Applications of vortex gas models to tornadogenesis and maintenance

Pavel Bělík, Douglas P. Dokken, Corey K. Potvin, Kurt Scholz, Mikhail M. Shvartsman

Published 2016-01-26Version 1

Two-dimensional and three-dimensional vortex gas models are discussed and proposed in this paper as potential models for tornadogenesis and tornado maintenance. The idea of maximization of entropy is utilized which gives rise to negative-temperature systems, in such systems energy is transferred from smaller to larger scales resulting in an inverse energy cascade. In this paper, the smaller scales are represented by intense, supercritical vortices, which transfer energy to the larger-scale tornadic flows. We address the formation of these vortices as a result of the interaction of the flow with the surface and a boundary layer.