Can interior pressure of a tornado be calculated?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating the interior pressure of a tornado using centrifugal speed and radius. It suggests that while a simplistic model assumes uniform angular velocity and density, this approach is flawed. The pressure gradient can be derived from the air density and centrifugal acceleration at a specific distance from the tornado's axis. By calculating the centrifugal acceleration at the tornado's rim and integrating the pressure gradient inward, one can estimate the interior pressure. This method provides a theoretical framework for understanding tornado dynamics.
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Can the interior pressure of a tornado be calculated from the centrifugal speed of the tornado and its radius (centripetal force)? For example, given a tornado with a 1/2 mile radius and a centrifugal speed of 200 mph, how much would the interior air pressure be?
 
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A simplistic calculation would assume that the air mass is rotating as a unit with a fixed angular velocity and a fixed density. [That's wrong, but it's a start].

You could then get the pressure gradient based on the density of air and the centrifugal acceleration at a given distance from the axis. Add up the pressure gradient along a path working from the outside to the center and you have an answer.

Why don't you begin by calculating the centrifugal acceleration at the rim?
 

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