Remotely Sensed Tropical Cyclogenesis

Tropical cyclone (TC) genesis is not completely understood so a method is used to identify potential TCs in the early stages of development in the Atlantic basin. The SeaWinds scatterometer aboard the QuikSCAT satellite is utilized to determine area averaged near-surface vorticity (rotation) and the maximum non-rain-flagged wind speed within that area. These values are compared to thresholds that are then used to identify organized surface rotation. The QSCAT data record for the Atlantic hurricane basin is examined for such tropical disturbances, and the associated sea surface temperature, infrared signals of cloud top temperature, larger scale (environmental) vorticity are also identified. The goal of this study is to identify the characteristics associated with development or non-development of tropical disturbances, and to improve our understanding of the behavior of tropical systems in the Atlantic basin.