Comments on How Does the Boundary Layer Contribute to Eyewall Replacement Cycles in Axisymmetric Tropical Cyclones?

Abstract

In a recent paper, Kepert (2013, hereafter K13) investigated the theoretical role of the boundary layer in eyewall replacement cycles. Specifically, he used a family of steady-state, axisymmetric hurricane boundary layer models to examine the boundary layer response to an imposed radial profile of tangential winds with two wind maxima. Based on these solutions, he proposed a new feedback mechanism for secondary eyewall formation (SEF) and pointed to the role of the underlying boundary layer dynamics in this process. Specifically, he proposed (abstract) that the boundary layer contributes to the formation of outer eyewalls through a positive feedback among the local enhancement of the radial vorticity gradient, the frictional updraft, and convection, and concluded (section 6) that supergradient flow . . . is not essential to SEF.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2014
Accession Number
ADA622223

Entities

People

  • Chun-Chieh Wu
  • Michael T. Montgomery
  • Roger K. Smith
  • Sergio F. Abarca
  • Yi-hsuan Huang

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Atmospheric Sciences
  • Axisymmetric
  • Boundaries
  • Boundary Layer
  • Convection
  • Cyclones
  • Differential Equations
  • Equations
  • Hurricanes
  • Layers
  • Meteorology
  • Nonlinear Dynamics
  • Partial Differential Equations
  • Physics
  • Pressure Gradients
  • Steady State
  • Tropical Cyclones

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers