Comments on “Revisiting the Relationship between Eyewall Contraction and Intensification”

Chanh Q. Kieu Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana

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Da-Lin Zhang Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, Maryland

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Abstract

This comment presents some concerns with the study of Stern et al. and their misinterpretation of the contraction of the radius of the maximum wind (RMW) in tropical cyclones. It is shown that their geometrical RMW contraction model provides little dynamical understanding of the RMW contraction during tropical cyclone intensification, and it differs fundamentally from the RMW contraction model of Willoughby et al. that was derived from the directional derivative concept. Moreover, it is demonstrated that Stern et al. were mistaken in commenting on the derivation of the governing equation for the RMW contraction in Kieu.

© 2017 American Meteorological Society. For information regarding reuse of this content and general copyright information, consult the AMS Copyright Policy (www.ametsoc.org/PUBSReuseLicenses).

Corresponding author: Dr. Chanh Kieu, ckieu@indiana.edu

The original article that was the subject of this comment/reply can be found at http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/JAS-D-14-0261.1.

Abstract

This comment presents some concerns with the study of Stern et al. and their misinterpretation of the contraction of the radius of the maximum wind (RMW) in tropical cyclones. It is shown that their geometrical RMW contraction model provides little dynamical understanding of the RMW contraction during tropical cyclone intensification, and it differs fundamentally from the RMW contraction model of Willoughby et al. that was derived from the directional derivative concept. Moreover, it is demonstrated that Stern et al. were mistaken in commenting on the derivation of the governing equation for the RMW contraction in Kieu.

© 2017 American Meteorological Society. For information regarding reuse of this content and general copyright information, consult the AMS Copyright Policy (www.ametsoc.org/PUBSReuseLicenses).

Corresponding author: Dr. Chanh Kieu, ckieu@indiana.edu

The original article that was the subject of this comment/reply can be found at http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/JAS-D-14-0261.1.

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