Transcript Hurricane Thermodynamics Alex MacIntosh Cam Mateus Steve Lazar

Hurricane Thermodynamics
Alex MacIntosh
Cam Mateus
Steve Lazar
Costliest Hurricanes
1.
2.
3.
4.
•
•
Katrina – 2005 – $81 Billion
Andrew – 1992 – $26.5 Billion
Wilma – 2005 – $20.6 Billion
Charley – 2004 – $15 Billion
Difficult to study: immense power
About 48 of 80 tropical cyclones qualify
in terms of intensity
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/Deadliest_Costliest.shtml
Physical Structure
• Storms form in the
tropics
• Three main parts
– The eye
– Eyewall
– Rainbands
• Axisymmetric Vortex
• Hydrostatic and
Rotational Balance
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tropics/tc_structure.htm
Carnot Engines
• Thermodynamic
disequilibrium
• Four Sequences
– Isothermal Expansion
– Adiabatic Expansion
– Isothermal
Compression
– Adiabatic
Compression
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_thermodynamics
Equations
• Efficiency of Carnot Engine
• Carnot’s Theorem to
predict maximum wind
speed
dQ1 dW dQ2


dt
dt
dt
VMax
2
dW  T1  T2  dQ10

 
dt  T2  dt
Q2
T2
  1
 1
Q1
T1
 T1  T2  C h

h * h
 
 T2  C D
Climate Change
• Greenhouse gases and effects on
hurricanes
• Carnot’s Theorem: Temperature difference
and intensity of hurricane
– Adiabatic expansion increased
– Greater wind velocity
How Temperature Variation
Effects Wind Velocity
VMax
2
 T1  T2  C h

h * h
 
 T2  C D
When T1 = 25C, the Vmax is ~ 5.85 m/s
When T1 = 30C, the Vmax is ~ 8.34 m/s
This is a stunning 50% increase in the wind
velocity!
How?
• Apply a cryogenic coolant
– Nitrogen gas
– Carbon Dioxide
– Air
– Water
• Transport and deliver coolant using
– Plane
– Ship
– Barge
Remotely Controlled?
Thermal Updrafts
Strongest
Thermal Updraft
At the down tilt
right region of
Hurricane
Apply Coolant
There
From Nat. Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
http://celebrating200years.no
aa.gov/historymakers/Smago
rinsky/hurricane_emily650.ht
ml
What?
• Coolant does:
– Decreases updraft temperature
– Increase wind shear w/ large solid coolant
pieces
• Higher the wind shear---weaker the storm
From
www.fema.gov
Clausius-Clapeyron
Saturation Water Vapor
Pressure (hPa)
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
Temperature (°C)
120
Citations
• Emanuel, K.A., The Theory of Hurricanes. Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech., 23 (1991) 179-196
•Tropical Cyclone Structure. [cited November 27, 2008]; Available from:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tropics/tc_structure.htm
•Kondepudi, Dilip. Introduction to Modern Thermodynamics. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd,
2008.
•Emanuel, K.A., Tropical Cyclones. Annu. Rev. Earth. Planet. Sci., 31 (2003) 75-104.
•Atmospheric thermodynamics. [cited November 26, 2008]; Available from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_thermodynamics.
•Mooney, C. The Truth About the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season. 2007 [cited October 26,
2008]; Available from: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/hurricanesstorms/7889.
•O’Keefe, D.R., Hurricane Abatement Method and System, U.P.T. Office, Editor. 2007:
USA