Comments on “On the Structure and Formation of UTLS PV Dipole/Jetlets in Tropical Cyclones by Convective Momentum Surges”

Abstract

AbstractThis comment on Hitchman and Rowe first deepens their introduction by distinguishing adiabatic and diabatic tilting of vorticity. Then, it strengthens their interpretation by emphasizing that momentum must be vertically transported with reference to isentropic levels to yield the potential vorticity (PV) dipoles. Moreover, it points out a flaw in their PV budget analysis and proposes a remedy for the flaw. Their convective momentum transport paradigm and the vorticity tilting paradigm reinterpret the same physical process. However, they counted one physical process twice by associating the two paradigms with two different terms. As an attempt to remedy the flaw, this comment associates the reinterpretation of the two paradigms with a transformation of the PV equation; their paradigm corresponds to a flux form. With the proposed remedy, their paradigm can be more easily translated to advances in convective parameterization because of its horizontal locality.