Author ORCID Identifier

0000-0001-6676-2233

Document Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

8-31-2024

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering - (Ph.D.)

Department

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

First Advisor

Simone Marras

Second Advisor

Stephen Guimond

Third Advisor

Shawn Alexander Chester

Fourth Advisor

Samaneh Farokhirad

Fifth Advisor

David Shirokoff

Abstract

The increasing frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones (TCs) due to climate change pose significant challenges for forecasting and mitigating their impacts. Despite advancements, accurately predicting TC rapid intensification (RI) remains a challenge. Large eddy simulation (LES) allows for explicitly resolving the large eddies involved in TC turbulence, thus providing an avenue for studying the mechanisms behind their intensification and RI. LES of a full tropical cyclone is very computationally expensive and its accuracy will depend on both explicit and implicit dissipation within an atmospheric model. This dissertation presents two novel numerical methodologies with the potential to improve the efficiency of tropical cyclone LES in the future. The first is a pioneering non-column based implementation of the Kessler warm rain microphysics parametrization, a method which would allow for the use of three-dimensional (3D) adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) in the simulation of moist tropical cyclones. The second is an implementation of Laguerre-Legendre semi-infinite elements for use in the damping layers of atmospheric models, a method which was shown to be capable of improving the efficiency of benchmark atmospheric simulations. Finally, the dissertation presents a study of two-dimensional (2D) AMR applied to simulations of a rapidly intensifying dry tropical cyclone and shows that AMR is able to accurately reproduce the results of simulations using static grids while demonstrating considerable cost savings.

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