Large-eddy simulations and turbulence statistics of the hurricane boundary layer

The hurricane is one of the significant fluid mechanics problems, involving complex processes such as turbulent boundary layers, rotating stratified flows, and thermal convection. The boundary layer is one of the most important parts of hurricanes and remains poorly understood due to the lack of sufficient observations and high-resolution numerical simulations. In this work, we present a suite of large-eddy simulations of the hurricane boundary layer to improve our understanding of the momentum and turbulent kinetic energy balance in such flow systems. In this problem, pressure gradients, centrifugal, buoyancy, Coriolis, and friction forces interact with each other to determine the statistical moments of the flow. Our results indicate that the mean radial and tangential velocity profiles are in good agreement with observations, validating the chosen approach. Finally, we show the turbulent kinetic energy budget profiles in the atmospheric boundary layer of hurricanes and briefly discuss their implications – for example by evaluating the associated risks for the infrastructure. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms sustaining the mean wind velocity profile and turbulence structures in hurricane boundary layers, setting the groundwork for future analysis.