IMPLICATION OF ENTROPY FLOW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEM AS SUGGESTED BY THE LIFE CYCLE OF A HURRICANE

Abstract

The entropy flows of Hurricane Katrina (2005) are calculated using the entropy flow formula appropriate for atmospheric dynamical systems based on the National Centre for Environmental Prediction/National Centre for Atmospheric Research reanalysis data. The results show that the intensification of net negative (positive) entropy flow entering into Katrina preceded the strengthening (weakening) of its intensity and the asymmetries of the entropy flow pattern around Katrina's centre contained some significant information on hurricane track prediction. These results imply that classical thermodynamic entropy may serve as an order parameter for an atmospheric system and that entropy flow analysis might provide a new insight into the mechanism responsible for the life cycle of the system.