Oceanic response observations due to passing tropical cyclones : an assessment of drag and sea spray parameterizations

Most traditional theories regarding upper oceanic response due to passing tropical cyclones involve an initial and predominant upwelling based on storms' strong cyclonic flow and resulting positive wind stress curl imparted on the sea surface. In August 2015, Air-Launched Autonomous Micro Observer float 9077 was intercepted by Hurricane Ignacio and its temperature measurements revealed a 40 m depression of the 26°C isotherm ahead of the device's closest point of approach with the storm and usual upwelling response. This unique finding motivated attempting to replicate the apparent downwelling ahead of Hurricane Ignacio and three others-Irma, Florence and Michael, using the Price-Weller-Pinkel 1/2 order closure model, via comparisons of the depth of the 26°C isotherm, tropical cyclone heat potential and vertical velocity. When modeling the total stress, two other traditional ideas were challenged.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master

Department dc:contributor.department

Joint Program in Physical Oceanography

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Gallagher, Stephan D.,Lieutenant Commander(Stephan Dominic)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Steven R. Jayne.

• Joint Program in Physical Oceanography.
• Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/123741

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/123741