Kinetic Energy Budgets during the Rapid Intensification of Typhoon Rammasun (2014)

In this study,Typhoon Rammasun(2014)was simulated using the Weather Research and Forecasting model to examine the kinetic energy during rapid intensification(RI).Budget analyses revealed that in the inner area of the typhoon,the conversion from symmetric divergent kinetic energy associated with the collocation of strong cyclonic circulation and inward flow led to an increase in the symmetric rotational kinetic energy in the lower troposphere.The increase in the symmetric rotational kinetic energy in the mid and upper troposphere resulted from the upward transport of symmetric rotational kinetic energy from the lower troposphere.In the outer area,both typhoon and Earth’s rotation played equally important roles in the conversion from symmetric divergent kinetic energy to symmetric rotational kinetic energy in the lower troposphere.The decrease in the symmetric rotational kinetic energy in the upper troposphere was caused by the conversion to asymmetric rotational kinetic energy through the collocation of symmetric tangential rotational winds and the radial advection of asymmetric tangential rotational winds by radial environmental winds.

The Effect of Asymmetric Wind Structures of Tropical Cyclones on Their Tracks

A model is proposed relating a variety of factors of tropical cyclones (TCs)to their tracks, and attentions are paid to the influence of the asymmetric wind structures of TCs.Ideal numerical calculation shows that the asymmetric wind structures of TCs have conspicuousinfluence on their motion tracks. When moving due westward initially, an axisymmetric TC willdeflect right, and the overall trend is eastward. When it is asymmetric but the asymmetry is notsharp, wherever the area of maximum wind is, the TC deflects northwest first, and then, to variousareas depending on the positions of the areas of maximum wind, i.e. for the area of maximum wind inQuadrant Ⅰ, to the southeast; for in Quadrant Ⅱ, to the northeast; for in Quadrant Ⅲ, to thenorthwest; for in Quadrant IV, to the southwest. And in the above four cases, the TC tracks are allaccompanied by clockwise looping motions. With the asymmetry of the TC intensifiying, the track ofthe TC motion will be stretched further. For the area of maximum wind in Quadrants Ⅰ and Ⅱ, the TCtracks are still accompanied by clockwise looping motions; for the area of maximum wind inQuadrants Ⅲand Ⅳ, the TC tracks become oscillatory, without clockwise looping motions.