The Role of Tropical Waves in Tropical Cyclogenesis

2006 ◽  
Vol 134 (9) ◽  
pp. 2397-2417 ◽  
Author(s):  
William M. Frank ◽  
Paul E. Roundy
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Phase Relationship ◽  
Vertical Motion ◽  
Longwave Radiation ◽  
Wave Activity ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Tropical Cyclogenesis ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Tropical Wave ◽  
The Waves

Abstract This paper analyzes relationships between tropical wave activity and tropical cyclogenesis in all of the earth’s major tropical cyclone basins. Twenty-nine years of outgoing longwave radiation data and global reanalysis winds are filtered and analyzed to determine statistical relationships between wave activity in each basin and the corresponding cyclogenesis. Composite analyses relative to the storm genesis locations show the structures of the waves and their preferred phase relationships with genesis. Five wave types are examined in this study, including mixed Rossby–gravity waves, tropical-depression-type or easterly waves, equatorial Rossby waves, Kelvin waves, and the Madden–Julian oscillation. The latter is not one of the classical tropical wave types, but is a wavelike phenomenon known to have a strong impact on tropical cyclogenesis. Tropical cyclone formation is strongly related to enhanced activity in all of the wave filter bands except for the Kelvin band. In each basin the structure of each composite wave and the phase relationship between the wave and cyclogenesis are similar, suggesting consistent forcing mechanisms. The waves appear to enhance the local circulations by increasing the forced upward vertical motion, increasing the low-level vorticity at the genesis location, and by modulating the vertical shear. Convective anomalies of waves associated with genesis are detectable in the analyses as long as 1 month prior to genesis. This opens up the possibility of developing statistically based genesis forecasts.

scholarly journals An intercomparison of tropical cyclone best-track products for the southwest Pacific

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1431-1447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew D. Magee ◽  
Danielle C. Verdon-Kidd ◽  
Anthony S. Kiem
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Vertical Wind Shear ◽  
Geostationary Satellite ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Tropical Cyclogenesis ◽  
Southwest Pacific ◽  
Zonal Winds ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Joint Typhoon Warning Center

Abstract. Recent efforts to understand tropical cyclone (TC) activity in the southwest Pacific (SWP) have led to the development of numerous TC databases. The methods used to compile each database vary and are based on data from different meteorological centres, standalone TC databases and archived synoptic charts. Therefore the aims of this study are to (i) provide a spatio-temporal comparison of three TC best-track (BT) databases and explore any differences between them (and any associated implications) and (ii) investigate whether there are any spatial, temporal or statistical differences between pre-satellite (1945–1969), post-satellite (1970–2011) and post-geostationary satellite (1982–2011) era TC data given the changing observational technologies with time. To achieve this, we compare three best-track TC databases for the SWP region (0–35° S, 135° E–120° W) from 1945 to 2011: the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) and the Southwest Pacific Enhanced Archive of Tropical Cyclones (SPEArTC). The results of this study suggest that SPEArTC is the most complete repository of TCs for the SWP region. In particular, we show that the SPEArTC database includes a number of additional TCs, not included in either the JTWC or IBTrACS database. These SPEArTC events do occur under environmental conditions conducive to tropical cyclogenesis (TC genesis), including anomalously negative 700 hPa vorticity (VORT), anomalously negative vertical shear of zonal winds (VSZW), anomalously negative 700 hPa geopotential height (GPH), cyclonic (absolute) 700 hPa winds and low values of absolute vertical wind shear (EVWS). Further, while changes in observational technologies from 1945 have undoubtedly improved our ability to detect and monitor TCs, we show that the number of TCs detected prior to the satellite era (1945–1969) are not statistically different to those in the post-satellite era (post-1970). Although data from pre-satellite and pre-geostationary satellite periods are currently inadequate for investigating TC intensity, this study suggests that SPEArTC data (from 1945) may be used to investigate long-term variability of TC counts and TC genesis locations.

scholarly journals A High-Resolution Simulation of Asymmetries in Severe Southern Hemisphere Tropical Cyclone Larry (2006)

2009 ◽  
Vol 137 (12) ◽  
pp. 4171-4187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamish A. Ramsay ◽  
Lance M. Leslie ◽  
Jeffrey D. Kepert
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Mesoscale Model ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Vertical Motion ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Frictional Convergence

Abstract Advances in observations, theory, and modeling have revealed that inner-core asymmetries are a common feature of tropical cyclones (TCs). In this study, the inner-core asymmetries of a severe Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone, TC Larry (2006), are investigated using the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5) and the Kepert–Wang boundary layer model. The MM5-simulated TC exhibited significant asymmetries in the inner-core region, including rainfall distribution, surface convergence, and low-level vertical motion. The near-core environment was characterized by very low environmental vertical shear and consequently the TC vortex had almost no vertical tilt. It was found that, prior to landfall, the rainfall asymmetry was very pronounced with precipitation maxima consistently to the right of the westward direction of motion. Persistent maxima in low-level convergence and vertical motion formed ahead of the translating TC, resulting in deep convection and associated hydrometeor maxima at about 500 hPa. The asymmetry in frictional convergence was mainly due to the storm motion at the eyewall, but was dominated by the proximity to land at larger radii. The displacement of about 30°–120° of azimuth between the surface and midlevel hydrometeor maxima is explained by the rapid cyclonic advection of hydrometeors by the tangential winds in the TC core. These results for TC Larry support earlier studies that show that frictional convergence in the boundary layer can play a significant role in determining the asymmetrical structures, particularly when the environmental vertical shear is weak or absent.

scholarly journals Tropical response to extratropical eastward propagating waves

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 15137-15153
Author(s):  
S. Sridharan ◽  
M. Sandhya
Keyword(s):  
Phase Variation ◽  
Wave Activity ◽  
Zonal Structure ◽  
Wave Forcing ◽  
Propagating Waves ◽  
Meridional Winds ◽  
Tropical Wave ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Waves ◽  
Northern And Southern Hemispheres

Abstract. Space–time spectral analysis of ERA-interim winds and temperature at 200 hPa for December 2012–February 2013 shows the presence of eastward propagating waves with period near 18 days in mid-latitude meridional winds at 200 hPa. The 18 day waves of k = 1–2 are dominantly present at latitudes greater than 80°, whereas the waves of k = 3–4 are dominant at 60° of both Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Though the 18 day wave of smaller zonal wavenumbers (k = 1–2) are confined to high latitudes, there is an equatorward propagation of the 18 day wave of k = 4 and 5. The wave amplitude of k = 5 is dominant than that of k = 4 at tropical latitudes. In the Northern Hemisphere (NH), there is a poleward tilt in the phase of the wave of k = 5 at mid-latitudes, as height increases indicating the baroclinic nature of the wave, whereas in the Southern Hemisphere (SH), the wave has barotropic structure as there is no significant phase variation with height. At the NH subtropics, the wave activity is confined to 500–70 hPa with moderate amplitudes. It is reported for the first time that the wave of similar periodicity (18 day) and zonal structure (k = 5) as that of extratropical wave disturbance has been observed in tropical OLR, a proxy for tropical convection. We suggest that the selective response of the tropical wave forcing may be due to the lateral forcing of the eastward propagating extratropical wave of similar periodicity and zonal structure.

scholarly journals The genesis of Typhoon Nuri as observed during the Tropical Cyclone Structure 2008 (TCS-08) field experiment – Part 3: Dynamics of low-level spin-up during the genesis

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 26795-26840
Author(s):  
L. L. Lussier ◽  
M. T. Montgomery ◽  
M. M. Bell
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Tangential Velocity ◽  
Radar Data ◽  
Tropical Cyclogenesis ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Tangential Wind ◽  
Tropical Wave ◽  
Wind Profiles

