Numerical Study of the Influences of a Monsoon Gyre on Intensity Changes of Typhoon Chan-Hom(2015)

Typhoon Chan-Hom(2015) underwent a weakening in the tropical western North Pacific(WNP) when it interacted with a monsoon gyre, but all operational forecasts failed to predict this intensity change. A recent observational study indicated that it resulted from its interaction with a monsoon gyre on the 15–30-day timescale. In this study, the results of two numerical experiments are presented to investigate the influence of the monsoon gyre on the intensity changes of Typhoon Chan-Hom(2015). The control experiment captures the main observed features of the weakening process of Chan-Hom(2015) during a sharp northward turn in the Philippine Sea, including the enlargement of the eye size, the development of strong convection on the eastern side of the monsoon gyre, and the corresponding strong outer inflow. The sensitivity experiment suggests that intensity changes of Chan-Hom(2015) were mainly associated with its interaction with the monsoon gyre. When Chan-Hom(2015) initially moved westward in the eastern part of the monsoon gyre, the monsoon gyre enhanced the inertial stability for the intensification of the typhoon. With its coalescence with the monsoon gyre, the development of the strong convection on the eastern side of the monsoon gyre prevented moisture and mass entering the inner core of Chan-Hom(2015), resulting in the collapse of the eyewall. Thus, the weakening happened in the deep tropical WNP region. The numerical simulations confirm the important effects of the interaction between tropical cyclones and monsoon gyres on tropical cyclone intensity.     

Determination of the effect of initial inner-core structure on tropical cyclone intensification and track on a beta plane

The sensitivity of TC intensification and track to the initial inner-core structure on a β plane is investigated using a numerical model. The results show that the vortex with large inner-core winds(CVEX-EXP) experiences an earlier intensification than that with small inner-core winds(CCAVE-EXP), but they have nearly the same intensification rate after spin-up. In the early stage, the convective cells associated with surface heat flux are mainly confined within the inner-core region in CVEXEXP, whereas the vortex in CCAVE-EXP exhibits a considerably asymmetric structure with most of the convective vortices being initiated to the northeast in the outer-core region due to the β effect. The large inner-core inertial stability in CVEX-EXP can prompt a high efficiency in the conversion from convective heating to kinetic energy. In addition, much stronger straining deformation and PBL imbalance in the inner-core region outside the primary eyewall ensue during the initial development stage in CVEX-EXP than in CCAVE-EXP, which is conducive to the rapid axisymmetrization and early intensification in CVEX-EXP. The TC track in CVEX-EXP sustains a northwestward displacement throughout the integration, whereas the TC in CCAVE-EXP undergoes a northeastward recurvature when the asymmetric structure is dominant. Due to the enhanced asymmetric convection to the northeast of the TC center in CCAVE-EXP, a pair of secondary gyres embedded within the large-scale primary β gyres forms, which modulates the ventilation flow and thus steers the TC to move northeastward.     

Modulation of tropical cyclogenesis in the western North Pacific by the quasi-biweekly oscillation

The quasi-biweekly oscillation(QBWO) is the second most dominant intraseasonal mode over the western North Pacific(WNP) during boreal summer. In this study, the modulation of WNP tropical cyclogenesis(TCG) by the QBWO and its association with large-scale patterns are investigated. A strong modulation of WNP TCG events by the QBWO is found.More TCG events occur during the QBWO's convectively active phase. Based on the genesis potential index(GPI), we further evaluate the role of environmental factors in affecting WNP TCG. The positive GPI anomalies associated with the QBWO correspond well with TCG counts and locations. A large positive GPI anomaly is spatially correlated with WNP TCG events during a life cycle of the QBWO. The low-level relative vorticity and mid-level relative humidity appear to be two dominant contributors to the QBWO-composited GPI anomalies during the QBWO's active phase, followed by the nonlinear and potential intensity terms. These positive contributions to the GPI anomalies are partly offset by the negative contribution from the vertical wind shear. During the QBWO's inactive phase, the mid-level relative humidity appears to be the largest contributor, while weak contributions are also made by the nonlinear and low-level relative vorticity terms.Meanwhile, these positive contributions are partly cancelled out by the negative contribution from the potential intensity.The contributions of these environmental factors to the GPI anomalies associated with the QBWO are similar in all five flow patterns—the monsoon shear line, monsoon confluence region, monsoon gyre, easterly wave, and Rossby wave energy dispersion associated with a preexisting TC. Further analyses show that the QBWO strongly modulates the synoptic-scale wave trains(SSWs) over the WNP, with larger amplitude SSWs during the QBWO's active phase. This implies a possible enhanced(weakened) relationship between TCG and SSWs during the active(inactive) phase. This study improves our understanding of the modulation of WNP TCG by the QBWO and thus helps with efforts to improve the intraseasonal prediction of WNP TCG.     

