Application of collected data
Presentations at the DBCP Technical Workshop
Chennai, India, 18-19 October 2004

Theme 1: Applications / Research

Relationships of SVP-B/W and QSCAT Data in Atlantic Hurricanes
Peter Niiler, Bill Scuba, Jan Morzel (Scripps Institute and Colorado Research Associates)

ABSTRACT:

In August and September of 2003 and 2004 SVP-B and SVP-B/W drifters were air-deployed north and east of the Windward Islands near targeted hurricanes. “Fabian” (Class 4), “Frances” (Class 4) and “Jeanne” (Class 1) passed directly over these arrays of drifters. This presentation discusses the sea level pressure observations made form adjacent drifters and the relationships of the QSCAT wind speed and wind direction retrievals to the SVP-W data in both seasons. QSCAT wind speed is also related to the radial pressure gradient observed by the SVP-B sensors and compared to theoretical predictions. 

During the intensification of “Jeanne” from a Tropical Storm into a Class 1 Hurricane she was relatively stationary over an array of 44 drifters that were reporting pressure, SST or wind data. Using these data, and similar observations from “Fabian” and “Frances”, the relationships between QSCAT wind speed and radial pressure gradients are further extended. The objective of these calculations is to assess the consistency of satellite and drifter data and to provide a radial and time-continuous model of winds for the air-sea interaction in Atlantic Hurricanes.