Surface and Mixed-Layer Variance Methods to Estimate Regional Sensible Heat Flux at the Surface

Turbulence measurements in the lower half of the convective boundary layer (CBL), which includes both mixed layer and surface layer, were carried out with five sonic anemometers mounted on a 213-m tower over a complex flat suburban area with patches of forest, agricultural land, houses and buildings. Also made were radiosoundings of temperature, humidity and wind speed, to determine the CBL height. The sonic anemometer data of wind speed and temperature were processed to derive the second-moment turbulent statistics and were analyzed to investigate the applicability of variance methods to estimate regional surface fluxes of sensible heat. It was found that the temperature variances in the lower mixed layer, coupled with universal functions, produced sensible heat fluxes H over the area with an rms error of the order of 40 Wm^-2 when compared with H values derived from the eddy correlation method. The variance of the vertical wind speed did not produce as good a result. In contrast, the surface-layer temperature variances yielded H values with rms error of the order of 20 Wm^-2, even though the underlying surface was non-uniform and highly non-isothermal, above which enhanced temperature variances could be suspected.     

HUBEX试验区近地面层的湍流输送

1998年淮河流域能量和水循环试验(HUBEX)期间曾进行了1个月的近地面层湍流观测.分析不稳定条件下湍流的统计特性和谱特征,并与Monin-Obukhov相似理论进行了比较.结果表明,不稳定的时候各湍流量的统计特征与相似理论的预期相符.虽然不稳定条件下温度和湿度涨落的相关系数很高,谱的式样也相近,但湿度谱的峰值频率高于温度谱.协谱曲线的形状显示感热通量的谱峰较宽,表现出w和T在较宽范围的强相关性,而水汽通量谱在高频段下降很快,说明水汽的输送更多地出现在低频部分.从谱相关系数可见,在近中性的时候,各尺度湍流涡的热量输送效率普遍较低,随着不稳定性增强而显著提高.分析还发现,不论不稳定性的程度如何,小尺度湍流的水汽输送效率都较低.水汽通量谱的相关系数随稳定度的变化不如热通量的谱相关系数大,表明近中性时除小尺度湍流外其他湍流涡的水汽输送效率高于热量输送.     

Coherent Structures in the Atmospheric Surface Layer under Stable and Unstable Conditions

Simultaneous measurements of the instantaneous values of absolute temperatureat seven heights within the lower 36 m of the atmospheric boundary layer underdifferent stability conditions were carried out, accompanied by measurements ofthe wind velocity components at two levels and of solar radiation flux at the surface.The data obtained allow one to investigate individual convective cells known ascoherent structures (CS). Outside the CS, i.e., during quiet periods, an instanttemperature profile is in close agreement with the dry-adiabatic lapse rate, butwithin CS the temperature changes much faster with height, and the shape ofthe profile varies significantly.A method was developed to transform temperature records from sensors atseveral heights into an other form, namely, into temporal variations of theheights of isothermal surfaces. Since coherent structures were found to advectwith the mean wind velocity, these temporal height variations may be transformedinto the spatial ones, i.e., into the xoz-plane section of the temperature field.In such a pictorial presentation coherent structures look like asymmetric columnsof heat, penetrating the whole atmospheric surface layer.Coherent structures also exist in the stable stratified surface layer, but they have aninverse asymmetry and occupy only the lower several metres. Wavelike activitydominates in the upper part of the stable surface layer.The characteristic time of surface-layer adjustment to the rapid changes of solarradiation (due to cloud shadows or cloud gaps) was found to be on the order ofone minute. Such a time interval is required for coherent structure to reach the topof surface layer.     

大气近地层湍流能谱特征的再分析

根据Kolmogorov局地均匀性湍流假设,大气近地层湍流能谱在惯性副区符合"-5/3律".但是作者通过翻阅大量文献以及实测资料分析发现,大气近地层湍流能谱符合"-5/3律"的频率范围比较狭窄,而用幂函数+指数函数形式"fS(f)∝F-ae-bf"拟合更恰当一些,这种能谱函数形式是连续时间混沌系统所特有的.利用HEIHE实验湍流观测资料分析结果表明,对于径向风分量,a＝0.447,b＝0.228;切向风分量:a＝0.489,b＝0.190;垂直风分量:a＝0.551,b＝0.124;温度:a＝0.588,b＝0.123.     

荒漠戈壁下垫面表面动量和感热湍流通量参数化研究

用合理筛选以后的野外观测资料，研究了荒漠戈壁地表湍流通量参数化的问题。首先，分析了Monin-obukhov相似函数的特征，并拟台出了其经验公式。结果表明，风速和温度相似性函数随稳定度参数的变化曲线与典型经验曲线差异较小，并且在经验曲线分布范围以内，但中性时的值有所不同。同时，还用该资料给出了动量和标量粗糙度(感热粗糙度)长度的平均值及其标量粗糙度随摩擦速度的变化关系。发现标量粗糙度的平均值大约比动量粗糙度的小一个量级，并且随摩擦速度的增大而减小，但明显比其理论预测值要大。     

城市近地层湍流通量及CO2通量变化特征

利用北京325m气象塔47m高度上2006年全年连续观测获得的湍流资料,分析了北京城市近地层动量通量、感热通量、潜热通量和CO2通量的典型日变化、月平均日变化和季节变化特征。分析结果显示:动量通量具有明显的单波峰日变化特征,在15时(北京时间)左右达到最大,季节变化中春季最大,冬季次之,夏、秋季最小;感热通量和潜热通量全年变化范围分别为-92～389W.m-2和-75～376W.m-2,其日变化也表现为单波峰特征。感热通量的日变化受城市下垫面和人为热源影响,入夜后虽然降为负值,但只略小于0。阴雨天感热通量和潜热通量均很小,降雨前后有明显区别。感热和潜热最大值分别在春季3月和夏季6月,最小值都在冬季1月;城市下垫面CO2通量总表现为正值,即净排放,最大值为3.88mg.m-2.s-1,不稳定情况下最小值小于-2mg.m-2.s-1。受到人类活动的影响,CO2通量的日变化特征在工作日与周末有明显区别;由于冬季采暖,CO2通量明显大于夏季;在夜间,CO2通量受进城车辆的影响也出现高值。     

An Investigation on Temperature Variance Scaling in the Atmospheric Surface Layer

We present surface-layer measurements of temperature fluctuation variance from a site characterized by small-scale inhomogeneities. Periods of marked radiative forcing are selected. The data characterized by diabatic conditions and vertical heat flux larger than some threshold (here, chosen to be 0.01 K ms⁻¹) agree quite well with the convective scaling in unstable cases, and with the z-less parameterisation (with a large scatter) in stable cases. For near-neutral cases, the similarity function diverges because of the loss of significance of the temperature scale. Departures from similarity are highlighted in cases with smaller thermal fluxes, because horizontal heterogeneity and unsteadiness become important as production terms.     

Theory And Measurements For Turbulence Spectra And Variances In The Atmospheric Neutral Surface Layer

Predictions from a new theory for high Reynolds number turbulent boundary layers during near-neutral conditions are shown to agree well with measurements of atmospheric surface-layer variances and spectra. The theory suggests surface-layer turbulence is determined by detached eddies that largely originate in the shearing motion immediately above the surface layer; as they descend into this layer, they are strongly distorted by the local shear and impinge onto the surface. Because the origin of these eddies is non-local, they are similar to those described in previous studies as `inactive' turbulence. However, they are, in fact, dynamically highly active, supplying the major mechanism for the momentum transport, including upward bursting on the time scale of the larger eddies. The vertical velocity results show that the variance and the low frequency parts of spectra increase with height in the surface layer, while in the self similar (k₁ ^-1) range the streamwise low frequency components are approximately constant with height. These large-scale longitudinal eddies extend to a length _s, which is equal to the boundary-layer height near the surface andincreases linearly to a maximum of about three times the boundary-layer height at roughly 15 m and decreases in the upper parts of the surface layer. This lower part of the surface layer, the eddy surface layer, is the region in which the eddies impinging from layers above are strongly distorted. This new result for the atmospheric boundary layer has practical application for calculating fluctuating wind loads on structures and lateral dispersion of pollution from local sources.     

