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Dynamics of a ‘bomb‐like’ deepening secondary cyclone from airborne doppler radar
Author(s) -
Lemaǐtre Y.,
Protat A.,
Scialom G.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.49712556002
Subject(s) - mesoscale meteorology , geology , doppler radar , climatology , extratropical cyclone , meteorology , storm , radar , secondary circulation , airflow , cyclone (programming language) , mesocyclone , cyclogenesis , oceanography , geography , mechanical engineering , telecommunications , field programmable gate array , computer science , computer hardware , engineering
During the second field phase of the COAST (Coastal Observations and Simulations with Topography) experiment, an extremely deep secondary cyclone was sampled over the open Pacific Ocean by an airborne Doppler radar. This secondary low led a few hours later to strong damage from central California to Washington as it moved northward along the western US coast. the present paper gives mesoscale dynamical insight into this deep secondary low. It reveals a warm‐seclusion situation, with the colder airflow that cyclonically encircles the low centre in quasi gradient‐wind‐balance state. A conceptual representation of the mesoscale airflow circulation in the low centre area is given. This study also validates new analysis methods developed to access three‐dimensional dynamical fields at mesoscale from airborne Doppler radar measurements within secondary cyclones. These methods will be used intensively to process airborne radar data gathered during the field phase of the FASTEX (Fronts and Atlantic Storm‐Track Experiment) project so as to scrutinize multiscale processes involved in secondary cyclogenesis over the Atlantic.