3A.4
Impact of Sea Spray Parameterization on Hurricane Development in COAMPS
Shouping Wang, NRL, Monterey, CA; and Y. Jin and C. S. Liou
Strong winds in hurricanes can produce a significant amount of sea spray at the sea surface by both bursting air bubbles and whipping spumes from the tips of waves. It has been argued that the sea spray may play an important role in enhancing hurricane intensity, although some numerical simulations of hurricanes are very sensitive to the details of sea spray parameterizations. The focus of this research is to evaluate the impact of sea spray on hurricane development, particularly the intensity, in the Navy’s Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Model Prediction System (COAMPS). The sea spray model developed by Fairall et al (1994) is implemented in COAMPS in the context of a modified version of the Louis surface flux parameterization. High-resolution COAMPS with triply nested moving mesh (45/15/5 km) is then used to simulate the development of hurricanes Isabel and Fabian (2003). Results from early studies show that the sea spray parameterization enhances the hurricane intensity through its effects on the sensible and latent heat fluxes. Other sea spray parameterizations are also being implemented for the sensitivity study purpose. We plan to use the measurements made during 2003 CBLAST-hurricane season to evaluate and improve our simulations. The measurements of the turbulence and near surface variables will be particularly useful in improving the surface flux parameterization for high-wind conditions in COAMPS. .
Session 3A, CBLAST III
Monday, 3 May 2004, 1:30 PM-2:45 PM, Le Jardin Room
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