Article Type:
Research Article

On the Ability of Dry Tropical-Cyclone-like Vortices to Withstand Vertical Shear

Sarah C. Jones Meteorologisches Institut, Universität München, Munich, Germany

Search for other papers by Sarah C. Jones in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Print Publication:
01 Jan 2004
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(2004)061<0114:OTAODT>2.0.CO;2
Page(s):
114–119
Restricted access

Abstract

The ability of dry tropical-cyclone-like vortices to resist vertical shear is discussed. An idealized model calculation is presented in which a dry vortex remains nearly upright during 4 days under the influence of environmental vertical shear. It is shown that the outer portion of the vortex tilts more strongly than the inner core and that the pattern of vertical velocity is related to the vertical tilt of the outer portion of the vortex. This result is discussed with relation to observations of the location of convection in tropical cyclones. An alternative definition of the vortex center is proposed for cases in which the vertical tilt of the vortex is of importance. The average vertical shear across the center of the vortex is shown to depend on both the vortex tilt and the presence of large-scale potential vorticity asymmetries in the outer regions of the vortex. The average vertical shear is a function of time and of the area of the circle over which the averaging is carried out. Thus, the initial environmental shear may not be a reliable measure of the vertical shear felt by the vortex at later times.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Sarah C. Jones, Meteorologisches Institut, Universität München, Theresienstr. 37, 80333 Munich, Germany. Email: sarah@meteo.physik.uni-muenchen.de

Abstract

The ability of dry tropical-cyclone-like vortices to resist vertical shear is discussed. An idealized model calculation is presented in which a dry vortex remains nearly upright during 4 days under the influence of environmental vertical shear. It is shown that the outer portion of the vortex tilts more strongly than the inner core and that the pattern of vertical velocity is related to the vertical tilt of the outer portion of the vortex. This result is discussed with relation to observations of the location of convection in tropical cyclones. An alternative definition of the vortex center is proposed for cases in which the vertical tilt of the vortex is of importance. The average vertical shear across the center of the vortex is shown to depend on both the vortex tilt and the presence of large-scale potential vorticity asymmetries in the outer regions of the vortex. The average vertical shear is a function of time and of the area of the circle over which the averaging is carried out. Thus, the initial environmental shear may not be a reliable measure of the vertical shear felt by the vortex at later times.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Sarah C. Jones, Meteorologisches Institut, Universität München, Theresienstr. 37, 80333 Munich, Germany. Email: sarah@meteo.physik.uni-muenchen.de

Save
Cover Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences

  • Bender, M. A., 1997: The effect of relative flow on the asymmetric structure of the interior of hurricanes. J. Atmos. Sci., 54 , 703–724.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Corbosiero, K. L., and J. Molinari, 2002: The effects of vertical wind shear on the distribution of convection in tropical cyclones. Mon. Wea. Rev., 130 , 2110–2123.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • DeMaria, M., 1996: The effect of vertical shear on tropical cyclone intensity change. J. Atmos. Sci., 53 , 2076–2087.

  • DeMaria, M., and J. Kaplan, 1994: A statistical hurricane intensity prediction scheme (SHIPS) for the Atlantic basin. Wea. Forecasting, 9 , 209–220.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Flatau, M., W. H. Schubert, and D. E. Stevens, 1994: The role of baroclinic processes in tropical cyclone motion: The influence of vertical tilt. J. Atmos. Sci., 51 , 2589–2601.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Frank, W. M., and E. A. Ritchie, 1999: Effects of environmental flow on tropical cyclone structure. Mon. Wea. Rev., 127 , 2044–2061.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Frank, W. M., and E. A. Ritchie, 2001: Effects of vertical wind shear on the intensity and structure of numerically simulated hurricanes. Mon. Wea. Rev., 129 , 2249–2269.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Frank, W. M., and E. A. Ritchie, 2002: Tropical cyclones in complex vertical shears. Preprints, 25th Conf. on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, San Diego, CA, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 315–316.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Gray, W. M., 1968: Global view of the origin of tropical disturbances and storms. Mon. Wea. Rev., 96 , 669–700.

