Objective Classification of Tropical Mesoscale Convective SystemsSource: Journal of Climate:;2009:;volume( 022 ):;issue: 022::page 5797DOI: 10.1175/2009JCLI2777.1Publisher: American Meteorological Society
Abstract: A cluster analysis is applied to the mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) that developed in northern Australia and the surrounding oceans during six wet seasons (September?April) from 1995/96 to 2000/01. During this period, 13 585 MCSs were identified and tracked using an infrared channel (IR1) on the Japanese Meteorological Agency Geostationary Meteorological Satellite 5 (GMS5). Based on the lifetimes of the MCSs, the area covered by cloud, the expansion rate of the cloud, the minimum cloud-top temperature, and their zonal direction of propagation, the MCSs are grouped objectively into four classes. One of the strengths of the analysis is that it objectively condenses a large dataset into a small number of classes, each with its own physical characteristics. MCSs in class 1 (short) are relatively short lived, with 95% having lifetimes less than 5 h, and they are found most frequently over the oceans during the early and late parts of the wet season. MCSs in classes 2 and 3 [long and intermediate west (Int-West)] are longer lived and propagate to the west, developing over continental northwest Australia in deep easterly flow during breaks in the monsoon. These two classes are distinguished principally by their lifetime, with 95% of MCSs in the long class having lifetimes exceeding 4 h. Class 4 (Int-East) comprises MCSs that form over the subtropical latitudes of eastern Australia and in the deep westerly flow over northern parts of the continent during the monsoon and active phases of the MJO.
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contributor author | Pope, Mick | |
contributor author | Jakob, Christian | |
contributor author | Reeder, Michael J. | |
date accessioned | 2017-06-09T16:29:09Z | |
date available | 2017-06-09T16:29:09Z | |
date copyright | 2009/11/01 | |
date issued | 2009 | |
identifier issn | 0894-8755 | |
identifier other | ams-68718.pdf | |
identifier uri | http://onlinelibrary.yabesh.ir/handle/yetl/4210307 | |
description abstract | A cluster analysis is applied to the mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) that developed in northern Australia and the surrounding oceans during six wet seasons (September?April) from 1995/96 to 2000/01. During this period, 13 585 MCSs were identified and tracked using an infrared channel (IR1) on the Japanese Meteorological Agency Geostationary Meteorological Satellite 5 (GMS5). Based on the lifetimes of the MCSs, the area covered by cloud, the expansion rate of the cloud, the minimum cloud-top temperature, and their zonal direction of propagation, the MCSs are grouped objectively into four classes. One of the strengths of the analysis is that it objectively condenses a large dataset into a small number of classes, each with its own physical characteristics. MCSs in class 1 (short) are relatively short lived, with 95% having lifetimes less than 5 h, and they are found most frequently over the oceans during the early and late parts of the wet season. MCSs in classes 2 and 3 [long and intermediate west (Int-West)] are longer lived and propagate to the west, developing over continental northwest Australia in deep easterly flow during breaks in the monsoon. These two classes are distinguished principally by their lifetime, with 95% of MCSs in the long class having lifetimes exceeding 4 h. Class 4 (Int-East) comprises MCSs that form over the subtropical latitudes of eastern Australia and in the deep westerly flow over northern parts of the continent during the monsoon and active phases of the MJO. | |
publisher | American Meteorological Society | |
title | Objective Classification of Tropical Mesoscale Convective Systems | |
type | Journal Paper | |
journal volume | 22 | |
journal issue | 22 | |
journal title | Journal of Climate | |
identifier doi | 10.1175/2009JCLI2777.1 | |
journal fristpage | 5797 | |
journal lastpage | 5808 | |
tree | Journal of Climate:;2009:;volume( 022 ):;issue: 022 | |
contenttype | Fulltext |