A NUMERICAL METHOD FOR SOLVING THE EVOLUTION EQUATION OF SOLITARY ROSSBY WAVES ON A WEAK SHEAR

In this paper an evoluion equation in integral-differential form for finite amplitude Rossby waves on a weak shear is presented and an efficient method for its numerical solution is set up. It is shown that a propagation of solitary wave is possible whenever a proper weak shear in basic flows acts with the nonlinear effects and dispersion of the media, both in the atmosphere and in the ocean. To test the numerical method for solving the evolution equation, a series of experiments are carried out. The results indicate that the solitary solutions, do exist and interact with each other in quite a succinct, manner. Therefore the method is successful and efficient for solving initial value problems of the above equation. The time decoupling problem arising in the numerical scheme and the related filtering technique are discussed. A variety of interesting phenomena such as the interaction of solitary Rossby waves, damping, dispersion and the development of nonlinear wave train are numerically studied.     

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AIR-SEA HEAT FLUX EXCHANGE DURING THE GENERATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL TYPHOONS OVER THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

A South China Sea （SCS） local TC （SLT） is defined as a tropical cyclone （TC） that forms within the SCS region and can reach the grade of tropical storm （TS） or above. The statistical features of the SLTs from 1985 to 2007 are analyzed first. It is found that over the SCS about 68% of the TCs can develop into TSs. The SLT intensity is relatively weak and associated with its genesis latitude as well as its track. The SLT monthly number presents a seasonal variation with two peaks in May and July to September. Based on the daily heat flux data from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution_Objectively Analyzed air-sea Fluxes （WHOI_OAFlux） in the same period, the air-sea exchange during the process of generation and development of the SLT is studied. Results show that the heat fluxes released to the atmosphere increase significantly day by day before cyclogenesis. The ocean to the south to the TC center provides the main energy. Along with the development of SLT, the regions with large heat fluxes spread clockwise to the north of TC, which reflects the energy dispersion property of vortex Rossby waves in the periphery of the TC. Once the SLT forms the heat fluxes are not intensified as much. During the whole process, the net heat, latent heat and sensible heat flux display a similar evolution, while the latent heat flux makes a main contribution to the net heat flux. The maximum air-sea heat exchange always occurs at the left side of the TC moving direction, which may reflect the influence of the SCS summer monsoon on TC structure.     

EFFECT OF ENERGY DISPERSION ON THE STRUCTURE AND MOTION OF TROPICAL CYCLONE*

The energy dispersion of a typhoon vortex and its effect on the typhoon motion are studied using an analytical method of double-Fourier expansion as well as a numerical model in a β-plane nondivergent barotropic framework.The analytic model and the linear version of the numerical model give essentially the same result:the energy dispersion from a tropical cyclone can creat an L-H-L wave train to the east of the tropical cyclone.Three numerical experiments,integrated for 7 model days by the nonlinear model,indicate that the closed high in the wave train produces obvious influence on the structure and movement of the tropical cyclone.     

Oscillatory Rossby Solitary Waves in the Atmosphere

The linear Rossby wave frequency expression is expanded at higher accuracy based on the scale difference char?acteristics of atmospheric long waves in the and directions. That the nature of the waves represented by the expan?sion is identical to that of the original ones is demonstrated both in phase velocity and wave energy dispersion speed , followed by the derivation of the nonlinear expression describing atmospheric long wave behaviors with the associated approximate analytic solution obtained. Then, for the first time atmospheric’ oscillatory Rossby solitary wave’ with its dispersion relation is obtained by numerical calculation with the aid of physical parameters of the real atmosphere. The solitary wave is found to be very close to such longwave systems as blocking highs and cut-off de?pressions in the actual atmosphere.     

