balance. Numerical integrations of the boundary layer equations confirm that the PE model can produce boundary layer shocks, while the GB model cannot. To better understand these differences in GB and PE dynamics, we also consider two hybrid balanced models (HB1 and HB2), which differ from GB only in their treatment of the boundary layer momentum equations. Because their boundary layer dynamics is more accurate than GB, both HB1 and HB2 can produce results more similar to the PE model, if they are solved in an appropriate manner.
Funder
National Science Foundation
Subject
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering,Environmental Engineering
Reference57 articles.
1. Ooyama, K. (December, January 26). Numerical simulation of tropical cyclones with an axisymmetric model. Proceedings of the WMO/IUGG Symposium on Numerical Weather Prediction, Tokyo, Japan. Session III.
2. Numerical simulation of the life cycle of tropical cyclones;Ooyama;J. Atmos. Sci.,1969
3. A simplified system of equations for simulation of tropical cyclones;DeMaria;J. Atmos. Sci.,1988
4. Slow thermally or frictionally controlled meridional circulation in a circular vortex;Eliassen;Astrophys. Norv.,1951
5. On a time-dependent motion of a rotating fluid;Greenspan;J. Fluid Mech.,1963