Tropical Cyclone Winds and Inflow Angle Asymmetry From SAR Imagery

Abstract This study developed a morphological model for Tropical Cyclone (TC) wind and inflow angle asymmetry based on sea surface wind fields derived from spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. The model extracts the standard TC morphological information (center, intensity, and radius of...

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Main Authors: Guosheng Zhang, Xiaofeng Li, William Perrie, Jun A. Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-10-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095699
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author Guosheng Zhang
Xiaofeng Li
William Perrie
Jun A. Zhang
author_facet Guosheng Zhang
Xiaofeng Li
William Perrie
Jun A. Zhang
author_sort Guosheng Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study developed a morphological model for Tropical Cyclone (TC) wind and inflow angle asymmetry based on sea surface wind fields derived from spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. The model extracts the standard TC morphological information (center, intensity, and radius of the maximum wind) and decomposes the SAR‐derived winds into vortex rotation winds and motion vector, making the reconstruction of the entire TC structure reliable, even in areas not mapped by SAR. The derived wind speeds and inflow angles are verified with aircraft measurements by stepped‐frequency microwave radiometer and dropsondes, obtaining root‐mean‐square errors of 4.32 m/s and 16.04°, respectively. A systematic analysis of 130 SAR TCs images, collected by RADARSAT‐2 and SENTINEL‐1, reveals that the model can capture the main asymmetrical TC structure. Both TC asymmetry and eye size decrease as TC intensity increases.
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issn 0094-8276
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publishDate 2021-10-01
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-d3e869a0c23b48478db6f13a633946f02025-08-20T02:36:28ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072021-10-014820n/an/a10.1029/2021GL095699Tropical Cyclone Winds and Inflow Angle Asymmetry From SAR ImageryGuosheng Zhang0Xiaofeng Li1William Perrie2Jun A. Zhang3Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaFisheries and Oceans Canada Bedford Institute of Oceanography Dartmouth NS CanadaNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory Hurricane Research Division University of Miami Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies Miami FL USAAbstract This study developed a morphological model for Tropical Cyclone (TC) wind and inflow angle asymmetry based on sea surface wind fields derived from spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. The model extracts the standard TC morphological information (center, intensity, and radius of the maximum wind) and decomposes the SAR‐derived winds into vortex rotation winds and motion vector, making the reconstruction of the entire TC structure reliable, even in areas not mapped by SAR. The derived wind speeds and inflow angles are verified with aircraft measurements by stepped‐frequency microwave radiometer and dropsondes, obtaining root‐mean‐square errors of 4.32 m/s and 16.04°, respectively. A systematic analysis of 130 SAR TCs images, collected by RADARSAT‐2 and SENTINEL‐1, reveals that the model can capture the main asymmetrical TC structure. Both TC asymmetry and eye size decrease as TC intensity increases.https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095699
spellingShingle Guosheng Zhang
Xiaofeng Li
William Perrie
Jun A. Zhang
Tropical Cyclone Winds and Inflow Angle Asymmetry From SAR Imagery
Geophysical Research Letters
title Tropical Cyclone Winds and Inflow Angle Asymmetry From SAR Imagery
title_full Tropical Cyclone Winds and Inflow Angle Asymmetry From SAR Imagery
title_fullStr Tropical Cyclone Winds and Inflow Angle Asymmetry From SAR Imagery
title_full_unstemmed Tropical Cyclone Winds and Inflow Angle Asymmetry From SAR Imagery
title_short Tropical Cyclone Winds and Inflow Angle Asymmetry From SAR Imagery
title_sort tropical cyclone winds and inflow angle asymmetry from sar imagery
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095699
work_keys_str_mv AT guoshengzhang tropicalcyclonewindsandinflowangleasymmetryfromsarimagery
AT xiaofengli tropicalcyclonewindsandinflowangleasymmetryfromsarimagery
AT williamperrie tropicalcyclonewindsandinflowangleasymmetryfromsarimagery
AT junazhang tropicalcyclonewindsandinflowangleasymmetryfromsarimagery