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Mesoscale Barotropic Instability of Vortex Rossby Waves in Tropical Cyclones


doi: 10.1007/s00376-009-8183-7

  • In this study, the barotropic stability of vortex Rossby waves (VRWs) in 2D inviscid tropical cyclone (TC)-like vortices is explored in the context of rotational dynamics on an f-plane. Two necessary instable conditions are discovered: (a) there must be at least one zero point of basic vorticity gradient in the radial scope; and (b) the relative propagation velocity of perturbations must be negative to the basic vorticity gradient, which reflects the restriction relationship of instable energy. The maximum growth rate of instable waves depends on the peak radial gradient of the mean vorticity and the tangential wavenumber (WN). The vortex-semicircle theorem is also derived to provide bounds on the growth rates and phase speeds of VRWs. The typical basic states and different WN perturbations in a tropical cyclone (TC) are obtained from a high resolution simulation. It is shown that the first necessary condition for vortex barotropic instability can be easily met at the radius of maximum vorticity (RMV). The wave energy tends to decay (grow) inside (outside) the RMV due mainly to the negative (positive) sign of the radial gradient of the mean absolute vorticity. This finding appears to help explain the developemnt of strong vortices in the eyewall of TCs.
  • [1] Tianju WANG, Zhong ZHONG, Ju WANG, 2018: Vortex Rossby Waves in Asymmetric Basic Flow of Typhoons, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 35, 531-539.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-017-7126-y
    [2] HUANG Hong, JIANG Yongqiang, CHEN Zhongyi, LUO Jian, WANG Xuezhong, 2014: Effect of Tropical Cyclone Intensity and Instability on the Evolution of Spiral Bands, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 31, 1090-1100.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-014-3108-5
    [3] Jie JIANG, Yuqing WANG, 2022: The Roles of Barotropic Instability and the Beta Effect in the Eyewall Evolution of Tropical Cyclones, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 39, 1800-1815.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-021-1209-5
    [4] Kexin CHEN, Guanghua CHEN, Donglei SHI, 2023: Modulation of the Wind Field Structure of Initial Vortex on the Relationship between Tropical Cyclone Size and Intensity, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 40, 1707-1721.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-023-2233-4
    [5] QIN Xiaohao, MU Mu, 2014: Can Adaptive Observations Improve Tropical Cyclone Intensity Forecasts?, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 31, 252-262.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-013-3008-0
    [6] Chang-Hoi HO, Joo-Hong KIM, Hyeong-Seog KIM, Woosuk CHOI, Min-Hee LEE, Hee-Dong YOO, Tae-Ryong KIM, Sangwook PARK, 2013: Technical Note on a Track-pattern-based Model for Predicting Seasonal Tropical Cyclone Activity over the Western North Pacific, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 30, 1260-1274.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-013-2237-6
    [7] MA Zhanhong, FEI Jianfang, HUANG Xiaogang, CHENG Xiaoping, 2014: Impacts of the Lowest Model Level Height on Tropical Cyclone Intensity and Structure, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 31, 421-434.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-013-3044-9
    [8] GAO Feng*, Peter P. CHILDS, Xiang-Yu HUANG, Neil A. JACOBS, and Jinzhong MIN, 2014: A Relocation-based Initialization Scheme to Improve Track-forecasting of Tropical Cyclones, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 31, 27-36.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-013-2254-5
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    [12] Kelvin T. F. CHAN, Johnny C. L. CHAN, 2016: Sensitivity of the Simulation of Tropical Cyclone Size to Microphysics Schemes, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 33, 1024-1035.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-016-5183-2
    [13] Yan ZHENG, Liguang WU, Haikun ZHAO, Xingyang ZHOU, Qingyuan LIU, 2020: Simulation of Extreme Updrafts in the Tropical Cyclone Eyewall, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 37, 781-792.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-020-9197-4
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    [15] Zhehan CHEN, Qingqing LI, 2021: Re-examining Tropical Cyclone Fullness Using Aircraft Reconnaissance Data, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 38, 1596-1607.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-021-0282-0
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    [17] GE Xuyang, MA Yue, ZHOU Shunwu, Tim LI, 2014: Impacts of the Diurnal Cycle of Radiation on Tropical Cyclone Intensification and Structure, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 31, 1377-1385.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-014-4060-0
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    [20] Tong XIE, Liguang WU, Yecheng FENG, Jinghua YU, 2024: Alignment of Track Oscillations during Tropical Cyclone Rapid Intensification, ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, 41, 655-670.  doi: 10.1007/s00376-023-3073-y

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Manuscript History

Manuscript received: 10 March 2010
Manuscript revised: 10 March 2010
通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com
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Mesoscale Barotropic Instability of Vortex Rossby Waves in Tropical Cyclones

  • 1. Institute of Meteorology, PLA University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 211101,Institute of Meteorology, PLA University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 211101,Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA

Abstract: In this study, the barotropic stability of vortex Rossby waves (VRWs) in 2D inviscid tropical cyclone (TC)-like vortices is explored in the context of rotational dynamics on an f-plane. Two necessary instable conditions are discovered: (a) there must be at least one zero point of basic vorticity gradient in the radial scope; and (b) the relative propagation velocity of perturbations must be negative to the basic vorticity gradient, which reflects the restriction relationship of instable energy. The maximum growth rate of instable waves depends on the peak radial gradient of the mean vorticity and the tangential wavenumber (WN). The vortex-semicircle theorem is also derived to provide bounds on the growth rates and phase speeds of VRWs. The typical basic states and different WN perturbations in a tropical cyclone (TC) are obtained from a high resolution simulation. It is shown that the first necessary condition for vortex barotropic instability can be easily met at the radius of maximum vorticity (RMV). The wave energy tends to decay (grow) inside (outside) the RMV due mainly to the negative (positive) sign of the radial gradient of the mean absolute vorticity. This finding appears to help explain the developemnt of strong vortices in the eyewall of TCs.

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