Abstract. Aircraft reconnaissance data collected during the Tropical Cyclone Structure 2008 field campaign are used to examine further kinematical, dynamical and thermodynamical aspects of the genesis of Typhoon Nuri. Data from the first two missions into the pre-Nuri disturbance document the transition from a tropical wave to a tropical depression. Dropwindsonde-derived tangential wind profiles at several radii from the low-level circulation center indicate that the magnitude of low-level circulation increases and that the corresponding tangential velocity maximum moves inward from the first to second reconnaissance mission. To compliment these findings, a three-dimensional variational analysis incorporating both dropwindsonde and aircraft Doppler radar data is conducted. These data are used to perform circulation tendency calculations at multiple distances from the low-level circulation center. The results demonstrate a net spin-up of the system-scale circulation in the low-levels near the center and in the outer regions of the recirculating Kelvin cat's eye circulation. In these regions, the spin-up tendency due to the influx of cyclonic absolute vorticity exceeds the frictional spin-down tendency for both Nuri missions. The system-scale spin up is found to be accompanied by areas of low-level vorticity concentration through vortex-tube stretching associated with cumulus convection. The areal coverage and intensity of these high-vorticity regions increase between the first and second Nuri missions. The findings of this study are consistent in some respects to the Nuri observational analysis carried out by Raymond and Lopez (2011), but differ in their suggested key result and related scientific implication that the pre-Nuri disturbance was spinning down on the first day of observations. The findings herein strongly support a recent tropical cyclogenesis model positing that the Kelvin cat's eye circulation of the parent wave-like disturbance provides a favorable environment for convective-vorticity organization and low-level spin-up on the mesoscale.

scholarly journals The genesis of Typhoon Nuri as observed during the Tropical Cyclone Structure 2008 (TCS-08) field experiment – Part 3: Dynamics of low-level spin-up during the genesis

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 8795-8812 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. L. Lussier III ◽  
M. T. Montgomery ◽  
M. M. Bell
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Tangential Velocity ◽  
Radar Data ◽  
Tropical Cyclogenesis ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Tangential Wind ◽  
Tropical Wave ◽  
Wind Profiles

Abstract. Aircraft reconnaissance data collected during the Tropical Cyclone Structure 2008 field campaign are used to examine further kinematical, dynamical, and thermodynamical aspects of the genesis of Typhoon Nuri. Data from the first two missions into the pre-Nuri disturbance document the transition from a tropical wave to a tropical depression. Dropwindsonde-derived tangential wind profiles at several radii from the low-level circulation center indicate that the magnitude of low-level circulation increases and that the corresponding tangential velocity maximum moves inward from the first to second reconnaissance mission. To compliment these findings, a three-dimensional variational analysis incorporating both dropwindsonde and aircraft Doppler radar data is conducted. These data are used to perform circulation tendency calculations at multiple distances from the low-level circulation center. The results demonstrate a net spin-up of the system-scale circulation in the low levels near the center and in the outer regions of the recirculating Kelvin cat's eye circulation. In these regions, the spin-up tendency due to the influx of cyclonic absolute vorticity exceeds the frictional spin-down tendency for both Nuri missions. The system-scale spin-up is found to be accompanied by areas of low-level vorticity concentration through vortex-tube stretching associated with cumulus convection. The areal coverage and intensity of these high-vorticity regions increase between the first and second Nuri missions. The findings of this study are consistent in some respects to the Nuri observational analysis carried out by Raymond and López-Carrillo (2011), but differ in their suggested key results and related scientific implications that the pre-Nuri disturbance was spinning down in the planetary boundary layer on the first day of observations. The findings herein strongly support a recent tropical cyclogenesis model positing that the Kelvin cat's eye circulation of the parent wave-like disturbance provides a favorable environment for convective vorticity organization and low-level spin-up on the mesoscale.

scholarly journals Low-Level African Easterly Wave Activity and Its Relation to Atlantic Tropical Cyclogenesis in 2001

