Diurnal Oscillation of the Area of Cloudiness Associated with Tropical Storms

Browner, Stephanie P.; Woodley, William L.; Griffith, Cecilia Girz

doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1977)105<0856:dootao>2.0.co;2

Cited by 54 publications

(54 citation statements)

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“…It is well known that deep convection in the tropics exhibits distinct diurnal variation due to day versus night variations in cloud-radiation interaction (e.g., Gray and Jacobson 1977;Browner et al 1977;Muramatsu 1983;Kossin 2002). Since TCs consist of deep convection in both the eyewall and spiral rainbands, similar diurnal variations could be expected in TCs (Hobgood 1986).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…Although many other factors may considerably affect the activity of outer spiral rainbands in real TCs (such as radiation, the beta effect, environmental flow, and vertical wind shear), the results from this study provide plausible mechanisms for initiation and evolution of outer spiral rainbands in real TCs. In particular, the quasiperiodic behavior of outer spiral rainbands and the associated storm intensity change coincidentally matches the observed strong quasi-diurnal variation in the horizontal areal extent of the upper-level cirrus canopy (Browner et al 1977;Muramatsu 1983;Lajoie and Butterworth 1984;Hobgood 1986;Kossin 2002) without consideration of radiation or cloud-radiative feedback in the simulation. Therefore, the results from this study may provide an alternative explanation or one of the mechanisms that are responsible for the quasi-diurnal variation in the observed TCs.…”

Section: Conclusion and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Indeed, a number of previous studies have revealed a strong diurnal variation in the horizontal areal extent of the upper-level cirrus canopy (Browner et al 1977;Muramatsu 1983;Lajoie and Butterworth 1984;Kossin 2002). These studies explained the diurnal variation as a result of either the diurnal radiative forcing of eyewall convection (Browner et al 1977;Muramatsu 1983) or the spatial structure of radiatively driven subsidence in the region of the cirrus canopy (Kossin 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Formation and Quasi-Periodic Behavior of Outer Spiral Rainbands in a Numerically Simulated Tropical Cyclone*

Wang

2012

Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences

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The formation and quasi-periodic behavior of outer spiral rainbands in a tropical cyclone simulated in the cloud-resolving tropical cyclone model version 4 (TCM4) are analyzed. The outer spiral rainbands in the simulation are preferably initiated near the 60-km radius, or roughly about 3 times the radius of maximum wind (RMW). After initiation, they generally propagate radially outward with a mean speed of about 5 m s 21 . They are reinitiated quasi-periodically with a period between 22 and 26 h in the simulation. The inner spiral rainbands, which form within a radius of about 3 times the RMW, are characterized by the convectively coupled vortex Rossby waves (VRWs), but the formation of outer spiral rainbands (i.e., rainbands formed outside a radius of about 3 times the RMW) is much more complicated. It is shown that outer spiral rainbands are triggered by the inner-rainband remnants immediately outside the rapid filamentation zone and inertial instability in the upper troposphere. The preferred radial location of initiation of outer spiral rainbands is understood as a balance between the suppression of deep convection by rapid filamentation and the favorable dynamical and thermodynamic conditions for initiation of deep convection.The quasi-periodic occurrence of outer spiral rainbands is found to be associated with the boundary layer recovery from the effect of convective downdrafts and the consumption of convective available potential energy (CAPE) by convection in the previous outer spiral rainbands. Specifically, once convection is initiated and organized in the form of outer spiral rainbands, it will produce strong downdrafts and consume CAPE. These effects weaken convection near its initiation location. As the rainband propagates outward farther, the boundary layer air near the original location of convection initiation takes about 10 h to recover by extracting energy from the underlying ocean. Convection and thus new outer spiral rainbands will be initiated near a radius of about 3 times the RMW. This will be followed by a similar outward propagation and the subsequent boundary layer recovery, leading to a quasi-periodic occurrence of outer spiral rainbands. In response to the quasi-periodic appearance of outer spiral rainbands, the storm intensity experiences a similar quasi-periodic oscillation with its intensity or intensification rate starting to decrease after about 4 h of the initiation of an outer spiral rainband. The results provide an alternative explanation or one of the mechanisms that are responsible for the quasi-periodic (quasidiurnal) variation in the intensity and in the area of outflow-layer cloud canopy of observed tropical cyclones.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Section: Conclusion and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Formation and Quasi-Periodic Behavior of Outer Spiral Rainbands in a Numerically Simulated Tropical Cyclone*

Wang

2012

Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences

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“…Most studies of the diurnal variations of TCs used IR measurements (Browner et al 1977;Muramatsu 1983;Steranka et al 1984;Kossin 2002) and TC best-track winds (Cerveny and Balling 2005). By using IR data, the metrics are limited to the area covered by cirrus whose IR cloud-top temperature is less than a certain threshold, and the average brightness temperature T B values with a certain distance from the storm center.…”

