Search Results
You are looking at 1 - 6 of 6 items for :
- Author or Editor: Simon Chang x
- Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences x
- Refine by Access: All Content x
Abstract
An axisymmetric, multilayer hurricane model is used to investigate the hurricane's response to sudden changes of sea surface temperature (SST). The model contains a parameterization of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) which includes matched formulations for the surface layer and the mixed layer. The heat, moisture and momentum fluxes are mutually dependent through Monin-Obukhov similarity theory.
The height of the model hurricane PEL is 400–500 m, below which the potential temperature and specific humidity are nearly invariant with height. The flow in the hurricane PBL is characterized by subgradient tangential velocities and nearly uniform cross-isobaric flow angles. The sensible heating from the ocean is insignificant, but the evaporation is large. The magnitudes of the equivalent drag coefficients are approximately one-third those of the exchange coefficients for heat and moisture.
As the SST is suddenly decreased (increased), the steady-state model hurricane experiences two stages of modification. The first stage consists of adjustments of the hurricane PBL featuring a weakened (enhanced) dynamic and thermodynamic coupling of the storm with the ocean. No important changes of intensity occur during this stage, which lasts several hours. The decrease (increase) of kinetic energy dissipation offsets part of the decrease (increase) of kinetic energy generation. The second stage is characterized by a steady modification of storm intensity. The fluctuations of intensity in these experiments are less pronounced than those shown by a similar model with a conventional bulk parameterization of the hurricane PBL.
Abstract
An axisymmetric, multilayer hurricane model is used to investigate the hurricane's response to sudden changes of sea surface temperature (SST). The model contains a parameterization of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) which includes matched formulations for the surface layer and the mixed layer. The heat, moisture and momentum fluxes are mutually dependent through Monin-Obukhov similarity theory.
The height of the model hurricane PEL is 400–500 m, below which the potential temperature and specific humidity are nearly invariant with height. The flow in the hurricane PBL is characterized by subgradient tangential velocities and nearly uniform cross-isobaric flow angles. The sensible heating from the ocean is insignificant, but the evaporation is large. The magnitudes of the equivalent drag coefficients are approximately one-third those of the exchange coefficients for heat and moisture.
As the SST is suddenly decreased (increased), the steady-state model hurricane experiences two stages of modification. The first stage consists of adjustments of the hurricane PBL featuring a weakened (enhanced) dynamic and thermodynamic coupling of the storm with the ocean. No important changes of intensity occur during this stage, which lasts several hours. The decrease (increase) of kinetic energy dissipation offsets part of the decrease (increase) of kinetic energy generation. The second stage is characterized by a steady modification of storm intensity. The fluctuations of intensity in these experiments are less pronounced than those shown by a similar model with a conventional bulk parameterization of the hurricane PBL.
Abstract
High-resolution profiles of temperature and wind-speed measurements were made with a tethered baloon in and above the marine boundary layer at San Nicolas Island (SNI) during a period when the cloud-free boundary layer grew from near the sea surface to 450 m in approximately 12 h. Measurements showed the formation of a low-level jet which remained centered at the temperature inversion as the boundary layer grew. The upper limit of the jet coincided with the top of a temperature transition layer that extended from the sharp temperature jump at the inversion to the free atmosphere above.
The experimental evidence suggested that the jet was caused by thermal wind resulting from a specific sea surface temperature gradient, and from horizontal temperature gradients caused by a sloped inversion and the transition layer. Production of mechanical turbulence by wind shear in the jet caused rapid entrainment into the mixed layer of warmer air from above, and the fast growth of the boundary layer.
A quasi-two dimensional (2D) model including turbulence parameterized in terms of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and dissipation rate was able to reproduce the main features of the evolving boundary-layer jet and temperature field. The predicted shape, location, and intensity of the jet and the growth of the boundary layer were similar to the observations. The model also predicted realistic heat and momentum fluxes and TKE budgets as judged by comparisons with aircraft measurements by Brost et al. in a similar case off the West Coast. Using a variety of initial conditions, the model further showed that the jet was likely caused by the combined effects of the inertial acceleration of the wind field, the specific temperature gradients, and the sloping inversion.
