LOW-DEFORMATION VORTICITY AREAS IN SYNOPTIC-SCALE DISTURBANCES FOR TROPICAL CYCLOGENESIS: AN OBSERVATIONAL ANALYSIS

Abstract:

It has long been known that incipient tropical cyclones (TCs) always occur in synoptic-scale disturbances or tropical cyclogenesis precursors, and the disturbances can intensify only within a limited area during tropical cyclogenesis. An observational analysis of five tropical cyclogenesis events over the western North Pacific during 11 August to 10 September 2004 is conducted to demonstrate the role of synoptic-scale disturbances in establishing a limited area of low-deformation vorticity for tropical cyclogenesis. The analysis of the five tropical cyclogenesis events shows that synoptic-scale tropical cyclogenesis precursors provide a region of low-deformation vorticity, which is measured with large positive values of the Okubo-Weiss (OW) parameter. The OW concentrated areas are within the tropical cyclogenesis precursors with a radius of about 400-500 km and can be found as early as 72 hours prior to the formation of the tropical depression. When the TCs reached the tropical storm intensity, the concentrated OW is confined to an area of 200-300 radius and the storm centers are coincident with the centers of the maximum OW. This study indicates that the tropical cyclogenesis occurs in the low-deformation 18-72 hours prior to the formation of tropical depressions, suggesting the importance of low-deformation vorticity in pre-existent synoptic-scale disturbances. Although the Rossby radius of deformation is reduced in TC genesis precedes, the reduction does not sufficiently make effective conversion of convective heating into kinetic energy within the low-deformation area. Further analysis indicates that the initial development of four of the five disturbances is coupled with the counterclockwise circulation of the mixed Rossby-Gravity (MRG) wave.