This project is an observational study of the formation, evolution, and dissipation of mesoscale cyclones along the Pacific coastline of the antarctic continent. It will be carried out jointly with a complementary effort at Indiana University. It has been known for some time that the higher southern hemisphere latitudes are regions of decay for synoptic-scale cyclones. It has however only recently been found that smaller mesoscale cyclones can frequently occur over the sea ice and the adjacent coastal areas of Antarctica, and significantly affect the coastal climate. This study will include both climatological and dynamical aspects of mesoscale cyclones and will be based on the digital satellite data recorded at McMurdo and Palmer Stations and on the extensive array of automatic weather stations and drifting sea ice buoys in the Ross Sea area. Specific tasks to be undertaken include the definition of characteristic satellite signatures associated with various stages, the identification of development and dissipation regions, and preferred tracks from the Ross Sea eastward to the Antarctic peninsula. Existing upper air soundings and satellite-derived atmospheric profile data will be used to investigate mesoscale dynamics in the southwestern Ross Sea, one of the active formation regions. The quantified results will be applied to the problem of forecasting mesocyclones affecting the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and southern South America.
