Examining asymmetric outer-core CAPE in sheared tropical cyclones based on the FNL data set

doi:10.1007/s11707-021-0920-y

Front. Earth Sci.

2022, Vol. 16

Issue (3) : 734-743 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-021-0920-y

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Examining asymmetric outer-core CAPE in sheared tropical cyclones based on the FNL data set

Yufan DAI^1,², Qingqing LI^3,^4,⁵(

), Lijuan WANG⁵, Hong CHEN⁶

¹. Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
². Key Laboratory of South China Sea Meteorological Disaster Prevention and Mitigation of Hainan Province, Haikou 570203, China
³. Pacific Typhoon Research Center, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
⁴. State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
⁵. Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster (the Ministry of Education), Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
⁶. Hainan Meteorological Observatory, Haikou 570203, China

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Abstract

The asymmetric distribution of convective available potential energy (CAPE) in the outer core of sheared tropical cyclones (TCs) is examined using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Final operational global analysis data. Larger (smaller) CAPE tends to appear in the downshear (upshear) semicircle. This downshear-upshear contrast in CAPE magnitude becomes much more statistically significant in moderate-to-strong shear. The azimuthally asymmetric CAPE is closely associated with the near-surface equivalent potential temperature ( $θ e$ ). Larger surface winds occur in the upshear semicircle in strongly sheared TCs, contributing to larger surface latent heat fluxes in those quadrants. More low-level air well fueled by the larger surface latent heat fluxes in the upshear quadrants is cyclonically advected into the downstream quadrants. As a result, larger near-surface $θ e$ and CAPE are found in the outer core in the downshear quadrants.

Keywords tropical cyclone outer core asymmetry CAPE reanalysis dataset

Corresponding Author(s): Qingqing LI

Online First Date: 06 December 2021 Issue Date: 29 December 2022

Cite this article:

Yufan DAI,Qingqing LI,Lijuan WANG, et al. Examining asymmetric outer-core CAPE in sheared tropical cyclones based on the FNL data set[J]. Front. Earth Sci., 2022, 16(3): 734-743.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-021-0920-y
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2022/V16/I3/734

Fig.1 Boxplots of the asymmetric indices of outer-core CAPE for different VWS categories in the (a) WNP and (b) NA basins [with the lower and upper quartiles as the lower and upper limits of the box, respectively; the median (line in the box); and outliers (black circles)].

Fig.2 Boxplots of outer-core CAPE (J kg⁻¹) and near-surface

θ e

(K) averaged in the VWS-relative quadrants for (a) all, (c) weak, (e) moderate, and (g) strong VWS [with the lower and upper quartiles as the lower and upper limits of the box, respectively; the median (line in the box); and outliers (black circles)]. Red and lilac boxes indicate the averaged CAPE in the WNP and NA, respectively, and dark blue and cyan boxes indicate the averaged

θ e

in the WNP and NA, respectively. The frequency of the azimuthal position of maximum outer-core CAPE and

θ e

for all shear, weak, moderate, and strong VWS is shown in (b), (d), (f), and (h), respectively. Red and lilac bars indicate the averaged CAPE in the WNP and NA, respectively, and dark blue and cyan bars indicate the averaged

θ e

in the WNP and NA, respectively. “DL,” “UL,” “UR,” and “DR” denote the downshear-left, upshear-left, upshear-right, and downshear-right quadrants, respectively.

Fig.3 Boxplots of air-sea humidity deficits (

× 10 − 3 ? k g ? k g − 1

) in the outer core, averaged in the VWS-relative quadrants for (a) all, (c) weak, (e) moderate, and (g) strong VWS [with the lower and upper quartiles as the lower and upper limits of the box, respectively; the median (line in the box); and outliers (black circles)]. Red and dark blue boxes indicate the averaged air-sea humidity deficits in the WNP and NA, respectively. The frequency of the azimuthal position of maximum outer-core air-sea humidity deficits for all shear, weak, moderate, and strong VWS is shown in (b), (d), (f), and (h), respectively. Red and dark blue bars indicate the averaged air-sea humidity deficits in the WNP and NA, respectively. “DL,” “UL,” “UR,” and “DR” denote the downshear-left, upshear-left, upshear-right, and downshear-right quadrants, respectively.

Fig.4 As in Fig. 3, but for surface wind velocity.

Fig.5 As in Fig. 3, but for surface latent heat fluxes.

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