A modeling study of moist and dynamic vorticity vectors associated with two‐dimensional tropical convection

<jats:p>Moist (<jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="graphic/jgrd12002-math-0001.gif" xlink:title="equation image" /> × ∇<jats:italic>q</jats:italic><jats:sub><jats:italic>v</jats:italic></jats:sub>/ρ, MVV) and dynamic (<jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="graphic/jgrd12002-math-0001.gif" xlink:title="equation image" /> × <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="graphic/jgrd12002-math-0002.gif" xlink:title="equation image" />/ρ, DVV) vorticity vectors are introduced to study 2‐D tropical convection with 2‐D cloud‐resolving simulation data. The cloud model is forced by vertical velocity, zonal wind, horizontal advection, and sea surface temperature data obtained from TOGA COARE and is integrated for a selected 10‐day period. The MVV and DVV have zonal and vertical components in the 2‐D x‐z frame. Analysis of zonally averaged and mass‐integrated quantities shows that the vertical (zonal) component of the MVV and the sum of the cloud hydrometeor mixing ratios are in phase with a correlation coefficient of 0.78 (0.32), and the vertical (zonal) component of the DVV and the sum of the mixing ratios are in (out of) phase with a correlation coefficient of 0.52 (−0.62), indicating that the vertical component of the MVV and both zonal and vertical component of the DVV are closely associated with tropical convection. The tendency equations for the MVV and DVV are derived, and the zonally averaged and mass‐integrated tendency budgets are analyzed. The tendency of the vertical component of the MVV is mainly determined by the interaction between the vorticity and the zonal gradient of condensational/depositional heating. The tendency of the zonal component of the DVV is controlled by the interaction between the vorticity, buoyancy, and vertical pressure gradient, whereas the tendency of the vertical component is determined by the interaction between the vorticity and zonal pressure gradient.</jats:p>