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Strong swirl approximation and intensive vortices in the atmosphere

This work investigates intensive vortices, which are characterised by the existence of a converging radial flow that significantly intensifies the flow rotation. Evolution and amplification of the vorticity present in the flow play important roles in the formation of the vortex. When rotation in the flow becomes sufficiently strong - and this implies validity of the strong swirl approximation developed by Einstein and Li (1951), Lewellen (1962), Turner (1966) and Lundgren (1985) - the analysis of Klimenko (2001a-c) and of the present work determine that further amplification of vorticity is moderated by interactions of vorticity and velocity. This imposes physical constraints on the flow resulting in the so-called compensating regime, where the radial distribution of the axial vorticity is characterised by the 4/3 and 3/2 power laws. This asymptotic treatment of a strong swirl is based on vorticity equations and involves higher order terms. This treatment incorporates multiscale analysis indicating downstream relaxation of the flow to the compensating regime. The present work also investigates and takes into account viscous and transient effects. One of the main points of this work is the applicability of the power laws of the compensating regime to intermediate regions in large atmospheric vortices, such as tropical cyclones and tornadoes.