Abstract
High-resolution profiles of temperature and wind-speed measurements were made with a tethered baloon in and above the marine boundary layer at San Nicolas Island (SNI) during a period when the cloud-free boundary layer grew from near the sea surface to 450 m in approximately 12 h. Measurements showed the formation of a low-level jet which remained centered at the temperature inversion as the boundary layer grew. The upper limit of the jet coincided with the top of a temperature transition layer that extended from the sharp temperature jump at the inversion to the free atmosphere above.
The experimental evidence suggested that the jet was caused by thermal wind resulting from a specific sea surface temperature gradient, and from horizontal temperature gradients caused by a sloped inversion and the transition layer. Production of mechanical turbulence by wind shear in the jet caused rapid entrainment into the mixed layer of warmer air from above, and the fast growth of the boundary layer.
A quasi-two dimensional (2D) model including turbulence parameterized in terms of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and dissipation rate was able to reproduce the main features of the evolving boundary-layer jet and temperature field. The predicted shape, location, and intensity of the jet and the growth of the boundary layer were similar to the observations. The model also predicted realistic heat and momentum fluxes and TKE budgets as judged by comparisons with aircraft measurements by Brost et al. in a similar case off the West Coast. Using a variety of initial conditions, the model further showed that the jet was likely caused by the combined effects of the inertial acceleration of the wind field, the specific temperature gradients, and the sloping inversion.
Abstract
A three-dimensional numerical model with a domain of 3000 km×3000 km and horizontal resolution of 60 km is used to study the influence of sea surface temperature (SST) on the behavior of tropical cyclones translating with mean flows in the Northern Hemisphere.
We find that tropical cyclones tend to move into regions of warmer SST when a gradient of SST is perpendicular to the mean ambient flow vector (MAFV). The model results also indicated that a region of warmer SST situated to the right side of the MAFV is more favorable for storm intensification than to the left side due to the asymmetries in air-sea energy exchanges associated with translating tropical cyclones. The model tropical cyclone intensifies and has greater rightward deflection in its path relative to the MAFV when translating into the region of warmer SST. The model tropical cyclone intensifies when its center travels along a warm strip, while it weakens along, but does not move away from, a cool strip.
The results suggest that the SST distribution not only affects the intensity and path of tropical cyclones frictionally, but also affects them thermally. The enhanced evaporation and convergence over the warm SST provide a favorable condition for the growth of the tropical cyclone, and lead to a gradual shift of the storm center toward the warm ocean.
Abstract
A three-dimensional numerical model with a domain of 3000 km×3000 km and horizontal resolution of 60 km is used to study the influence of sea surface temperature (SST) on the behavior of tropical cyclones translating with mean flows in the Northern Hemisphere.
We find that tropical cyclones tend to move into regions of warmer SST when a gradient of SST is perpendicular to the mean ambient flow vector (MAFV). The model results also indicated that a region of warmer SST situated to the right side of the MAFV is more favorable for storm intensification than to the left side due to the asymmetries in air-sea energy exchanges associated with translating tropical cyclones. The model tropical cyclone intensifies and has greater rightward deflection in its path relative to the MAFV when translating into the region of warmer SST. The model tropical cyclone intensifies when its center travels along a warm strip, while it weakens along, but does not move away from, a cool strip.
The results suggest that the SST distribution not only affects the intensity and path of tropical cyclones frictionally, but also affects them thermally. The enhanced evaporation and convergence over the warm SST provide a favorable condition for the growth of the tropical cyclone, and lead to a gradual shift of the storm center toward the warm ocean.
Abstract
No abstract available.
Abstract
No abstract available.
Abstract
The Naval Research Laboratory’s limited-area numerical prediction system, a version of Navy Operational Regional Atmospheric Prediction System, was used to investigate the interaction between Hurricane Florence (1988) and its upper-tropospheric environment. The model was initialized with the National Meteorological Center (now the National Centers for Environmental Prediction)/Regional Analysis and Forecasting Systems 2.5° analysis at 0000 UTC 9 September 1988, enhanced by a set of Omega dropwindsonde data through a three-pass nested-grid objective analysis.