Circulation Features Associated with the Record-breaking Typhoon Silence in August 2014

Climatologically, August is the month with the most tropical cyclone(TC) formation over the western North Pacific(WNP) during the typhoon season. In this study, the reason for abnormal TC activity during August is discussed—especially August 2014, when no TCs formed. The large-scale background of August 2014 is presented, with low-level large-scale easterly anomalies and anticyclonic anomalies dominating over the main TC genesis region, a weak monsoon trough system,and a strong WNP subtropical high(WPSH), leading to significantly reduced low-level convergence, upper-level divergence,and mid-level upward motion. These unfavorable large-scale conditions suppressed convection and cyclogenesis. In August2014, equatorial waves were inactive within the negative phase of the Madden–Julian Oscillation(MJO), with fewer tropical disturbances. Although the low-level vorticity and convection of those disturbances were partly promoted by the convective envelopes of equatorial waves, the integral evolution of disturbances, as well as the equatorial waves, were suppressed when propagating into the negative MJO phase. Moreover, the upper-level potential vorticity(PV) streamers associated with anticyclonic Rossby wave breaking events imported extratropical cold and dry air into the tropics. The peripheral tropospheric dryness and enhanced vertical wind shear by PV streamer intrusion combined with the negative MJO phase were responsible for the absence of TC formation over the WNP in August 2014.     

EFFECT OF ENERGY DISPERSION ON THE STRUCTURE AND MOTION OF TROPICAL CYCLONE

The energy dispersion of a typhoon vortex and its effect on the typhoon motion are studied using an analyticalmethod of double-Fourier expansion as well as a numerical model in a β-plane nondivergent barotropic framework.The analytic model and the linear version of the numerical model give essentially the same result:the energy dispersionfrom a tropical cyclone can creat an L-H-L wave train to the east of the tropical cyclone.Three numerical experiments,integrated for 7 model days by the nonlinear model,indicate that the closed high in the wave train produces obvious in-fluence on the structure and movement of the tropical cyclone.     

Impact of 10-60-Day Low-Frequency Steering Flows on Straight Northward-Moving Typhoon Tracks over the Western North Pacific

This study investigates the impact of low-frequency(intraseasonal and interannual) steering flows on straight northward-moving(defined as a meridional displacement two times greater than the zonal displacement) typhoons over the western North Pacific using observational data. The year-to-year change in the northward-moving tracks is affected by the interannual change in the location and intensity of the subtropical high. A strengthened northward steering flow east of 120°E and a weakened easterly steering flow south of the subtropical high favor more frequent straight northward tracks. Examining each of the individual northward-moving typhoons shows that they interact with three types of intraseasonal(10-60-day) background flows during their northward journey. The first type is the monsoon gyre pattern, in which the northward-moving typhoon is embedded in a closed cyclonic monsoon gyre circulation. The second type is the wave train pattern, where a cyclonic(anticyclonic) vorticity circulation is located to the west(east) of the northward-moving typhoon center. The third type is the mid-latitude trough pattern, in which the northward-moving typhoon center is located in the maximum vorticity region of the trough.     

The Mid-latitudinal influence on the formation of the monsoon gyre in August 1991

This study investigates the formation of the monsoon gyre (MG) in August 1991. The results suggest the mid-latitudinal processes play an important role in the formation of the MG. The repeating upper-tropospheric Rossby wave breaking events took place in the exit region of mid-latitude jet during the period of interest. The wave energy dispersed southeastward and downward from the jet exit region, exciting a low-level subtropical low. Furthermore, the Rossby wave breaking induced salient ageostrophic forcing by disturbing the upper-level PV fields. The Q-vector analysis shows that the ageostrophic motion forced by the upper PV streamer favors the early development of the subtropical low. Thereafter, this system moved southwestward, and interacted with the tropical monsoon flows to induce a strong convective band to the southern and southeastern periphery. The enhanced convective heating further strengthened the cyclonic low through the Gill-type response. Furthermore, the asymmetric water vapor transport induced asymmetric convective structure. This pattern suppressed the scale contraction and maintained a large size, leading to the formation of a large-scale monsoon gyre eventually.     

