Hurricane-type vortices in a general circulation model

Bengtsson, L., Botzet, M. and Esch, M. (1995) Hurricane-type vortices in a general circulation model. Tellus Series A: Dynamic Meteorology and Oceanography, 47 (2). pp. 175-196. ISSN 0280-6495 doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0870.1995.t01-1-00003.x

Abstract/Summary

A very high resolution atmospheric general circulation model, T106-L19, has been used for the simulation of hurricanes in a multi-year numerical experiment. Individual storms as well as their geographical and seasonal distribution agree remarkably well with observations. In spite of the fact that only the thermal and dynamical structure of the storms have been used as criteria of their identification, practically all of them occur in areas where the sea surface temperature is higher or equal to 26 °C. There are considerable variations from year to year in the number of storms in spite of the fact that there are no interannual variations in the SST pattern. It is found that the number of storms in particular areas appear to depend on the intensity of the Hadley-Walker cell. The result is clearly resolution-dependant. At lower horizonal resolution, T42, for example, the intensity of the storms is significantly reduced and their overall structure is less realistic, including their vertical form and extent.