Identification

Title

A thermodynamic perspective on steady-state tropical cyclones

Abstract

Theories for the maximum intensity of tropical cyclones (TCs) assume steady state. However, many TCs in simulations that run for tens of days tend to decay considerably from an early steady state in the core (CS), before stabilizing at a final equilibrium steady state (ES). This decay raises the question of whether CS or ES should be used as a comparison to the maximum intensity theories. To understand the differences between CS and ES, we investigate why TCs decay and attempt to simulate a TC with steady intensity over a 100-day period. Using the axisymmetric Cloud Model 1, we find that the CS TC decay is due to a large-scale drying of the subsidence region. Such a drying is very pronounced in axisymmetric models because shallow-to-midlevel convection is not represented accurately enough to moisten air in the subsidence region. Simulations with an added moisture relaxation term in the subsidence region and dry cyclones without any moisture both remain in a steady state for over 100 days, without decaying appreciably after the spinup period. These simulations indicate that the decay in TC simulations is due to the irreversible removal of precipitation combined with the lack of a moistening mechanism in the subsidence region. Once either of these conditions is removed, the decay disappears and the CS and ES intensities become essentially equivalent.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7xw4p6z

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2021-02-01T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact