Heat and momentum transport in an oak forest canopy

With the use of a sonic anemometer, vertical heat and momentum fluxes were measured at three different levels in an oak forest canopy. A quadrant analysis of the resulting data shows that approximately half of the transport occurs in extreme events lasting about 5 to 10% of the time. The partition of transport into momentum sweeps, bursts and interactions shows good agreement with existing data. The heat flux is analysed by observing the fluxes during the different momentum events and considering concurrent momentum and heat flux intensities by means of conditional probabilities. While low intensity (normal) events show similar probability distributions throughout the canopy, different structures appear at the three measurement heights for high intensity (extreme) events that can tentatively be explained by taking the temperature profile into account. This supports the idea that these events are coherent motions with scales comparable to the canopy height.     

On the canopy flow index of a tropical forest

The usefulness of the canopy flow index concept is demonstrated for a two-story evergreen tropical forest. A sample of about 2500 wind profiles was utilized. It encompasses a large range of ambient wind conditions and spans the whole monsoon cycle in Southeast Asia.It was found that the use of two canopy flow indices (one for the upper and one for the lower canopy) would be necessary to simulate the average canopy flow. For the upper canopy, an average value of 4.04 was obtained; for the lower canopy an index of 1.77 was computed. The indices seem to be independent of the ambient wind speed (if 2 m s^-1 is exceeded), yet strongly dependent on wind direction.     

Turbulent flow in a model plant canopy

An array of slender, vertical, cylindrical rods was used in a wind tunnel to simulate a plant canopy. Turbulence measurements were made with a cross hot wire, both inside and above the canopy. Measurements were also made inside the canopy when its top was covered by boards, leaving no space above the rods. This artificially confined canopy provided reference data.The results show an exponential wind profile and constant turbulence intensity, skewness and mixing length along the height of the (unconfined) canopy, the contribution of the eddies shed by the rods to the turbulence observed inside the canopy was small, but clearly apparent.     

Observation of organized structure in turbulent flow within and above a forest canopy

Ramp patterns of temperature and humidity occur coherently at several levels within and above a deciduous forest as shown by data gathered with up to seven triaxial sonic anemometer/thermometers and three Lyman-alpha hygrometers at an experimental site in Ontario, Canada. The ramps appear most clearly in the middle and upper portion of the forest. Time/height cross-sections of scalar contours and velocity vectors, developed from both single events and ensemble averages of several events, portray details of the flow structures associated with the scalar ramps. Near the top of the forest they are composed of a weak ejecting motion transporting warm and/or moist air out of the forest followed by strong sweeps of cool and/or dry air penetrating into the canopy. The sweep is separated from the ejecting air by a sharp scalar microfront. At approximately twice the height of the forest, ejections and sweeps are of about equal strength.In the middle and upper parts of the canopy, sweeps conduct a large proportion of the overall transfer between the forest and the lower atmosphere, with a lesser contribution from ejections. Ejections become equally important aloft. During one 30-min run, identified structures were responsible for more than 75% of the total fluxes of heat and momentum at mid-canopy height. Near the canopy top, the transition from ejection of slow moving fluid to sweep bringing fast moving air from above is very rapid but, at both higher and lower levels, brief periods of upward momentum transfer occur at or immediately before the microfront.     

Factors affecting the canopy resistance of a Douglas-fir forest

The physiological nature of canopy resistance was studied by comparing the stomatal and canopy resistance of a 10-m high Douglas-fir forest. Stomatal resistance of the needles was measured using porometry, while the canopy resistance was calculated using energy balance/Bowen ratio measurements of evapotranspiration. A typical steady increase in the forest canopy resistance during daytime hours, even at high soil water potentials, was observed. A similar trend in the stomatal resistance indicated that increasing canopy resistance during the daytime was caused by gradually closing stomata. During a dry period when soil water potentials declined from 0 to –10.5 bars, the mean daytime value of canopy resistance increased in proportion to the mean daytime value of the stomatal resistance. Values of canopy resistance calculated from stomatal resistance and leaf area index measurements agreed well with those calculated from energy balance measurements. The dependences of stomatal resistance on light, vapour pressure deficit, twig and soil water potentials art summarized.     