Section: Diurnal Variations Of Tc Rainfallmentioning

confidence: 99%

A TRMM-Based Tropical Cyclone Cloud and Precipitation Feature Database

Jiang¹,

Liu²,

Zipser³

2011

J. Appl. Meteor. Climatol.

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The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite has provided invaluable data for tropical cyclone (TC) research since December 1997. The challenge, however, is how to analyze and efficiently utilize all of the information from several instruments on TRMM that observe the same target. In this study, a tropical cyclone precipitation, cloud, and convective cell feature (TCPF) database has been developed by using observations of the TRMM precipitation radar (PR), Microwave Imager (TMI), Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS), Lightning Imaging System (LIS), and the TRMM 3B42 rainfall product. The database is based on an event-based method that analyzes the measurements from multiple sensors. This method condenses the original information of pixel-level measurements into the properties of events, which can significantly increase the efficiency of searching and sorting the observed historical TCs. With both convective and rainfall properties included, the database offers the potential to aid the research aiming to improve both TC intensification and rainfall forecasts. Using the TRMM TCPF database, regional variations of TC convection and diurnal variations of TC rainfall are examined. In terms of absolute number, the northwest Pacific Ocean basin has the deepest and most intense TCPFs according to IR, radar, and 85-GHz microwave measurements. However, the North Atlantic TCPFs appear to have the highest lightning production. Globally, TC rainfall has a maximum at 0430-0730 local solar time (LST) and a minimum around 1930-2230 LST. However, after separating ocean from land, a distinct difference is seen. Over land, the diurnal variation of TC rainfall shows double peaks: one around 0130-0730 LST and the other at 1630-1930 LST. The minimum is at 1030-1330 LST.

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“…That subsidence-dried air was then fed to the cyclone and caused a marked decrease of convective activity in the CDO, until another batch of moist near-equatorial air arrived some 9-12 h later. It is this sort of quasi-semidiurnal variation of convective activity within the CDO that gives rise to the quasisemidiurnal variation of the area of high-level cirrostratus that has been documented in many other tropical cyclones by Browner et al (1977) and Lajoie and Butterworth (1984).…”

Section: B Relevant Commentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Diagnostic Study of the Intensity of Three Tropical Cyclones in the Australian Region. Part I: A Synopsis of Observed Features of Tropical Cyclone Kathy (1984)

Walsh

2010

Monthly Weather Review

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Objective streamline analyses and digitized high-resolution IR satellite cloud data have been used to examine in detail the changes in the environmental circulation and in the cloud structure that took place in and around Tropical Cyclone Kathy (1984) when it started to intensify, and during its intensification and dissipation stages. The change of low-level circulation around Tropical Cyclone Kathy was measured by the change in the angle of inflow (a 4 ) at a radius of 48 latitude from the cyclone center. When Kathy started to intensify, a 4 increased suddenly from 208 to 42.58 in the northerly airstream to the north and northeast of the depression, and decreased to 08 to the south of the depression. At that stage the low-level circulation around the depression appeared as a giant swirl that started some 600 km to the north and northeast of the depression and spiraled inward toward its center, while trade air, which is usually cool, dry, and stable, did not enter the cyclonic circulation. The angle a 4 remained the same during intensification. During the dissipation stage, a 4 returned to 208 and trade air started to participate in the cyclonic circulation.Satellite cloud data were used to determine the origin, evolution, and importance of the feeder bands in the intensification of the cyclone, to follow the moist near-equatorial air that flowed through them and to estimate the maximum height of cumulonimbi that developed in them, to observe the changes in the convective activity in the central dense overcast (CDO) area, as well as in the area around the CDO. Most of the observed changes in Kathy have also been observed in other tropical cyclones during intensification and dissipation.Using the sequence of observed changes of the circulation and of convective activity in and around the CDO of Kathy, a mathematical model has been developed to forecast the intensity of a tropical cyclone. The model and its application to three tropical cyclones in the Australian region are described in Part II of this paper.

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Diurnal Oscillation of the Area of Cloudiness Associated with Tropical Storms

Cited by 54 publications

References 0 publications

Formation and Quasi-Periodic Behavior of Outer Spiral Rainbands in a Numerically Simulated Tropical Cyclone*

Formation and Quasi-Periodic Behavior of Outer Spiral Rainbands in a Numerically Simulated Tropical Cyclone*

A TRMM-Based Tropical Cyclone Cloud and Precipitation Feature Database

A Diagnostic Study of the Intensity of Three Tropical Cyclones in the Australian Region. Part I: A Synopsis of Observed Features of Tropical Cyclone Kathy (1984)

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