Tropical cyclones are a major threat to life and property, even in the formative stages of their development. They include a number of different hazards that individually can cause significant impacts, such as extreme winds, storm surge, flooding, tornadoes, and lightning. Tropical Cyclones: Observations and Basic Processes provides a modern overview of the theory and observations of tropical cyclone structure and behavior. The book begins by summarizing key observations of the structure, evolution, and formation of tropical cyclones. It goes on to develop a theoretical foundation for a basic understanding of tropical cyclone behavior during the storm’s life cycle. Horizontally two-dimensional dynamics of vortex motion and other non-axisymmetric features are considered first before tackling the axisymmetric balance dynamics involving the overturning circulation. Following a review of moist convective processes, later chapters focus mainly on a range of three-dimensional aspects of the tropical cyclone life cycle. Building from first principles, the book provides a state-of-the-art summary of the fundamentals of tropical cyclones aimed at advanced undergraduates, graduate students, tropical meteorologists, and researchers. Members of the Royal Meteorological Society are eligible for a 35% discount on all Developments in Weather and Climate Science series titles. See the RMetS member dashboard for the discount code.
1. Tropical Cyclones - p. Page i 2. Cover - p. Page i 3. Front Matter - p. Page i 4. Table of Contents - p. Page iii 5. Copyright - p. Page iii 6. Dedication - p. Page iv 7. Epigraph - p. Page v 8. Contents - p. Page vii 9. Preface - p. Page vii 10. Acknowledgments - p. Page xii 11. Nomenclature - p. Page xiv 12. List of Illustrations - p. Page xxiv 13. List of Tables - p. Page xxv 14. Chapter 1 : Observations of tropical cyclones - p. Page xxv 15. Chapter 2 : Fluid dynamics and moist thermodynamics - p. Page age34 16. Chapter 3 : Tropical cyclone motion - p. Page age54 17. Chapter 4 : Vortex axisymmetrization, waves and wave-vortex interaction - p. Page age76 18. Chapter 5 : Axisymmetric vortex theory fundamentals - p. Page age107 19. Chapter 6 : Frictional effects - p. Page age136 20. Chapter 7 : Estimating boundary layer parameters - p. Page age162 21. Chapter 8 : A prognostic balance theory for vortex evolution - p. Page age170 22. Chapter 9 : Moist convection - p. Page age192 23. Chapter 10 : Tropical cyclone formation and intensification - p. Page age212 24. Chapter 11 : The rotating-convection paradigm - p. Page age237 25. Chapter 12 : Emanuel's intensification theories - p. Page age256 26. Chapter 13 : Emanuel's maximum intensity theory - p. Page age270 27. Chapter 14 : Global budgets and steady state considerations - p. Page age298 28. Chapter 15 : Tropical cyclone life cycle - p. Page age312 29. Chapter 16 : Applications of the rotating-convection paradigm - p. Page age330 30. Chapter 17 : Epilogue - p. Page age383 31. References - p. Page age390 32. Index - p. Page age390
Tropical cyclones are a major threat to life and property, even in the formative stages of their development. They include a number of different hazards that individually can cause significant impacts, such as extreme winds, storm surge, flooding, tornadoes, and lightning. Tropical Cyclones: Observations and Basic Processes provides a modern overview of the theory and observations of tropical cyclone structure and behavior. The book begins by summarizing key observations of the structure, evolution, and formation of tropical cyclones. It goes on to develop a theoretical foundation for a basic understanding of tropical cyclone behavior during the storm’s life cycle. Horizontally two-dimensional dynamics of vortex motion and other non-axisymmetric features are considered first before tackling the axisymmetric balance dynamics involving the overturning circulation. Following a review of moist convective processes, later chapters focus mainly on a range of three-dimensional aspects of the tropical cyclone life cycle. Building from first principles, the book provides a state-of-the-art summary of the fundamentals of tropical cyclones aimed at advanced undergraduates, graduate students, tropical meteorologists, and researchers. Members of the Royal Meteorological Society are eligible for a 35% discount on all Developments in Weather and Climate Science series titles. See the RMetS member dashboard for the discount code.
1. Tropical Cyclones - p. Page i 2. Cover - p. Page i 3. Front Matter - p. Page i 4. Table of Contents - p. Page iii 5. Copyright - p. Page iii 6. Dedication - p. Page iv 7. Epigraph - p. Page v 8. Contents - p. Page vii 9. Preface - p. Page vii 10. Acknowledgments - p. Page xii 11. Nomenclature - p. Page xiv 12. List of Illustrations - p. Page xxiv 13. List of Tables - p. Page xxv 14. Chapter 1 : Observations of tropical cyclones - p. Page xxv 15. Chapter 2 : Fluid dynamics and moist thermodynamics - p. Page age34 16. Chapter 3 : Tropical cyclone motion - p. Page age54 17. Chapter 4 : Vortex axisymmetrization, waves and wave-vortex interaction - p. Page age76 18. Chapter 5 : Axisymmetric vortex theory fundamentals - p. Page age107 19. Chapter 6 : Frictional effects - p. Page age136 20. Chapter 7 : Estimating boundary layer parameters - p. Page age162 21. Chapter 8 : A prognostic balance theory for vortex evolution - p. Page age170 22. Chapter 9 : Moist convection - p. Page age192 23. Chapter 10 : Tropical cyclone formation and intensification - p. Page age212 24. Chapter 11 : The rotating-convection paradigm - p. Page age237 25. Chapter 12 : Emanuel's intensification theories - p. Page age256 26. Chapter 13 : Emanuel's maximum intensity theory - p. Page age270 27. Chapter 14 : Global budgets and steady state considerations - p. Page age298 28. Chapter 15 : Tropical cyclone life cycle - p. Page age312 29. Chapter 16 : Applications of the rotating-convection paradigm - p. Page age330 30. Chapter 17 : Epilogue - p. Page age383 31. References - p. Page age390 32. Index - p. Page age390
