Energy transfer between tropical and baroclinic cyclones

A numerical investigation of the energetics of tropical cyclones reveals significant potential energy is deposited into the environment by the work of diabatically driven expansion. Large reserviors containing this energy are formed in the upper troposphere that can store the energy in tact for long periods of time. Eventually the energy is released when the stored energy comes into conjunction with the.polar tropopause along a tropopause fold.

In this talk, these energy transfer mechanisms will be discussed. As an example of this transfer process, the October 2010 superstorm in North America will be shown to have evolved directly from such a potential energy plume deposited into the upper tropical troposphere by superbtyphoon megi 1-2 weeks earlier.