Diagnosis of the 200-mb level structure of the 12-h forecast valid for 1200 UTC 9 September 1988 showed that the outflow layer was highly asymmetric with an outflow jet originating at approximately 3° north of the storm. In agreement with the result of an idealized simulation (), there was a thermally direct, circum-jet secondary circulation in the jet entrance region and a thermally indirect one in a reversed direction in the jet exit region. In several previous studies, it was postulated that an approaching westerly jet had modulated the convection and intensity variations of Florence. In a variational numerical experiment in this study, the approaching westerly jet was flattened out by repeatedly setting the jet-level meridional wind component and zonal temperature perturbations to zero in the normal mode initialization procedure. Compared with the control experiment, the variational experiment showed that the sudden burst of Florence’s inner core convection was highly correlated with the approaching upper-tropospheric westerly jet. These experiments also suggested that the approaching upper-tropospheric westerly jet was crucial to the intensification of Florence’s inner core convection between 1000 and 1500 UTC 9 September, which occurred prior to the deepening of the minimum sea level pressure (from 997 to 987 mb) between 1200 UTC 9 September and 0000 UTC 10 September.
Many earlier studies have attempted an explanation for the effect on tropical cyclones of upper-tropospheric forcings from the eddy angular momentum approach. The result of this study provides an alternative but complementary mechanism of the interaction between an upper-level westerly trough and a tropical cyclone.
Abstract
The Naval Research Laboratory’s limited-area numerical prediction system, a version of Navy Operational Regional Atmospheric Prediction System, was used to investigate the interaction between Hurricane Florence (1988) and its upper-tropospheric environment. The model was initialized with the National Meteorological Center (now the National Centers for Environmental Prediction)/Regional Analysis and Forecasting Systems 2.5° analysis at 0000 UTC 9 September 1988, enhanced by a set of Omega dropwindsonde data through a three-pass nested-grid objective analysis.
Diagnosis of the 200-mb level structure of the 12-h forecast valid for 1200 UTC 9 September 1988 showed that the outflow layer was highly asymmetric with an outflow jet originating at approximately 3° north of the storm. In agreement with the result of an idealized simulation (), there was a thermally direct, circum-jet secondary circulation in the jet entrance region and a thermally indirect one in a reversed direction in the jet exit region. In several previous studies, it was postulated that an approaching westerly jet had modulated the convection and intensity variations of Florence. In a variational numerical experiment in this study, the approaching westerly jet was flattened out by repeatedly setting the jet-level meridional wind component and zonal temperature perturbations to zero in the normal mode initialization procedure. Compared with the control experiment, the variational experiment showed that the sudden burst of Florence’s inner core convection was highly correlated with the approaching upper-tropospheric westerly jet. These experiments also suggested that the approaching upper-tropospheric westerly jet was crucial to the intensification of Florence’s inner core convection between 1000 and 1500 UTC 9 September, which occurred prior to the deepening of the minimum sea level pressure (from 997 to 987 mb) between 1200 UTC 9 September and 0000 UTC 10 September.
Many earlier studies have attempted an explanation for the effect on tropical cyclones of upper-tropospheric forcings from the eddy angular momentum approach. The result of this study provides an alternative but complementary mechanism of the interaction between an upper-level westerly trough and a tropical cyclone.
Abstract
Numerical simulations and diagnostics are performed for Typhoon Tip and Tropical Storm Faye, both of which occurred during 1979, the year of the First Global GARP (Global Atmosphere Research Program) Experiment (FGGE). The simulations are started from early in the life cycles of both disturbances, the former of which developed into a super typhoon, and the latter of which did not develop beyond the tropical storm stage. The numerical model employed was that of Madala et al. and is a modification of the one used in previous simulations by the authors. The primary modifications are the inclusion of a more sophisticated boundary layer parameterization, based on similarity theory, and the inclusion in the Kuo cumulus parameterization scheme of the nonmeasurable mesoscale latent heat release, as described by Krishnamurti et al. The initial conditions for both simulations were derived from the FGGE dataset of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and from monthly mean sea surface temperatures provided by the National Meteorological Center (now the National Centers for Environmental Prediction). The initial intensities and the underlying sea surface temperatures were approximately the same for the two disturbances. In the simulations, Tip developed into an intense typhoon and Faye did not develop, as observed in the atmosphere, although the minimum surface pressures and maximum wind speeds attained do not agree quantitatively with the reported values.
