Abstract
The evolution of spiral-band-like structures triggered by asymmetric heating in three tropical-cyclone-like vortices of different intensities is examined using the Three-Dimensional Vortex Perturbation Analyzer and Simulator (3DVPAS) model. To simulate the spiral bands, asymmetric thermal perturbations are imposed on the radius of maximum wind (RMW) of vortices, which can be considered as the location near the eyewall of real tropical cyclones (TCs).
All the three vortices experience a hydrostatic adjustment after the introduction of thermal asymmetries. It takes more time for weaker and stable vortices to finish such a process. The spiral-band-like structures, especially those distant from the vortex centers, form and evolve accompanying this process. In the quasi-balance state, the spiral bands are gradually concentrated to the inner core, the wave behavior of which resembles the features of classic vortex Rossby (VR) waves.
The unstable vortices regain nonhydrostatic features after the quasi-balance stage. The spiral bands further from the vortex center, similar to distant spiral bands in real TCs, form and maintain more easily in the moderate basic-state vortex, satisfying the conditions of barotropic instability. The widest radial extent and longest-lived distant bands always exist in weak and stable vortices.
This study represents an attempt to determine the role of TC intensity and stability in the formation and evolution of spiral bands via hydrostatic balance adjustment, and provides some valuable insights into the formation of distant spiral rainbands.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Carr, L. E. III, and R. T. Williams, 1989: Barotropic vortex stability to perturbations from axisymmetry. J. Atmos. Sci., 46, 3177–3191.
Chen, X. J., H. Huang, Z. Y. Chen, and X. Z. Wang, 2010: A numerical simulation study on Typhoon Manyi spiral bands. Meteorology and Disaster Reduction Research, 33, 9–15. (in Chinese with English abstract)
Chen, Y. S., and M. K. Yau, 2001: Spiral bands in a simulated hurricane. Part I: Vortex Rossby wave verification. J. Atmos. Sci., 58, 2128–2145.
Cione, J. J., P. G. Black, and S. H. Houston, 2000: Surface observations in the hurricane environment. Mon. Wea. Rev., 128, 1550–1561.
Dvorak, V. F., 1975: Tropical cyclone intensity analysis and forecasting from satellite imagery. Mon. Wea. Rev., 103, 420–430.
Franklin, C. N., G. J. Holland, and P. T. May, 2006: Mechanisms for the generation of mesoscale vorticity features in tropical cyclone rainbands. Mon. Wea. Rev., 134, 2649–2669.
Guinn, T. A., and W. H. Schubert, 1993: Hurricane spiral bands. J. Atmos. Sci., 50, 3380–3403.
Hodyss, D., and D. S. Nolan, 2007: Linear anelastic equations for atmospheric vortices. J. Atmos. Sci., 64, 2947–2959.
Hodyss, D., and D. S. Nolan, 2008: The Rossby-inertia-buoyancy instability in baroclinic vortices. Phys. Fluids, 20, 096 602–096 621.
Houze, R. A, Jr., 2010: Clouds in tropical cyclones. Mon. Wea. Rev., 138, 293–344.
Kimball, S. K., 2006: A modeling study of hurricane landfall in a dry environment. Mon. Wea. Rev., 134, 1901–1918.
Li, Q. Q., and Y. Q. Wang, 2012: A comparison of inner and outer spiral rainbands in a numerically simulated tropical cyclone. Mon. Wea. Rev., 140, 2782–2805.
Montgomery, M. T., and R. J. Kallenbach, 1997: A theory for vortex Rossby-waves and its application to spiral bands and intensity changes in hurricanes. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 123, 435–465.
Moon, Y., and D. S. Nolan, 2010: The dynamic response of the hurricane wind field to spiral rainband heating. J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 1779–1805.
Nolan, D. S., and M. T. Montgomery, 2000: The algebraic growth of wavenumber one disturbances in hurricane-like vortices. J. Atmos. Sci., 57, 3514–3538.
Nolan, D. S., and M. T. Montgomery, 2002: Nonhydrostatic, three-dimensional perturbations to balanced, hurricane-like vortices. Part I: Linearized formulation, stability, and evolution. J. Atmos. Sci., 59, 2989–3020.
Nolan, D. S., and L. D. Grasso, 2003: Nonhydrostatic, threedimensional perturbations to balanced, hurricane-like vortices. Part II: Symmetric response and nonlinear simulations. J. Atmos. Sci., 60, 2717–2745.
Nolan, D. S., Y. Moon, and D. P. Stern, 2007: Tropical cyclone intensification from asymmetric convection: Energetics and efficiency. J. Atmos. Sci., 64, 3377–3405.
Pendergrass, A. G., and H. E. Willoughby, 2009: Diabatically induced secondary flows in tropical cyclones. Part I: Quasisteady forcing. Mon. Wea. Rev., 137, 805–821.
Senn, H. V., H. W. Hiser, 1959: On the origin of hurricane spiral rain bands. J. Meteor., 16, 419–426.
Schubert, W. H., M. T. Montgomery, R. K. Taft, T. A. Guinn, S. R. Fulton, J. P. Kossin, and J. P. Edwards, 1999: Polygonal eyewalls, asymmetric eye contraction, and potential vorticity mixing in hurricanes. J. Atmos. Sci., 56, 1197–1223.
Shapiro, L. J., 1996: The motion of hurricane Gloria: A potential vorticity diagnosis. Mon. Wea. Rev., 124, 2497–2508.
Smith, G. B. II, and M. T. Montgomery, 1995: Vortex axisymmetrization: Dependence on azimuthal wave-number or asymmetric radial structure changes. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 121, 1615–1650.
Wang, Y. Q., 2009: How do outer spiral rainbands affect tropical cyclone structure and intensity?. J. Atmos. Sci., 66, 1250–1273.
Wang, Y. Q., and J. Xu, 2010: Energy production, frictional dissipation, and maximum intensity of a numerically simulated tropical cyclone. J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 97–116.
Willoughby, H. E., 1988: The dynamics of the tropical hurricane core. Aust. Meteor. Mag., 36, 183–191.
Willoughby, H. E., R. W. R. Darling, and M. E. Rahn, 2006: Parametric representation of the primary hurricane vortex. Part II: A new family of sectionally continuous profiles. Mon. Wea. Rev., 134, 1102–1120.
Xu, J., and Y. Q. Wang, 2010a: Sensitivity of tropical cyclone inner-core size and intensity to the radial distribution of surface entropy flux. J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 1831–1852.
Xu, J., and Y. Q. Wang, 2010b: Sensitivity of the simulated tropical cyclone inner-core size to the initial vortex size. Mon. Wea. Rev., 138, 4135–4157.
Ye, D. Z., and M. C. Li, 1965: Adjustment Issues of Atmosphere Motion. Science Press, Beijing, 126 pp. (in Chinese)
Zhang, M., H. Huang, and L. F. Zhang, 2010: Atmospheric wave spectrum analysis and instability. 3rd ed., Perturbations in Tropical Cyclone, China Meteorological Press, Beijing, 238 pp. (in Chinese)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Huang, H., Jiang, Y., Chen, Z. et al. Effect of tropical cyclone intensity and instability on the evolution of spiral bands. Adv. Atmos. Sci. 31, 1090–1100 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-014-3108-5
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-014-3108-5