Examination of the Expendable Digital Dropsonde–Derived Vertical Velocities from the Tropical Cyclone Intensity (TCI) Experiment

The newly developed expendable digital dropsonde (XDD) allows for high spatial and temporal resolution data collection in tropical cyclones (TCs). In 2015, a total of 725 XDDs were launched into Hurricanes Marty (27–28 September), Joaquin (2–5 October), and Patricia (20–23 October) as part of the Tropical Cyclone Intensity (TCI) experiment. These dropsondes were launched from a NASA WB-57 at altitudes above 18 km, capturing the full depth of the TCs to the tropopause. This study documents the vertical velocity distributions observed in TCI using the XDDs and examines the distributions altitudinally, radially, and azimuthally. The strongest mean or median XDD-derived vertical velocities observed during TCI occurred in the upper levels and within the cores of the three TCs. There was little azimuthal signal in the vertical velocity distribution, likely due to sampling asymmetries and noise in the data. Downdrafts were strongest in Joaquin, while updrafts were strongest in Patricia, especially within the eyewall on 23 October. Patricia also had an impressive low-level (<2 km) updraft that exceeded 10 m s−1 associated with a shallow, overturning, radial circulation in the secondary eyewall.

Numerical Simulation of the Effects of Baffle on Flow Field in a Stirred Tank

Flow characteristics of stirred tanks with different structures were calculated by taking RNG k-ε model as the turbulent flow model. The results showed that at the same rotational speed, a large number of axial and radial vortexes were formed in the stirred tank with the baffle. The velocity in the blade area was high, and it decreased rapidly with the increasing distance to the blade. The double peak area of the radial velocity was formed in the stirred tank with baffle, and the high and low speed cycles were obtained in the cross-section. The baffle increased not only the axial circulation of the liquid in the tank but also the radial circulation, which help to mix the liquid.

Effects of Environmentally Induced Asymmetries on Hurricane Intensity: A Numerical Study

The influence of uniform large-scale flow, the beta effect, and vertical shear of the environmental flow on hurricane intensity is investigated in the context of the induced convective or potential vorticity asymmetries in the core region with a hydrostatic primitive equation hurricane model. In agreement with previous studies, imposition of one of these environmental effects weakens the simulated tropical cyclones. In response to the environmental influence, significant wavenumber-1 asymmetries develop. Asymmetric and symmetric tendencies of the mean radial and azimuthal winds and temperature associated with the environment-induced convective asymmetries are evaluated. The inhibiting effects of environmental influences are closely associated with the resulting eddy momentum fluxes, which tend to decelerate tangential and radial winds in the inflow and outflow layers. The corresponding changes in the symmetric circulation tend to counteract the deceleration effect. The net effect is a moderate weakening of the mean tangential and radial winds. The reduced radial wind can be viewed as an anomalous secondary radial circulation with inflow in the upper troposphere and outflow in the lower troposphere, weakening the mean secondary radial circulation.

Propeller Wake Sheet Roll-up Modeling in Three Dimensions

An algorithm for predicting the complete three-dimensional vortex sheet roll-up is developed. A higher order panel method, which combines a hyperboloidal panel geometry with a bi-quadratic dipole distribution, is used in order to accurately model the highly rolled-up regions. For given radial circulation distributions, the predicted wake shapes are shown to be convergent and consistent with those predicted from other methods. Then, a previously developed flow-adapted grid and the three-dimensional wake sheet roll-up algorithm are combined in order to estimate the propeller loading/trailing wake interaction. The complete wake geometry is determined by the method without the need of any experimental information on the shape of the wake. Predicted forces and tip vortex trajectories are shown to agree well with those measured in experiments.

Simple explicit model of liquid mean flow in region above axial impeller

The study describes a method of modelling axial-radial circulation in a tank with an axial impeller and radial baffles. The proposed model is based on the analytical solution of the equation for vortex transport in the mean flow of turbulent liquid. The obtained vortex flow model is tested by the results of experiments carried out in a tank of diameter 1 m and with the bottom in the shape of truncated cone as well as by the data published for the vessel of diameter 0.29 m with flat bottom. Though the model equations are expressed in a simple form, good qualitative and even quantitative agreement of the model with reality is stated. Apart from its simplicity, the model has other advantages: minimum number of experimental data necessary for the completion of boundary conditions and integral nature of these data.