On the bogusing of tropical cyclones in numerical models: The influence of vertical structure

Summary In this study, idealised conditions are used to study the influence of vertical structure of the bogus vortex on its motion in numerical models by comparing the resultant forecast tracks. Two vortices were used: one has a cyclonic circulation throughout the troposphere and the other has an upper tropospheric anticyclone. Both vortices have the same structure in the middle and lower troposphere. The two vortices were inserted into four different environmental flows on a beta-plane: (a) a resting atmosphere; (b) a uniform flow; (c) a horozontal shear flow and (d) a vertical shear flow. The results show that the forecast tracks are very sensitive to the vertical structure of the bogus vortex, especially when the environmental flow is very weak, or is westerly and has a cyclonic horizontal shear. However, this sensitivity is reduced in moderate vertical shear. This motion sensitivity is found to arise from the vertical coupling mechanism by which the upper-and lower-level circulations interact with each other when a horizontal displacement occurs between them.The vertical structure of the bogus vortex can also affect the intensity of the model cyclone, depending on the configuration of the environmental flow. In general, the bogus vortex without an upper-level anticyclone will intensify quicker and will develop more intense than the one with an upper-level anticyclone. The vertical coupling mechanism can result in different asymmetric rainfall pattern in cyclone core region depending on the vertical structure of the bogus vortex. The asymmetric divergent flow associated with these convective asymmetries may in turn further influence the vortex motion. It is suggested that care needs to be taken in determining the vertical structure of the bogus vortex in numerical models.With 14 Figures