Boundary-Layer Processes Associated with Rapid Intensification in Tropical Cyclones

Abstract

Funds are provided to investigate multiscale processes and interactions that occur ahead of and at the onset of tropical cyclone rapid intensification, particularly focusing on moderately sheared tropical cyclones and boundary-layer processes. The PI~s will investigate environmental factors, mesoscale processes, and turbulent structures that cooperatively interact to yield rapid intensification. They will use observations and modeling to compare tropical cyclones that do and do not undergo rapid intensification through 1) an analog method to compare environmental and storm-scale patterns, 2) real-case COAMPS-TC and idealized Cloud Model 1 ensemble simulations to analyze mesoscale differences, and 3) large-eddy simulations to understand the role of turbulent, boundary-layer flows. They will also evaluate and refine the boundary-layer scheme in COAMPS-TC, using the large-eddy simulation and observational data, and will recommended improvements to the COAMPS-TC boundary layer scheme that will result in better representations of the tropical cyclone boundary layer and enable more skillful forecasts of rapid intensification.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Feb 17, 2020
Source ID
N000142012071

Entities

People

  • Brian H. Tang

Organizations

  • Office of Naval Research
  • Research Foundation for the State University of New York
  • United States Navy

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)