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Yang, H., L. Wu, and T. Xie, 2020: Comparisons of four methods for tropical cyclone center detection in a high-resolution simulation. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 98, 379-393.
https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj.2020-020
Graphical Abstract

Plain Language Summary: Detecting tropical cyclone (TC) centers is a challenge in understanding TC inner-core dynamics. Four frequently used center detecting methods are evaluated in a highresolution simulation of Hurricane Wilma (2005). The vertical tilt the minimum pressure variance center (MVC) and the potential vorticity centroid center (PVC) are generally smooth, while the relative tracks of the maximum tangential wind center (MTC) and the pressure centroid center (PCC) contain abrupt changes. The MVC also leads to the strongest symmetric structure in the tangential wind, PV, and radial PV gradient in the eyewall region. This study suggests that the MVC should be selected in the study of inner-core processes.

Highlights:

• By using a high-temporal-spatial-resolution simulated hurricane, four TC center detecting methods are evaluated.
• The differences in the detected center position and vertical tilt are generally small due to the strong TC intensity, with similar small-scale track oscillations that rotate cyclonically around the mean track.
• The MVC shows the smoothest track and vertical tilt, also leads to the strongest symmetric structure in the tangential wind, PV, and radial PV gradient in the eyewall region, therefore it is recommended in the study of inner-core processes.