  • Hoskins, B. J., M. E. McIntyre, and A. W. Robertson, 1985: On the use and significance of isentropic potential vorticity maps. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 111 , 877–946.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Jones, S. C., 1995: The evolution of vortices in vertical shear. I: Initially barotropic vortices. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 121 , 821–851.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Jones, S. C., 2000a: The evolution of vortices in vertical shear. II: Large-scale asymmetries. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 126 , 3137–3160.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Jones, S. C., 2000b: The evolution of vortices in vertical shear. III: Baroclinic vortices. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 126 , 3161–3185.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kossin, J. P., and M. D. Eastin, 2001: Two distinct regimes in the kinematic and thermodynamic structure of the hurricane eye and eyewall. J. Atmos. Sci., 58 , 1079–1090.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Merrill, R. T., 1988: Environmental influences on hurricane intensification. J. Atmos. Sci., 45 , 1678–1687.

  • Ramage, C. S., 1959: Hurricane development. J. Meteor., 16 , 227–237.

  • Raymond, D. J., 1992: Nonlinear balance and potential-vorticity thinking at large Rossby number. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 118 , 987–1015.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Reasor, P. D., and M. T. Montgomery, 2001: Three-dimensional alignment and corotation of weak TC-like vortices via linear vortex Rossby waves. J. Atmos. Sci., 58 , 2306–2330.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Reasor, P. D., M. T. Montgomery, F. D. Marks Jr., and J. F. Gamache, 2000: Low-wavenumber structure and evolution of the hurricane inner core observed by airborne dual-Doppler radar. Mon. Wea. Rev., 128 , 1653–1680.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Reasor, P. D., M. T. Montgomery, and L. D. Grasso, 2004: A new look at the problem of tropical cyclones in vertical shear flow: Vortex resiliency. J. Atmos. Sci., 61 , 3–22.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Riehl, H., and R. J. Shafer, 1944: The recurvature of tropical storms. J. Meteor., 1 , 42–54.

  • Schecter, D. A., and M. T. Montgomery, 2003: On the symmetrization rate of an intense geophysical vortex. Dyn. Atmos. Ocean, in press.

  • Schecter, D. A., M. T. Montgomery, and P. D. Reasor, 2002: A theory for the vertical alignment of a quasigeostrophic vortex. J. Atmos. Sci., 59 , 150–168.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Shapiro, L. J., 1992: Hurricane vortex motion and evolution in a three-layer model. J. Atmos. Sci., 49 , 140–153.

  • Shapiro, L. J., and M. T. Montgomery, 1993: A three-dimensional balance theory for rapidly rotating vortices. J. Atmos. Sci., 50 , 3322–3335.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Shapiro, L. J., and J. L. Franklin, 1995: Potential vorticity in Hurricane Gloria. Mon. Wea. Rev., 123 , 1465–1475.

  • Smith, R. K., W. Ulrich, and G. Sneddon, 2000: On the dynamics of hurricane-like vortices in vertical shear flows. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 126 , 2653–2670.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Wang, Y., and G. J. Holland, 1996a: The beta-drift of baroclinic vortices. Part I: Adiabatic vortices. J. Atmos. Sci., 53 , 411–427.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Wang, Y., and G. J. Holland, 1996b: Tropical cyclone motion and evolution in vertical shear. J. Atmos. Sci., 53 , 3313–3332.

  • Willoughby, H. E., F. D. Marks Jr., and R. J. Feinberg, 1984: Stationary and moving convective bands in hurricanes. J. Atmos. Sci., 41 , 3190–3211.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Wu, C-C., and K. A. Emanuel, 1993: Interaction of a baroclinic vortex with background shear: Application to hurricane movement. J. Atmos. Sci., 50 , 62–76.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 850 577 177
PDF Downloads 148 47 6