A quasi-empirical model of the hurricane boundary layer

Abstract

Solutions have been obtained for the temperature and moisture distributions within the atmospheric boundary layer of an axisymmetric hurricane model. The intensity of the hurricane is related to the equivalent potential temperature gradient produced by a balance of heat sources and advection within the boundary layer. Solutions are obtained by using the bulk aerodynamic transport equations or applying a two-layer baroclinic boundary layer model by Cardone (1969). Equilibrium maximum wind speeds vary from minimal hurricane force to about 80 m/s for fixed ocean temperatures between 27° and 31°C. Observations of the oceanic heat loss in actual storms are necessary to establish the ratio of heat flux to momentum transfer in the high wind speeds treated by the model. Various applications of the model are proposed with an ultimate goal of a time-dependent simulation of hurricane-ocean coupling.