Contribution of vortex Rossby wave to spiral rainband formation in tropical cyclones

Abstract

The contribution of the vortex Rossby wave (VRW) to the spiral rainband in the tropical cyclones (TCs) is studied in the framework of a barotropic non-divergent TC-like vortex model. The spectral function expanding method is used to analyze the disturbance evolution of a defined basic state vortex. The results show that the numerical solution of the model is a superposition of the continuous spectrum component (non-normal modes) and the discrete spectrum component (normal modes). Only the eyewall and the rainbands in the inner core-region in a TC are related to the VRW normal modes, whereas the continuous spectrum wave components play an important role in the formation of secondary-, principal-, and distant- rainbands, especially the outer rainband, through an indirect way. The continuous spectrum can promote the development of the TC circulation for the occurrence of a mesoscale instability. The convection under a favorable moisture condition will trigger the inertial-gravitational wave to cause the formation of unstable spiral bandliked-disturbances outside of the eyewall. The complicated interaction between the basic state-vortex and the VRW disturbances will cause a positive feedback between the TC circulation and the rainband.