Why do the maximum intensities in modeled tropical cyclones vary under the same environmental conditions?

In this study w e explored why the different initial tropical cyclone structures can result in different steady-state maximum intensities in model simulations with the same environmental conditions. We discovered a linear relationship between the radius of maximum wind (r(m)) and the absolute angular momentum that passes through r(m) (M-m) in the model simulated steady-state tropical cyclones that r(m) = aM(m)+b. This nonnegligible intercept b is found to be the key to making a steady-state storm with a larger M-m more intense. The sensitivity experiments show that this nonzero b results mainly from horizontal turbulent mixing and decreases with decreased horizontal mixing. Using this linear relationship from the simulations, it is also found that the degree of supergradient wind is a function of M-m as well as the turbulent mixing length such that both a larger M-m and/or a reduced turbulent mixing length result in larger supergradient winds.

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Author Tao, D.
Bell, M.
Rotunno, Richard
Leeuwen, P. J.
Publisher UCAR/NCAR - Library
Publication Date 2020-02-16T00:00:00
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Topic Category geoscientificInformation
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Metadata Date 2025-07-11T19:21:36.606695
Metadata Record Identifier edu.ucar.opensky::articles:23300
Metadata Language eng; USA
Suggested Citation Tao, D., Bell, M., Rotunno, Richard, Leeuwen, P. J.. (2020). Why do the maximum intensities in modeled tropical cyclones vary under the same environmental conditions?. UCAR/NCAR - Library. https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d77p92mh. Accessed 18 August 2025.

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