This study aimed to apply the heat engine theory to an event of Upper-Tropospheric Cyclonic Vortex (UTCV) occurred in Northeast Brazil in order to examine one of the mechanisms that maintains this type of system. The theory is based on the second law of thermodynamics and it was used to calculate the pressure difference between two points located at the center and periphery of UTCV. The Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (BRAMS) model represented well the event occurred in the period of 10 to 21 January 2011, showing a higher intensity in this event from 16 to 19 January 2011. The heat engine theory showed as an useful tool to be used in the study of UTCVs, showing good agreement with the simulations performed with the model.
Atmospheric Convection; UTVC; Heat-Engine Theory; BRAMS
