Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Liutex core lines are systematically applied to Hurricane Dorian to investigate the three-dimensional vortical organization of an intense tropical cyclone. Unlike conventional analysis based on wind speed or vorticity, Liutex core lines identify the local vortex axes and provide a compact geometrical representation of rotational structures. The results show that Dorian is not characterized by a single vortex core, but by a large population of vortices embedded within a coherent hurricane-scale circulation. Stronger and more vertically organized vortices are concentrated in the inner-core region, whereas numerous weaker, inclined, and curved vortical structures extend outward and collectively retain the spiral organization of the storm. The complete core line field therefore reveals a three-dimensional, multiscale vortical skeleton of the hurricane. These results suggest that a tropical cyclone can be viewed as an organized multiscale vortex system rather than a single monolithic vortex. Beyond visualization, Liutex core lines provide a potential framework for quantifying vortex geometry, spatial organization, and temporal evolution, offering a new approach for studying structural changes and vortex dynamics in tropical cyclones.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Yu, Yifei, Ma, Chenxi, Liu, Chaoqun
Institution: The University of Texas at Arlington
Subfield: Atmospheric Science
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7213258007
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