Simulated sensitivity of tropical cyclone track to the moisture in an idealized monsoon gyre

In this study, the sensitivity of tropical cyclone (TC) track to the moisture condition in a nearby monsoon gyre (MG) is investigated. Numerical simulations reveal that TC track is highly sensitive to the spatial distribution of relative humidity (RH). In an experiment conducted with higher (lower) RH in the eastern (western) semicircle of an MG, the TC experiences a sharp northward turning. In contrast, when the RH pattern is reversed, the simulated TC does not show a sharp northward turning. The RH distribution modulates the intensity and structure of both the TC and MG, so that when the TC is initially embedded in a moister environment, convection is enhanced in the outer core, which favors an expansion of the outer core size. A TC with a larger outer size has greater beta-effect propagation, favoring a faster westward translational speed. Meanwhile, higher RH enhances the vorticity gradient within the MG and promotes a quicker attraction between the TC and MG centers through vorticity segregation process. These cumulative effects cause the TC to collocate with the MG center. Once the coalescence process takes place, the energy dispersion associated with the TC and MG is enhanced, which rapidly strengthens southwesterly flows on the eastern flanks. The resulting steering flow leads the TC to take a sharp northward track.     

The Initial Mesoscale Vortexes Leading to the Formation of Tropical Cyclones in the Western North Pacific

A statistical analysis of the initial vortexes leading to tropical cyclone(TC) formation in the western North Pacific(WNP) is conducted with the ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis data from 1999 to 2018. It is found that TCs in the WNP basically originate from three kinds of vortexes, i.e., a mid-level vortex(MV), a low-level vortex(LV), and a relatively deep vortex with notable vorticity in both the lower and middle troposphere(DV). Among them, LV and DV account for 47.9% and24.2% of tropical cyclogenesis e...     

季风涡旋对热带气旋生成影响的理想试验研究

利用新一代非静力平衡中尺度数值模式WRF_ARW（3.3.1版本）模拟季风涡旋中热带气旋生成的过程,从动力和热力作用两方面分析大尺度季风涡旋对热带气旋生成的影响。结果表明:从动力学角度来看,能提供较大环境场涡度的季风涡旋不利于扰动涡旋快速发展成热带气旋。初始阶段,由于季风涡旋尺度大,垂直涡度径向梯度弱。而垂直涡度径向梯度的强弱可以通过“涡度隔离”效应影响对流单体向涡旋中心的聚集合并过程。随着扰动的组织化,径向入流对涡度的平流作用越来越重要。对流单体相对最大风速半径的位置对热带气旋生成作用明显,当其集中在最大风速半径附近时涡旋容易快速发展。此外,环境场相对涡度与热带气旋的尺度存在显著正相关。初始尺度大的涡旋最终具有较大的外围尺度,其涡度的分布范围也更广。从热力学角度来说,较大的环境场相对湿度有利于热带气旋的生成。虽然较大的环境场湿度能够诱发较强的外围对流,但同时也会使最大风速半径以内存在丰富的对流,后者能够提供充分的内区非绝热加热,降低中心气压,促进涡旋发展。      

Dynamics of distinct intraseasonal oscillation in summer monsoon rainfall over the Meghalaya–Bangladesh–western Myanmar region: covariability between the tropics and mid-latitudes

Detailed spatiotemporal structures for the submonthly-scale (7–25 days) intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) in summer monsoon rainfall and atmospheric circulation were investigated in South Asia using high-quality rainfall and reanalysis datasets. The Meghalaya–Bangladesh–coast of the western Myanmar (MBWM) region is the predominant area of submonthly-scale ISO in the Asian monsoon regions. The distinct rainfall ISO is caused by a remarkable alternation of low-level zonal wind between westerly and easterly flows around the Gangetic Plain on the same timescales. In the active ISO phase of the MBWM, a strong low-level westerly/southwesterly flows around the plain and a center of cyclonic vorticity appears over Bangladesh. Hence, a local southerly flows toward the Meghalaya Plateau and there is strong southwesterly flow towards the coast along southeastern Bangladesh and western Myanmar, resulting in an increase in orographic rainfall. Rainfall also increases over the lowland area of the MBWM due to the low-level convergence in the boundary layer under the strong cyclonic circulation. The submonthly-scale low-level wind fluctuation around the MBWM is caused by a westward moving n = 1 equatorial Rossby (ER) wave. When the anticyclonic (cyclonic) anomaly related to the ER wave approaches the Bay of Bengal from the western Pacific, humid westerly/southwesterly (easterly/southeasterly) flows enhance around the Gangetic Plain on the northern fringe of the anticyclone (cyclone) and in turn promote (reduce) rainfall in the MBWM. Simultaneously, robust circulation signals are observed over the mid-latitudes. In the active phase, cyclonic anomalies appear over and around the TP, having barotropic vertical structure and also contributing to the enhancement of low-level westerly flow around the Gangetic Plain. In the upper troposphere, an anticyclonic anomaly is also observed upstream of the cyclonic anomaly over the TP, having wavetrain structure. The mid-latitude circulation around the TP likely helps to induce the distinct ISO there in conjunction with the equatorial waves. Thus, the distinct ISO in the MBWM is strongly enhanced locally (~500 km) by the terrain features, although the atmospheric circulation causing the ISO has a horizontal scale of ~6,000 km or more, extending across the whole Asian monsoon system from the tropics to mid-latitudes.     