2007 ◽  
Vol 135 (12) ◽  
pp. 3950-3964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert S. Ross ◽  
T. N. Krishnamurti
Keyword(s):  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Monsoon Trough ◽  
Wave Activity ◽  
Tropical Cyclogenesis ◽  
Easterly Waves ◽  
Low Level ◽  
The North ◽  
New Information ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Waves

Abstract This paper provides new information on the low-level (850 hPa) structure and behavior of African easterly waves (AEWs) and relates this information to previous studies. Individual AEWs that occurred during June–September of 2001 are studied by a synoptic approach that employs Hovmöller diagrams, wave track maps, and case studies. The focus is on two AEW regimes in the lower troposphere over North Africa: a dry regime to the north of the African easterly jet (AEJ) coincident with the surface position of the monsoon trough near 20°N, and a wet regime to the south of the jet coincident with the near-equatorial rainbelt near 10°N. The following issues are addressed: the origin of the waves seen in the two wave regimes, relation of the wave activity to the mean positions of the surface monsoon trough and the 600–700-hPa AEJ, collocation of the tracks of the two wave regimes off the African coast, and diversity in low-level wave behavior that includes merging, splitting, and dissipation of the cyclonic vorticity centers associated with the wave troughs. The relationship between the waves following the two tracks is examined as well as the relationship between the low-level wave activity and Atlantic tropical cyclogenesis in 2001. It is shown that the two wave regimes can interact, and that both regimes were instrumental in Atlantic tropical cyclogenesis in 2001.

Trends in Tropical Wave Activity from the 1980s to 2016

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 1661-1676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajay Raghavendra ◽  
Paul E. Roundy ◽  
Liming Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Longwave Radiation ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Active Phase ◽  
Wave Activity ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Tropical Wave ◽  
Equatorial Rossby Wave

Abstract A frequency–wavenumber power () spectrum was constructed using satellite-derived outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and brightness temperature for the tropical latitudes. Since the two datasets overlap for over 34 years with nonintersecting sources in error and compare relatively well with each other, it is possible to diagnose trends in the tropical wave activity from the two datasets with confidence. The results suggest a weakening trend in characterized by high interannual variability for wave activity occurring in the low-frequency part of the spectrum and a steady increase in with relatively low interannual variability for wave activity occurring in the high-frequency part of the spectrum. The results show the parts of the spectrum representing the Madden–Julian oscillation and equatorial Rossby wave losing and other parts of the spectrum representing Kelvin waves, mixed Rossby–gravity waves, and tropical disturbance–like wave activity gaining . Similar results were obtained when trends in variance corresponding to the first principal component were produced using spectrally filtered OLR data representative of atmospheric equatorial waves. Spatial trends in the active phase of wave events and the mean duration of events are also shown for the different wave types. Linear trends in for the entire spectrum and regional means in the spectrum corresponding to the abovementioned five wave types with confidence intervals are also presented in the paper. Finally, we demonstrate that El Niño–Southern Oscillation variability does not appear to control the overall spatial patterns and trends observed in the spectrum.

scholarly journals On the Initial Development of Asymmetric Vertical Motion and Horizontal Relative Flow in a Mature Tropical Cyclone Embedded in Environmental Vertical Shear

2013 ◽  
Vol 70 (11) ◽  
pp. 3471-3491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yamei Xu ◽  
Yuqing Wang
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
Vertical Motion ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Horizontal Wind ◽  
Asymmetric Flow ◽  
Initial Development ◽  
Budget Analysis ◽  
Tangential Wind ◽  
Relative Flow

