3-D structure of Mediterranean cyclones: vertical structure of cyclone circulation and temperature |
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| VERTICAL STRUCTURE OF CYCLONE CIRCULATION for shallow (with signal up to 850 hpa), intermediate (up to 700-500 hpa) and deep (up to 300 hpa) Mediterranean cyclones. For the whole set of Mediterranean cyclones, 49% are shallow, 37% deep, and 14% intermediate. |
[Question]: Is there any relationship between cyclone intensity at the surface and cyclone depth?
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Sorry, this is wrong. There is a relation, not functional but statistical.
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Sorry, this is wrong. Shallow cyclones are statistically less intense at the surface than deep cyclones.
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Right!. Statistically, deep cyclones are more intense at the surface than shallow ones.
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| VERTICAL STRUCTURE OF THE LAPLACIAN OF TEMPERATURE for shallow, intermediate and deep Mediterranean cyclones. |
[Question]: According to the graphic above:
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| Right!. Wherever the laplacian of T is negative, means that the cyclone is warm cored at that level, that is: there is a maximum on the T field at that level. On average, the three type of cyclones are warm cored at low levels. Shallow cyclones are the warmest and deep ones the coldest. Shallow and intermediate cyclones are warm or neutral at all levels. |
Check the figure!. Blue shading indicates cold cored cyclone structure, whereas red-pink shading indicates warm cored structures.
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Sorry, that is wrong. Shallow cyclones are the warmest at low levels and deep ones the coldest.
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Mostly right! Shallow and intermediate cyclones are warm or neutral at all levels, and their warm character is max. at 925 hpa. The warm character of deep cyclones is max at 1000 hpa.
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That depends on the tropopause level. Deep cyclones are cold at 700 hpa, and more clearly at 500 hpa. At 300 hpa they are neutral on average, but in fact, some are cold and some warm at 300 hpa, depending on wether the tropopause level is below or above 300 hpa.