Tropical Cyclone Modeling With the Inclusion of Wave Coupled Processes: Sea Spray and Wave Turbulence
Published in Geophysical Research Letters, 2023
Tropical Cyclones (TCs), such as hurricanes and typhoons, are destructive natural disasters that can cause extensive damage. Our study focused on understanding the role of ocean waves and related processes in TCs. Through numerical modeling, we found that ocean waves, specifically breaking and non-breaking waves, have a substantial influence on TCs’ intensity. Breaking waves contribute positively through the production of sea spray droplets, while non-breaking wave-induced turbulence has a compensatory negative effect, resulting in an enhancement in TCs’ intensity. Incorporating both wave mechanisms into the models improved the accuracy of TCs’ intensity and their underlying seasurface temperature. By highlighting the importance of ocean wave-coupled physics, we aim to enhance our understanding of TCs and improve disaster preparedness to mitigate their impacts on coastal communities.
Recommended citation: Xu, X., Voermans, J. J., Zhang, W., Zhao, B., Qiao, F., Liu, Q., et al. (2023). Tropical Cyclone modeling with the inclusion of wave-coupled processes: Sea spray and wave turbulence. Geophysical Research Letters, 50, e2023GL106536. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106536 https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106536