Mesoscale Air-Sea Coupling in Tropical Cyclones

这项研究工作的目标是提高对海气相互作用在改变热带气旋近地面风结构方面的作用的认识。 特别重要的是要了解这些相互作用的作用，因为热带气旋经过环绕美国东海岸和墨西哥湾各州的温暖海洋特征。 具体的研究目标是：1. 发展技术，改进从现场和雷达测高数据对海洋上层热含量的估计。 研究暖海洋特征对大气边界层（ABL）表面应力、通量和波的强迫作用以及海洋混合层（OML）对ABL的反馈作用。 量化温度和盐度的混合和水平平流的作用，包括OML中的质量，热量和盐收支以及降水对OML的影响。这项研究的成功完成将有助于更好地了解温暖的上层海洋特征对表面风变化的作用。 这可能导致改进边界层参数化和改进飓风强度预测。

The goal of this research effort is to improve understanding of the role of air-sea interactions in modifying the near-surface wind structure of tropical cyclones. Of particular importance is to understand the role of these interactions as tropical cyclones pass over warm oceanic features that surround the United States Eastern Seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico states. Specific research objectives are: 1. Develop techniques to improve estimates of upper ocean heat content from in situ and radar altimetry data.2. Examine the forcing of warm ocean features on surface stresses, fluxes and waves in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) and the role of the ocean mixed layer (OML) feedback to the ABL.3. Quantify the roles of mixing and horizontal advection of temperature and salinity, including the mass, heat and salt budgets in the OML and the effects of precipitation on the OML.Successful completion of this research will lead to a better understanding of the role of warm upper oceanic features on surface wind variations. This may lead to improved boundary layer parameterizations and improved hurricane intensity forecasts.