Abstract
A numerical diagnosis for tropical cyclogenesis is proposed based on nearcloud-resolving atmospheric simulation. Calculation and analyses of helical and energetic characteristics together with hydro- and thermodynamic flow fields allow the diagnosis of tropical cyclogenesis as an event when the primary and secondary circulations become linked on system scales thereby making the nascent large-scale vortex helical. A key process of vertical vorticity generation from horizontal components and its amplification by special convective coherent structures – Vortical Hot Towers (VHTs) – is highlighted. The process is found to be a pathway for generation of a velocity field with linked vortex lines of horizontal and vertical vorticity on local and system scales. The role of VHTs as connectors of the primary and secondary circulation is emphasized.
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