The primary question the authors set out to answer is what special conditions exist at the early stages of the life cycles of tropical disturbances that allow one system to develop and another to fail to develop into a typhoon. The most significant difference found in the initial states of Tip and Faye was a large-scale eddy flux of angular momentum from the surroundings into the former and out of the latter, with maximum amplitudes located around 200 mb at radial distances from the vortex centers greater than 1000 km. These fluxes persisted for at least 24 h prior to the time the numerical simulations were started. While there were differences in the eddy heat fluxes as well, these were less significant. Diagnostic calculations reveal that the secondary radial circulation induced by the eddy fluxes of momentum and heat transported water vapor inward for Tip and outward for Faye, with the result that convection broke out at an early stage in the vortex center of Tip, but not in Faye. The convection intensified with time in Tip and subsequently became the dominant factor contributing to the moisture inflow and rapid vortex intensification.
The authors’ interpretation of the results of their numerical simulations and diagnostic calculations is that the secondary radial circulation induced by large-scale eddy fluxes of heat and momentum can serve either as a catalyst for typhoon formation or as a mechanism for inhibiting the further development of an incipient tropical disturbance, depending on the direction of the water vapor transport (into or out of the vortex core).
Abstract
Numerical simulations and diagnostics are performed for Typhoon Tip and Tropical Storm Faye, both of which occurred during 1979, the year of the First Global GARP (Global Atmosphere Research Program) Experiment (FGGE). The simulations are started from early in the life cycles of both disturbances, the former of which developed into a super typhoon, and the latter of which did not develop beyond the tropical storm stage. The numerical model employed was that of Madala et al. and is a modification of the one used in previous simulations by the authors. The primary modifications are the inclusion of a more sophisticated boundary layer parameterization, based on similarity theory, and the inclusion in the Kuo cumulus parameterization scheme of the nonmeasurable mesoscale latent heat release, as described by Krishnamurti et al. The initial conditions for both simulations were derived from the FGGE dataset of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and from monthly mean sea surface temperatures provided by the National Meteorological Center (now the National Centers for Environmental Prediction). The initial intensities and the underlying sea surface temperatures were approximately the same for the two disturbances. In the simulations, Tip developed into an intense typhoon and Faye did not develop, as observed in the atmosphere, although the minimum surface pressures and maximum wind speeds attained do not agree quantitatively with the reported values.
The primary question the authors set out to answer is what special conditions exist at the early stages of the life cycles of tropical disturbances that allow one system to develop and another to fail to develop into a typhoon. The most significant difference found in the initial states of Tip and Faye was a large-scale eddy flux of angular momentum from the surroundings into the former and out of the latter, with maximum amplitudes located around 200 mb at radial distances from the vortex centers greater than 1000 km. These fluxes persisted for at least 24 h prior to the time the numerical simulations were started. While there were differences in the eddy heat fluxes as well, these were less significant. Diagnostic calculations reveal that the secondary radial circulation induced by the eddy fluxes of momentum and heat transported water vapor inward for Tip and outward for Faye, with the result that convection broke out at an early stage in the vortex center of Tip, but not in Faye. The convection intensified with time in Tip and subsequently became the dominant factor contributing to the moisture inflow and rapid vortex intensification.
The authors’ interpretation of the results of their numerical simulations and diagnostic calculations is that the secondary radial circulation induced by large-scale eddy fluxes of heat and momentum can serve either as a catalyst for typhoon formation or as a mechanism for inhibiting the further development of an incipient tropical disturbance, depending on the direction of the water vapor transport (into or out of the vortex core).
