Kumar et al. (2025) Role of scatterometers in tracking and monitoring tropical cyclones

Identification

• Journal: Elsevier eBooks
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-11-14
• Authors: Amit Kumar, Dileep Kumar Gupta, D. R. Pattanaik
• DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-443-31380-6.00022-2

Research Groups

• India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, New Delhi, India
• Department of Electronics, School of Engineering, Galgotias University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
• Department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Short Summary

This chapter highlights the critical role of scatterometers in tracking and monitoring tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean, a region prone to frequent cyclogenesis influenced by factors like the Indian Ocean Dipole and Madden-Julian Oscillation. It emphasizes the need for high-resolution scatterometer wind data to improve tropical cyclone forecasting and detection.

Objective

• To elucidate the critical role of scatterometers in providing high-resolution wind data for the advanced tracking and detection of tropical cyclones, especially in the challenging Indian Ocean region influenced by interannual variations of the Indian Ocean Dipole and Madden-Julian Oscillation.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Northern Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.
• Temporal Scale: Climatological analysis from 1980 to 2024 for tropical cyclone tracks and sea surface temperatures; peak cyclogenesis periods in pre-monsoon (April–June) and post-monsoon (October–December) months.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: The text discusses the use of Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) tracking models in conjunction with scatterometer data for improved tropical cyclone prediction.
• Data sources: International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) for cyclone track data; ERA-5 reanalysis portal for sea surface temperature data; Scatterometer wind data (identified as crucial for tracking and detection).

Main Results

• The Indian Ocean is a highly cyclone-prone region, accounting for 7% of global tropical cyclones but 80% of related fatalities, driven by high sea surface temperatures (regularly exceeding 27.5 °C) and regional phenomena like the Indian Ocean Dipole and Madden-Julian Oscillation.
• Accurate tropical cyclone forecasting in this complex region is challenging due to interannual variability, necessitating high-resolution wind data.
• Scatterometers are identified as crucial for providing the high-resolution wind data required for advanced tracking and detection of tropical cyclones.
• Previous studies demonstrate improved tropical cyclone prediction when scatterometer wind data are coupled with Madden-Julian Oscillation tracking models.

Contributions

• Synthesizes the climatological and geographical factors contributing to tropical cyclogenesis in the Indian Ocean.
• Highlights the critical and indispensable role of scatterometer-derived high-resolution wind data for enhancing tropical cyclone tracking and forecasting capabilities in a high-impact region.
• Emphasizes the importance of integrating scatterometer data with atmospheric oscillation models (e.g., MJO) for improved predictive skill.

Funding

Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Kumar2025Role,
  author = {Kumar, Amit and Gupta, Dileep Kumar and Pattanaik, D. R.},
  title = {Role of scatterometers in tracking and monitoring tropical cyclones},
  journal = {Elsevier eBooks},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1016/b978-0-443-31380-6.00022-2},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-443-31380-6.00022-2}
}