Book Description
Expanded opportunities for theoretical studies of tropical cyclone motion are suggested in terms of more representative environmental structures and physical processes. Concurrent experimentation with state-of-the-art numerical models are recommended, especially for environmental conditions related to western North Pacific tropical cyclones. A review of existing observational data sets for testing hypotheses indicated that all satellite derived fields were already being studied. Thus a need exists for additional data sets, perhaps through deployment of recently developed dropwindsondes or of an array of wind profilers and the exploitation of satellite microwave imagers and sounders. Concerns regarding the feasibility of such a field experiment are related to lack of operational reconnaissance, availability of aircraft platforms for deploying the dropwindsondes and the need for international cooperation. The recommended mechanism to facilitate progress would be to establish a center for tropical cyclone motion studies.