Climate network analysis of extreme events: Tropical cyclones

Area of Science:

• Climatology
• Network Science
• Geophysics

Background:

• Tropical cyclones pose significant threats to the Indian Ocean region.
• Understanding cyclone dynamics is crucial for early warning systems.
• Climate networks offer a novel approach to analyze meteorological phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct network signatures of tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean.
• To compare cyclone patterns in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.
• To investigate precursor behaviors for potential early detection.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of surface air temperature data using climate networks.
• Identification of phase transitions in order parameters and susceptibility.
• Examination of node degrees and geographic distributions within the networks.
• Comparison of cyclone events from 2016, 2017, and 2015.

Main Results:

• Climate networks exhibit abrupt phase transitions during cyclonic events.
• Distinct patterns in microtransitions were observed for multiple successive cyclones versus a single cyclone.
• Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea showed unique network signatures.
• Precursor behaviors indicative of impending cyclones were detected.

Conclusions:

• Climate network analysis provides a robust method for identifying tropical cyclone signatures.
• The study highlights differences in network behavior based on cyclone frequency and location.
• Detected precursor behaviors offer potential for improved cyclone forecasting.