A Quasi-Empirical Model of the Hurricane Boundary Layer,

Abstract

Solutions have been obtained for the temperature and moisture distributions within the atmospheric boundary layer of an axisymmetric hurricane model. The intensity of the hurricane is related to the equivalent potential temperature gradient produced by a balance of heat sources and advection within the boundary layer. Solutions are obtained using the bulk aerodynamic transport equations or applying a two-layer, baroclinic boundary layer model by Cardone (1969). Equilibrium maximum wind speeds vary from minimal hurricane force to about 80 m/sec for fixed ocean temperatures between 27C and 31C. Observations of the oceanic heat loss in actual storms are necessary to establish the ratio of heat flux to momentum transfer in the high wind speeds treated by the model. Various applications of the model are proposed, with an ultimate goal of a time-dependent simulation of hurricane-ocean coupling. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 31, 1974
Accession Number
AD0774512

Entities

People

  • Leino B. Corgnati Jr
  • Nils A. S. Pearson
  • Russell L. Elsberry

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boltzmann Equation
  • Boundaries
  • Boundary Layer
  • Equations
  • Heat Flux
  • Heat Loss
  • Hurricanes
  • Layers
  • Momentum
  • Momentum Transfer
  • Temperature Gradients

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers