Radius of outermost closed isobar

The radius of outermost closed isobar, also known as ROCI, is one of the quantities used to determine the size of a tropical cyclone. It is determined by measuring the radii from the center of the storm to its outermost closed isobar in four quadrants, which is then averaged to come up with a scalar value. It generally delimits the outermost extent of a tropical cyclone's wind circulation. [FRÉDÉRIC MOUTON and OLA NORDBECK. [http://www.grid.unep.ch/product/publication/download/article_PREVIEW_TropCyclones.pdf Cyclone Database Manager.] Retrieved on 2008-07-14.]

Use of this measure has objectively determined that tropical cyclones in the northwest Pacific ocean are the largest on earth on average, with Atlantic tropical cyclones roughly half their size.Robert T. Merrill. [http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0493/112/7/pdf/i1520-0493-112-7-1408.pdf A Comparison of Large and Small Tropical Cyclones.] Retrieved on 2008-07-14.] Active databases of ROCI are maintained by the National Hurricane Center for systems tracked in the eastern north Pacific and north Atlantic basins.

Database

Active databases of ROCI are maintained by the National Hurricane Center for systems tracked in the eastern north Pacific and north Atlantic basins, within a database known as the Extended Best Track Database. The values are determined in real-time every six hours. The eastern north Pacific database runs from 2001 to present, while the north Atlantic database runs from 1988 to present. [Mark DeMaria. [ftp://rammftp.cira.colostate.edu/demaria/ebtrk/ebtrk_atlc.txt Atlantic Extended Best Track Database.] Retrieved on 2008-07-09.] Other than these official databases, a global once-daily dataset was compiled for a 1984 research paper, which covered global tropical cyclones between 1957 and 1977.Robert T. Merrill. [http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0493/112/7/pdf/i1520-0493-112-7-1408.pdf A Comparison of Large and Small Tropical Cyclones.] Retrieved on 2008-07-14.] Previously, a database was created to determine ROCI values for the western north Pacific ocean in 1972, using data from 1945 to 1968. [K. S. Liu and Johnny C. L. Chan. [http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1175%2F1520-0493(1999)127%3C2992%3ASOTCAI%3E2.0.CO%3B2 Size of Tropical Cyclones as Inferred from ERS-1 and ERS-2 Data.] Retrieved on 2008-07-14.]

Variation

Tropical cyclones tend to be smaller during the mid-summer, and largest in October in the Northern Hemisphere. As tropical cyclones initially develop, the size of their ROCI initially contracts. As they mature, their isobaric patterns increase in size. An increase in size is also noted as a tropical cyclone gains latitude. As tropical cyclones weaken, their ROCI values diminish. In general, the size of a tropical cyclone shows little relation to its intensity. Use of this measure has objectively determined that tropical cyclones in the northwest Pacific ocean are the largest on earth on average, with Atlantic tropical cyclones roughly half their size.Robert T. Merrill. [http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0493/112/7/pdf/i1520-0493-112-7-1408.pdf A Comparison of Large and Small Tropical Cyclones.] Retrieved on 2008-07-14.]

References