Integrated Kinetic Energy (IKE) and Surge Destructive Potential (SDP)
Posted by
Chris in Tampa on 9/25/2017, 12:44 pm
I have added into the best track system at HurricaneCity IKE and SDP values. These appear on the best track page for a storm. Because the values for IKE in terajoules based on best track data can differ considerably from the gridded data NOAA used to provide, before they transferred the technology to a private company in 2014, I do not show those values by default. At the moment, Surge Destructive Potential (SDP) is shown by default. I still have to add an information page about these.
Best track page for Maria:
http://hurricanecity.com/models/models.cgi?basin=al&year=2017&storm=15&display=best_track
SDP is in the far right column. To turn on "Integrated Kinetic Energy", look for that option around the top of the page.
This method was copied from the NOAA IKE calculator here:
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/ike/Calculator_AllQuad.php
More info about IKE:
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/ike/
Eventually I will probably add the current SDP value to other places. For now I just wanted to try it out.
The company that now has the technology to generate better IKE analysis is located here on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/hwind
They have been posting some data for Maria. You can see that the values in terajoules are very different between what they post and what can be calculated based on the simple wind field details available in best track data.
I'll add some more information about it in the next few days. You can view historical data on my site using it. Here is Sandy in 2012:
http://tropicalatlantic.com/models/models.cgi?basin=al&year=2012&storm=18&display=best_track
While the IKE in terajoules isn't something most will use, I think the SDP value is very important. It is a simple scale, from 0 to 6, indicating the destructive power of surge and waves. I wish it was used more.
The IKE value is only displayed when there are tropical storm force winds or higher. There must be wind field details for the value to be calculated.
For now, I only display the SDP value when wind field details are available and 12 foot seas are available. I don't want the value to appear for positions on land and I don't know of a good way to do that other than looking at 12 foot seas.
I might also add a "Track Integrated Kinetic Energy" value, adding up all terajoules for each 6 hour position and displaying that somewhere. Like ACE perhaps eventually, I might compare that data between other storms in a season. But it will be awhile before I ever get to that. |
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