ANALYSING THE CLOUD MICRO- AND MACRO-PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE CYCLONE EYE WALL AND ITS SURROUNDING SPIRAL CLOUD BANDS BASED ON CLOUDSAT AND TRMM DATA

Abstract:

In this study, the micro- and macro-physical properties, thermal structure and precipitation characteristics of cyclone eye walls and their surrounding spiral clouds were analysed with CloudSat and TRMM data for five tropical cyclones (TCs) in 2013. The results show that the ice-phase clouds of a mature TC are mainly above 5 km. With increasing altitude, the cloud droplet effective radius decreases, and the particle number concentration increases. Ice water content first increases and then decreases with increasing height. In the eye area, in addition to the well-known warm-core area, another warm core is also apparent around the eye at a height of 8 to 15 km. The horizontal distribution of precipitation is characterized by large-scale stratiform precipitation mixed with independent convective precipitation. The height of precipitation is mostly below 7.5 km, and the heavy rain is mainly below 5 km. When the peripheral convective clouds are strong enough, ice particles would be generated, thus providing conditions that are favourable for the formation of precipitation below.