Barotropic instability in the inner core of tropical cyclones
| dc.contributor.author | Edwards, James P., author | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2022-02-24T18:45:39Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2022-02-24T18:45:39Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1994 | |
| dc.description | Spring 1994. | |
| dc.description | Also issued as author's thesis (M.S.) -- Colorado State University, 1994. | |
| dc.description.abstract | The theory of barotropic stability of a vortex is presented including Rayleigh's condition, Fjertoft's condition, Ripa's Theorem and Arnold's Theorem. The probable profile of potential vorticity (PV) in a tropical cyclone is discussed. It is likely that this profile has at least one reversal of the radial gradient of PV in the inner region of the storm. This reversal of PV gradient is a necessary condition for barotropic instability. Linear normal mode analysis of many tangential wind profiles from the data set of Gray and Shea (1976) indicate that barotropic instability may be a common feature of mature tropical cyclones. The modified Rankine profile, the Holland (1980) profile and two profiles developed in this paper are also analyzed. Results indicate that a single reversal of vorticity gradient over the entire radial extent of the storm may produce low wavenumber instability while more localized reversals tend toward higher wavenumber instability. These instabilities have e-folding times on the order of a few hours and are generally located in the vicinity of the PV gradient reversal which is typically just within the radius of maximum winds. These results lead us to conclude that barotropic instability may be the primary cause of the polygonal eye walls which are observed in many tropical cyclones. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research under grant number N000014-88-K-0214. | |
| dc.format.medium | reports | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10217/234406 | |
| dc.language | English | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.publisher | Colorado State University. Libraries | |
| dc.relation | Catalog record number (MMS ID): 991023578609703361 | |
| dc.relation | QC852 .C6 no. 552 | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | Atmospheric Science Papers (Blue Books) | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | Atmospheric science paper, no. 552 | |
| dc.rights | Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Cyclones -- Tropics | |
| dc.title | Barotropic instability in the inner core of tropical cyclones | |
| dc.type | Text | |
| dcterms.rights.dpla | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). |
Files
Original bundle
1 - 1 of 1