Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2015, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (4): 23-30.doi: 10.11978/j.issn.1009-5470.2015.04.003CSTR: 32234.14.j.issn.1009-5470.2015.04.003

• Marine Hydrography • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Impact of barrier layer on typhoon Haiyan intensification based on HYCOM and remote-sensing data

CHEN Jun-yao1, 2, DU Yan1, ZHANG Yu-hong1   

  1. 1.State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography (South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences),Guangzhou 510301, China; 2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
  • Received:2014-10-30 Online:2015-08-10 Published:2015-08-21

Abstract:

Typhoon Haiyan was a supertyphoon rarely seen in history. Based on HYCOM and remote-sensing data, we investigated the role of barrier layer in the developing phase of typhoon Haiyan evolution. Typhoon Haiyan moved westward over the warm water with a thick barrier layer underneath after it was generated in the eastern part of the Northwest Pacific warm pool. It became a tropical depression on November 3 and developed into a supertyphoon on November 5, 2013. Due to the warm water in barrier layer, the barrier layer reduced vertical mixing and entrainment caused by Typhoon Haiyan, preventing the cold thermocline water from entering the mixed layer. As a result, self-induced sea surface temperature cooling associated with Typhoon Haiyan was suppressed. Further, high sea surface temperature continued to provide heat to Typhoon Haiyan in the form of latent heat flux releasing, which favored quick intensification of typhoon. As Typhoon Haiyan passed by, large amount of precipitation resulted in the shoaling of mixed layer, which favored a new barrier layer to form along its path.

Key words: HYCOM, remote sensing, barrier layer, Typhoon Haiyan