夜间稳定边界层中间歇性湍流热通量的 提取及其谱特征

在夜间稳定边界层中, 湍流热通量往往具有间歇性特征。在一阵阵出现的强度较大的湍流热通量之间, 混杂着弱噪声或其他微弱的难以辨识的高频脉动信号。为了研究间歇性湍流热通量的特征, 必须将这些无关信 号剔除, 以提取出干净的湍流热通量。本文提出了一种新的提取间歇性湍流热通量的方法, 该方法通过分析 湍流热通量的概率密度函数, 并与稳定分布进行比较, 湍流热通量的概率密度函数开始偏离稳定分布的位置, 即是间歇性湍流热通量开始出现的阈值。本文通过夜间稳定边界层外场试验数据的验证, 发现利用稳定分布确定 的阈值可有效地提取出间歇性湍流热通量。在此基础之上, 本文对比了提取前后湍流热通量的功率谱, 发现 提取后低频信号的方差所占比重下降, 而高频信号略有上升。此外, 间歇性湍流热通量在高频区的功率谱满足“-7/6”律。     

Study of Coherent Structures and Estimation of the Pressure Transport Terms for the Nocturnal Stable Boundary Layer

During the CASES-99 field experiment, three quartz-based microbarographs were installed on the 58-m main tower at the Central Site. These devices measuredabsolute pressure with temperature compensated output at a resolution better than 0.2 Pa and a sampling frequency of 2 s^-1 during the whole campaign. This sampling rate is not adequate to compute turbulent pressure fluxes with the classic averaging method, but the wavelet transform allows flux estimations at a wide range of scales. The resolution of the devices is suitable to study pressure perturbations such as internal gravity waves. The night period of the Intensive Operational Period number 6 (IOP6), where wave-like structures were present, is chosen to illustrate the method. A complete wavelet analysis of pressure recordsand data from sonic anemometers located at the same heights in the tower is performed. Wavelet methods make it possible to identify the relevant scales in the flowand to study the vertical structure of pressure perturbations, including coherent structures and small-scale motions.A study of a simplified turbulence kinetic energy budget equation is made and the contribution of the pressure terms is discussed.     

Observations of Solitary Waves in the Stable Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Large amplitude, isolated, wave-like phenomena have been observed in the lowest 40 m of the strongly stably stratified atmospheric boundary layer overlying a coastal Antarctic ice shelf. The waves only occur when prevailing wind speeds are low. They always propagate from over the land, with phase speeds exceeding the local mean wind speed. They have wavelengths of the order of 200 m. Several examples are described and a summary of the statistical properties of these waves events is presented.     

Transport of Temperature and Humidity Variance and Covariance in the Marine Surface Layer

In this paper we address the budget of potential temperature T and moisture mixing ratio q variances as well as the q-T covariance budget. We focus on the vertical transport and study the quantities contained in these terms. Estimates of transport terms are rare and to the best of our knowledge they have never been shown together in the literature. For this purpose an extensive set of humidity and temperature turbulence data from two heights in a marine environment has been analysed. We discuss and compare our results with results from earlier studies for a range of stability from near-neutral to unstable. Similarity and differences between T and q behaviour in the surface layer over water are presented.     

Scintillometer-Based Turbulent Fluxes of Sensible and Latent Heat Over a Heterogeneous Land Surface – A Contribution to Litfass-2003

The performance of a combined large aperture scintillometer (LAS) and a millimetre wave scintillometer (MWS) for estimating surface fluxes of sensible and latent heat over natural landscape is investigated, using data gathered during LITFASS-2003. For this purpose the LAS–MWS system was installed in a moderate heterogeneous landscape over a path length of 4.7 km with an effective beam height of 43 m. The derived surface fluxes have been compared with aggregated eddy-covariance (EC) measurements. The fluxes of sensible and latent heat from the LAS–MWS combination, as well as sensible heat fluxes of the single LAS, agreed fairly well with the EC-based fluxes, considering the uncertainties of the similarity stability functions and observed energy imbalance.     

Analysis of Model Results for the Turning of the Wind and Related Momentum Fluxes in the Stable Boundary Layer

The turning of wind with height and the related cross-isobaric (ageostrophic) flow in the thermally stable stratified boundary layer is analysed from a variety of model results acquired in the first Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Atmospheric Boundary Layer Study (GABLS1). From the governing equations in this particular simple case it becomes clear that the cross-isobaric flow is solely determined by the surface turbulent stress in the direction of the geostrophic wind for the quasi-steady state conditions under consideration. Most models indeed seem to approach this relationship but for very different absolute values. Because turbulence closures used in operational models typically tend to give too deep a boundary layer, the integrated total cross-isobaric mass flux is up to three times that given by research numerical models and large-eddy simulation. In addition, the angle between the surface and the geostrophic wind is typically too low, which has important implications for the representation of the larger-scale flow. It appears that some models provide inconsistent results for the surface angle and the momentum flux profile, and when the results from these models are removed from the analysis, the remaining ten models do show a unique relationship between the boundary-layer depth and the surface angle, consistent with the theory given. The present results also imply that it is beneficial to locate the first model level rather close to the surface for a proper representation of the turning of wind with height in the stable boundary layer.     

