Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Some Implications of Core Regime Wind Structures in Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclones

Delia Yen-Chu Chen Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

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Kevin K. W. Cheung Department of Environment and Geography, and Climate Futures Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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Cheng-Shang Lee Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, and Taiwan Typhoon and Flood Research Institute, National Applied Research Laboratories, Taipei, Taiwan

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Print Publication:
01 Feb 2011
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/2010WAF2222420.1
Page(s):
61–75
Restricted access

Abstract

In this study, a tropical cyclone (TC) is considered to be compact if 1) the radius of maximum wind or the maximum tangential wind is smaller than what would be expected for an average tropical cyclone of the same intensity or the same radius of maximum wind, and 2) the decrease of tangential wind outside the radius of maximum wind is greater than that of an average TC. A structure parameter S is defined to provide a quantitative measure of the compactness of tropical cyclones. Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) oceanic winds are used to calculate S for 171 tropical cyclones during 2000–07. The S parameters are then used to classify all of the cases as either compact or incompact according to the 33% and 67% percentiles. It is found that the early intensification stage is favorable for the occurrence of compact tropical cyclones, which also have a higher percentage of rapid intensification than incompact cases. Composite infrared brightness temperature shows that compact tropical cyclones have highly axisymmetric convective structures with strong convection concentrated in a small region near the center. Low-level synoptic patterns are important environmental factors that determine the degree of compactness; however, it is believed that compact tropical cyclones maintain their structures mainly through internal dynamics.

Corresponding author address: Cheng-Shang Lee, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan. Email: cslee@ntu.edu.tw

Abstract

In this study, a tropical cyclone (TC) is considered to be compact if 1) the radius of maximum wind or the maximum tangential wind is smaller than what would be expected for an average tropical cyclone of the same intensity or the same radius of maximum wind, and 2) the decrease of tangential wind outside the radius of maximum wind is greater than that of an average TC. A structure parameter S is defined to provide a quantitative measure of the compactness of tropical cyclones. Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) oceanic winds are used to calculate S for 171 tropical cyclones during 2000–07. The S parameters are then used to classify all of the cases as either compact or incompact according to the 33% and 67% percentiles. It is found that the early intensification stage is favorable for the occurrence of compact tropical cyclones, which also have a higher percentage of rapid intensification than incompact cases. Composite infrared brightness temperature shows that compact tropical cyclones have highly axisymmetric convective structures with strong convection concentrated in a small region near the center. Low-level synoptic patterns are important environmental factors that determine the degree of compactness; however, it is believed that compact tropical cyclones maintain their structures mainly through internal dynamics.

Corresponding author address: Cheng-Shang Lee, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan. Email: cslee@ntu.edu.tw

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