Impacts of Horizontal and Vertical Resolutions on the Microphysical Structure and Boundary Layer Fluxes of Typhoon Hato (2017)

Abstract

We set four sets of simulation experiments to explore the impacts of horizontal resolution (HR) and vertical resolution (VR) on the microphysical structure and boundary layer fluxes of tropical cyclone (TC) Hato (2017). The study shows that higher HR tends to strengthen TC. Increasing VR in the upper layers tends to weaken TC, while increasing VR in the lower layers tends to strengthen TC. Simulated amounts of all hydrometeors were larger with higher HR. Increasing VR at the upper level enhanced the mixing ratios of cloud ice and cloud snow, while increasing VR at the lower level elevated the mixing ratios of graupel and rainwater. HR has greater impact on the distributions of hydrometeors. Higher HR has a more complete ring structure of the eyewall and more concentrated hydrometeors along the cloud wall. Increasing VR at the lower level has little impact on the distribution of TC hydrometeors, while increasing VR at the upper level enhances the cloud thickness of the eyewall area. Surface latent heat flux (SLHF) is influenced greatly by resolution. Higher HR leads to larger water vapor fluxes and larger latent heat, which would result in a stronger TC. A large amount of false latent heat was generated when HR was too high, leading to an extremely strong TC, VR has a smaller impact on SLHF than HR. But increasing VR at the upper-level reduces the SLHF and weakens TC, and elevating VR at the lower-level increases the SLHF and strengthens TC. The changes in surface water vapor flux and SLHF were practically identical and the simulation results were improved when HR and VR were more coordinated. The friction velocity was greater with higher VR. Enhancing VR at the lower level increased the friction velocity, while increasing VR at the upper level reduced it.