Abstract In this paper, the authors focus on the initial development of asymmetric vertical motion and horizontal relative flow in a mature tropical cyclone (TC) embedded in an environmental vertical shear. The fully compressible, nonhydrostatic TC model was used to perform a series of numerical experiments with a mature TC with different intensities embedded in shear with different magnitudes and different vertical profiles. Results show that the development of both the wavenumber-1 asymmetric vertical motion and horizontal relative flow for a TC embedded in vertical shear is quite sensitive to both the magnitude and the vertical profile of wind shear, as well as the intensity of the TC itself. Diagnostic analysis based on the quasi-balanced potential vorticity inversion indicates that the balanced dynamics can only explain a small portion of the asymmetric vertical motion and relative flow. The unbalanced processes contribute predominantly to the development of the asymmetric flow in the simulations. It is shown that the eyewall of a mature TC plays a role somewhat like a material cylinder embedded in an environmental flow with vertical shear. The interaction between the environmental shear and the eyewall produces vertical gradient of convergence/divergence of horizontal wind around the lateral edge of the eyewall. This forces much stronger asymmetric vertical motion than the balanced processes do and drives significant horizontal relative divergent flow over the storm core, which opposes vertical shear and reduces the vertical tilt of the storm axis. In addition, the budget analysis for the axisymmetric tangential wind demonstrates that the asymmetric flow plays a dominant role in weakening the storm top down.

Respective and combined impacts of regional SST anomalies on tropical cyclogenesis in different sectors of the western North Pacific

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renguang Wu
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
North Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Vertical Motion ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Sst Anomalies

<p>Tropical cyclone activity over the western North Pacific (WNP) is subjected to impacts of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the three tropical oceans. In this talk, the interannual variations in the tropical cyclone (TC) over the WNP and the influences of regional SST anomalies are documented by separating the WNP into four quadrants considering SST-induced non-uniform environmental changes. It will be shown that the TC variations in the northwest and southeast quadrants are related to both equatorial central-eastern Pacific (EPO) and tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) SST anomalies. The TC variation in the northeast quadrant is mainly related to tropical North Atlantic Ocean (TNA) SST anomalies. The main environmental variables differ for the TC variations in the four quadrants. Low-level (850-hPa) vorticity is important for the TC variations in the northwest, southwest and southeast quadrants. Mid-level (700-hPa) humidity contributes to the TC variations in the northwest, northeast and southeast quadrants. The vertical shear has a supplementary contribution to the TC variation in the southeast quadrant. The potential intensity negatively affects the TC variations in the southwest and southeast quadrants. The remote SST anomalies modulate different environmental variables over the WNP. The TIO SST influence is manifested in the low-level vorticity and vertical motion. The TNA SST impact occurs through the low-level vorticity change. The EPO SST effect occurs via changing the low-level vorticity and vertical motion as well as the mid-level moisture and vertical shear. The environmental variables experience more prominent changes when SST anomalies coexist in two remote regions. Numerical experiments confirm the EPO and TIO SST anomaly impacts on the environmental conditions affecting the WNP TC variations.</p>

scholarly journals A Ventilation Index for Tropical Cyclones

2012 ◽  
Vol 93 (12) ◽  
pp. 1901-1912 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Tang ◽  
Kerry Emanuel
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Tropical Cyclones ◽  
Wind Shear ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Environmental Control ◽  
Vertical Wind Shear ◽  
Vertical Wind ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Tropical Cyclogenesis ◽  
Model Errors

An important environmental control of both tropical cyclone intensity and genesis is vertical wind shear. One hypothesized pathway by which vertical shear affects tropical cyclones is midlevel ventilation—or the flux of low-entropy air into the center of the tropical cyclone. Based on a theoretical framework, a ventilation index is introduced that is equal to the environmental vertical wind shear multiplied by the nondimensional midlevel entropy deficit divided by the potential intensity. The ventilation index has a strong influence on tropical cyclone climatology. Tropical cyclogenesis preferentially occurs when and where the ventilation index is anomalously low. Both the ventilation index and the tropical cyclone's normalized intensity, or the intensity divided by the potential intensity, constrain the distribution of tropical cyclone intensification. The most rapidly intensifying storms are characterized by low ventilation indices and intermediate normalized intensities, while the most rapidly weakening storms are characterized by high ventilation indices and high normalized intensities. Since the ventilation index can be derived from large-scale fields, it can serve as a simple and useful metric for operational forecasts of tropical cyclones and diagnosis of model errors.

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