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Topographic effects on polar low and tropical cyclone development in simple theoretical model

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Abstract

The polar low and tropical cyclone type vortices over topography are assumed to be the axisymmetrical and thermal-wind balanced systems, which are solved as an initial value problem of a linearized vortex equation set in cylindrical coordinates. The roles of the sensible and latent heating, friction, and topography in the structure and intensification of the polar low and tropical cyclone type vortices are analyzed. The radial velocity, vertical velocity, azimuthal velocity, and the unstable growth rate including the topography effects are obtained. It is shown that the interaction between the flow and the topography plays a significant role in the structure and intensification of the polar low and tropical cyclone system. The analysis of the topography term indicates that, in the up-slope side of the mountain, the radial inflow and the vertical ascent forced by the mountain can intensify the polar low and tropical cyclone type vortex and increase the unstable growth rate. However, in the lee side of the mountain, the radial inflow and the vertical descent forced by the mountain can weaken the polar low and tropical cyclone type vortex and decrease the unstable growth rate of the polar low and tropical cyclone system. In addition, the evolutionary process and the spatial structure of the polar low observed over the Japan Sea on 19 December 2003 are investigated with the observational data to verify this theoretical result.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine Meteorology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, Shandong Province, P. R. China

    Zi-liang Li  (李子良), Gang Fu  (傅刚) & Jing-tian Guo  (郭敬天)

  2. Shanghai Typhoon Institute, Shanghai, 200030, P. R. China

    Zi-liang Li  (李子良), Gang Fu  (傅刚) & Yi-hong Duan  (端义宏)

  3. State Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Hangzhou, 310012, P. R. China

    Zi-liang Li  (李子良)

  4. State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China

    Gang Fu  (傅刚) & Mei-gen Zhang  (张美根)

  5. National Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, 100081, P.R. China

    Yi-hong Duan  (端义宏)

  6. North China Sea Marine Forecasting Center of State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao, 266033, Shandong Province, P. R. China

    Jing-tian Guo  (郭敬天)

Authors
  1. Zi-liang Li  (李子良)
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  2. Gang Fu  (傅刚)
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  3. Jing-tian Guo  (郭敬天)
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  4. Yi-hong Duan  (端义宏)
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  5. Mei-gen Zhang  (张美根)
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Correspondence to Zi-liang Li  (李子良).

Additional information

Communicated by Zhe-wei ZHOU

Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 40775069 and 40675060), the Science Foundation of Shanghai Typhoon Institute (No. 2006STB03), the Science Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics (No. SOED0904), the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (Nos. 2009CB421504 and 2006AA09Z151), the China Meteorological Administration (No. GYHY200706031), and the State Oceanic Administration (No. 908020310)

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Li, Zl., Fu, G., Guo, Jt. et al. Topographic effects on polar low and tropical cyclone development in simple theoretical model. Appl. Math. Mech.-Engl. Ed. 30, 1271–1282 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10483-009-1007-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10483-009-1007-x

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