Atmospheric pressure-wave bands around a cold front resulted in a meteotsunami in the East China Sea in February 2009

A meteotsunami hit southwest Kyushu on 25 February 2009, with an estimated maximum amplitude of 290 cm, which was higher than that recorded for the 1979 Nagasaki event. This study investigated mesoscale meteorological systems over the East China Sea during the time leading up to the February 2009 ev...

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Main Author: K. Tanaka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2010-12-01
Series:Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
Online Access:http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/10/2599/2010/nhess-10-2599-2010.pdf
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author K. Tanaka
author_facet K. Tanaka
author_sort K. Tanaka
collection DOAJ
description A meteotsunami hit southwest Kyushu on 25 February 2009, with an estimated maximum amplitude of 290 cm, which was higher than that recorded for the 1979 Nagasaki event. This study investigated mesoscale meteorological systems over the East China Sea during the time leading up to the February 2009 event using a Weather Research and Forecast model. The disturbance in the sea-level pressure originated from a gravity wave over southeastern China. The sea-level pressure disturbance observed and modelled over the East China Sea had its source over the southeastern China mountains and was then propagated by a jet stream toward western Japan with the help of both wave-duct and wave-CISK (conditional instability of the second kind) mechanisms. Two synoptic systems supported the momentum convergence and the formation of band-shaped unstable layers in the mid-troposphere. The high-latitude trough extended from eastern Siberia and there was subtropical high pressure over the western Pacific Ocean. The phase speed of the atmospheric wave was as high as 25–30 m s<sup>−1</sup>, corresponding to the phase speed of long ocean waves on the East China Sea. Improvements in determining the amplitude and timing of the disturbance remain for future work.
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spelling doaj.art-ed3244473d9d42b0bdedcbfce7cd156c2022-12-21T21:03:37ZengCopernicus PublicationsNatural Hazards and Earth System Sciences1561-86331684-99812010-12-0110122599261010.5194/nhess-10-2599-2010Atmospheric pressure-wave bands around a cold front resulted in a meteotsunami in the East China Sea in February 2009K. TanakaA meteotsunami hit southwest Kyushu on 25 February 2009, with an estimated maximum amplitude of 290 cm, which was higher than that recorded for the 1979 Nagasaki event. This study investigated mesoscale meteorological systems over the East China Sea during the time leading up to the February 2009 event using a Weather Research and Forecast model. The disturbance in the sea-level pressure originated from a gravity wave over southeastern China. The sea-level pressure disturbance observed and modelled over the East China Sea had its source over the southeastern China mountains and was then propagated by a jet stream toward western Japan with the help of both wave-duct and wave-CISK (conditional instability of the second kind) mechanisms. Two synoptic systems supported the momentum convergence and the formation of band-shaped unstable layers in the mid-troposphere. The high-latitude trough extended from eastern Siberia and there was subtropical high pressure over the western Pacific Ocean. The phase speed of the atmospheric wave was as high as 25–30 m s<sup>−1</sup>, corresponding to the phase speed of long ocean waves on the East China Sea. Improvements in determining the amplitude and timing of the disturbance remain for future work.http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/10/2599/2010/nhess-10-2599-2010.pdf
spellingShingle K. Tanaka
Atmospheric pressure-wave bands around a cold front resulted in a meteotsunami in the East China Sea in February 2009
Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
title Atmospheric pressure-wave bands around a cold front resulted in a meteotsunami in the East China Sea in February 2009
title_full Atmospheric pressure-wave bands around a cold front resulted in a meteotsunami in the East China Sea in February 2009
title_fullStr Atmospheric pressure-wave bands around a cold front resulted in a meteotsunami in the East China Sea in February 2009
title_full_unstemmed Atmospheric pressure-wave bands around a cold front resulted in a meteotsunami in the East China Sea in February 2009
title_short Atmospheric pressure-wave bands around a cold front resulted in a meteotsunami in the East China Sea in February 2009
title_sort atmospheric pressure wave bands around a cold front resulted in a meteotsunami in the east china sea in february 2009
url http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/10/2599/2010/nhess-10-2599-2010.pdf
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