Optimized Computation of Transfer Coefficients in Surface Layer with Different Momentum and Heat Roughness Lengths

A new method for computing the surface transfer coefficients is proposed, based on state-of-the-art empirical flux-profile relationships. The influence of the roughness length ratio is first demonstrated with the classical iterative calculation method. Then a non-iterative algorithm is developed, taking into account the difference between momentum and heat roughness lengths.The new method is validated by comparison with the reference iterative computation. The large gain-in computer processing time (CPU) time gain for the calculation of surface fluxes in Eulerian grid models is finally assessed.     

Parameterization of Heat Fluxes at Heterogeneous Surfaces by Integrating Satellite Measurements with Surface Layer and Atmospheric Boundary Layer Observations

The regional heat flux exchange between heterogeneous landscapes and the nearby surface layer (SL) is a key issue in the study of land-atmosphere interactions over arid areas such as the Heihe River basin in northwestern China and in high elevation areas such as the Tibetan Plateau. Based on analysis of the land surface heterogeneity and its effects on the overlying air flow, the use of SL observations, atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) observations, and satellite remote sensing (RS) measurements along with ...     

Spectral Structure of Small-Scale Turbulent and Mesoscale Fluxes in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer over a Thermally Inhomogeneous Land Surface

Spectral analysis was performed on aircraft observations of a convective boundary layer (CBL) that developed over a thermally inhomogeneous, well-marked mesoscale land surface. The observations, part of the GAME-Siberia experiment, were recorded between April and June 2000 over the Lena River near Yakutsk City. A special integral parameter termed the ‘reduced depth of the CBL’ was used to scale the height of the mixed layer with variable depth. Analysis of wavelet cospectra and spectra facilitated the separation of fluxes and other variables into small-scale turbulent fluctuations (with scales less than the reduced depth of the CBL, approximately 2 km) and mesoscale fluctuations (up to 20 km). This separation approach allows for independent exploration of the scales. Analyses showed that vertical distributions obeyed different laws for small-scale fluxes and mesoscale fluxes (of sensible heat, water vapour, momentum and carbon dioxide) and for other variables (wind speed and air temperature fluctuations, coherence and degree of anisotropy). Vertical profiles of small-scale turbulent fluxes showed a strong decay that differed from generally accepted similarity models for the CBL. Vertical profiles of mesoscale fluxes and other variables clearly showed sharp inflections at the same relative (with respect to the reduced depth of the CBL) height of approximately 0.55 in the CBL. Conventional similarity models for sensible heat fluxes describe both small-scale turbulent and mesoscale flows. The present results suggest that mesoscale motions that reach up to the relative level of 0.55 could be initiated by thermal surface heterogeneity. Entrainment between the upper part of the CBL and the free atmosphere may cause mesoscale motions in that region of the CBL.     

Methods to Estimate Surface Fluxes of Momentum and Heat from Routine Weather Observations for Dispersion Applications under Stable Stratification

We examine the efficacy of two methods commonly used to estimate the vertical turbulent fluxes of momentum and sensible heat from routinely observed mean quantities in the surface layer under stable stratification. The single-level method uses mean wind speed and temperature measurements at a single height, whereas the two-level method uses mean wind speed measurements at a single height and mean temperature measurements at two heights. These methods are used in popular meteorological processors such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved AERMET and CALMET to generate inputs for dispersion simulations. We use data from a flux station of the U.K. Met Office at Cardington for comparison. It is found that the single-level method does not describe the flux variation in the weakly stable regime at all, because of its assumption that the temperature scale, i.e. the ratio of the kinematic sensible heat flux to the friction velocity, is constant, which is plausible only under strongly stable conditions. On the other hand, the two-level method provides a physically realistic variation of the fluxes with stability, but the required temperature measurements at two levels are usually not available on a routine basis. If measurements of the standard deviation of temperature are also available, in addition to the mean temperature at a single level, then they can be usefully employed in a third (single-level) method, with the consequence that the computed fluxes are very similar to those obtained from the two-level method. An improvement to the original single-level method is considered, and flux calculations under low wind conditions are also discussed.