Structure and characteristics of submonthly-scale waves along the Indian Ocean ITCZ

This study examines wave disturbances on submonthly (6–30-day) timescales over the tropical Indian Ocean during Southern Hemisphere summer using Japanese Reanalysis (JRA25-JCDAS) products and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration outgoing longwave radiation data. The analysis period is December–February for the 29 years from 1979/1980 through 2007/2008. An extended empirical orthogonal function (EEOF) analysis of daily 850-hPa meridional wind anomalies reveals a well-organized wave-train pattern as a dominant mode of variability over the tropical Indian Ocean. Daily lagged composite analyses for various atmospheric variables based on the EEOF result show the structure and evolution of a wave train consisting of meridionally elongated troughs and ridges along the Indian Ocean Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The wave train is oriented in a northeast–southwest direction from Sumatra toward Madagascar. The waves have zonal wavelengths of about 3,000–5,000 km and exhibit westward and southwestward phase propagation. Individual troughs and ridges as part of the wave train sequentially travel westward and southwestward from the west of Sumatra into Madagascar. Meanwhile, eastward and northeastward amplification of the wave train occurs associated with the successive growth of new troughs and ridges over the equatorial eastern Indian Ocean. This could be induced by eastward and northeastward wave energy dispersion from the southwestern to eastern Indian Ocean along the mean monsoon westerly flow. In addition, the waves modulate the ITCZ convection. Correlation statistics show the average behavior of the wave disturbances over the tropical Indian Ocean. These statistics and other diagnostic measures are used to characterize the waves obtained from the composite analysis. The waves appear to be connected to the monsoon westerly flow. The waves tend to propagate through a band of the large meridional gradient of absolute vorticity produced by the mean monsoon westerly flow. This suggests that the monsoon westerly flow provides favorable background conditions for the propagation and maintenance of the waves and acts as a waveguide over the tropical Indian Ocean. The horizontal structure of the wave train may be interpreted as that of a mixture of equatorial Rossby waves and mixed Rossby-gravity wavelike gyres.     

东亚-太平洋型季节内演变和维持机理研究

利用850hPa的纬向风异常建立一个逐候东亚-太平洋(East Asian Pacific,EAP)型指数,研究其季节内演变特征,发现东亚-太平洋型经向波列是东亚夏季风季节内变化的主要模态.其演变过程为:扰动首先出现在北太平洋中部,并通过正压不稳定过程从基本气流中获得能量而发展,在高层罗斯贝波能量向南频散,激发热带对流异常和赤道罗斯贝波,并相互锁相,因赤道罗斯贝波受β效应影响而共同向西移动.热带对流和环流异常在菲律宾附近达到最强,此时在东亚沿岸出现经向三极型波列,此后中低纬度异常继续向西北方向移动,使降水异常在长江流域能维持较长时间.东亚-太平洋型在东亚发展和维持有以下原因:首先,菲律宾暖水上空的对流和低层环流之间存在正反馈;其次,由于海陆热力差异导致暖大陆和冷海洋之间存在特殊的纬向温度梯度和北风垂直切变,东亚-太平洋型在经向上有向北倾斜的斜压结构,能通过斜压能量转换从平均有效位能中获得能量,同时,也能从经向温度梯度的平均有效位能中获得能量.