On the flow structure and turbulence during sweep and ejection events in a wind-tunnel model canopy

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) data obtained in a wind-tunnel model of a canopy boundary layer is used to examine the characteristics of mean flow and turbulence. The vector spacing varies between 1.7 and 2.5 times the Kolmogorov scales. Conditional sampling based on quadrants, i.e. based on the signs of velocity fluctuations, reveals fundamental differences in flow structure, especially between sweep and ejection events, which dominate the flow. During sweeps, the downward flow generates a narrow, highly turbulent, shear layer containing multiple small-scale vortices just below canopy height. During ejections, the upward flow expands this shear layer and the associated small-scale flow structures to a broad region located above the canopy. Consequently, during sweeps the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), Reynolds stresses, as well as production and dissipation rates, have distinct narrow peaks just below canopy height, whereas during ejections these variables have broad maxima well above the canopy. Three methods to estimate the dissipation rate are compared, including spectral fits, measured subgrid-scale (SGS) energy fluxes at different scales, and direct measurements of slightly underresolved instantaneous velocity gradients. The SGS energy flux is 40–60% of the gradient-based (direct) estimates for filter sizes inside the inertial range, while decreasing with scale, as expected, within the dissipation range. The spectral fits are within 5–30% of the direct estimates. The spectral fits exceed the direct estimates near canopy height, but are lower well above and below canopy height. The dissipation rate below canopy height increases with velocity magnitude, i.e. it has the highest values during sweep and quadrant 1 events, and is significantly lower during ejection and quadrant 3 events. Well above the canopy, ejections are the most dissipative. Turbulent transport during sweep events acts as a source below the narrow shear layer within the canopy and as a sink above it. Transport during ejection events is a source only well above the canopy. The residual term in the TKE transport equation, representing mostly the effect of pressure–velocity correlations, is substantial only within the canopy, and is dominated by sweeps.     

Air flow over and through a forest edge: A steady-state numerical simulation

A numerical model was developed to simulate neutrally stratified air flow over and through a forest edge. The spatially averaged equations for turbulent flow in vegetation canopies are derived as the governing equations. A first-order closure scheme with the capability of accounting for the bulk momentum transport process in vegetation canopies is employed. The averaged equations are solved numerically by a fractional time-step method and successive relaxation. The asymptotic solution in time is regarded as the steady-state solution. Comparisons of model output to the field measurements of Raynor (1971) indicate that the model provides a realistic mean flow.Momentum balance computations show that the pressure gradient induced by the wind blowing against the forest edge is significant and has the same order of magnitude as the drag force in the edge region. The edge effect involves the generation of drag forces, the appearance of a large pressure gradient, the upward deflection of mean flow and the transport of momentum into the edge of the canopy.     

A spectral and lag-correlation analysis of turbulence in a deciduous forest canopy

The processes influencing turbulence in a deciduous forest and the relevant length and time scales are investigated with spectral and cross-correlation analysis. Wind velocity power spectra were computed from three-dimensional wind velocity measurements made at six levels inside the plant canopy and at one level above the canopy. Velocity spectra measured within the plant canopy differ from those measured in the surface boundary layer. Noted features associated with the within-canopy turbulence spectra are: (a) power spectra measured in the canopy crown peak at higher wavenumbers than do those measured in the subcanopy trunkspace and above the canopy; (b) peak spectral values collapse to a relatively universal value when scaled according to a non-dimensional frequency comprised of the product of the natural frequency and the Eulerian time scale for vertical velocity; (c) at wavenumbers exceeding the spectral peak, the slopes of the power spectra are more negative than those observed in the surface boundary layer; (d) Eulerian length scales decrease with depth into the canopy crown, then increase with further depth into the canopy; (e) turbulent events below crown closure are more correlated with turbulent events above the canopy than are those occurring in the canopy crown; and (f) Taylor's frozen eddy hypothesis is not valid in a plant canopy. Interactions between plant elements and the mean wind and turbulence alter the processes that produce, transport and remove turbulent kinetic energy and account for the noted observations.     

On the effect of clearcuts on turbulence structure above a forest canopy

Summary The modification of the flow structure arising from the removal of large patches of trees in a managed forest plantation near Gainesville, Florida is described. Using wavelet analysis of turbulence measurements taken above a forest canopy hundreds of meters downwind from the forest gap and well outside the footprint, the present paper examines changes in flow characteristics and demonstrates that the presence of the nearby clearcut introduces extraneous coherent events passing by the eddy-covariance flux measurement system.     

包含CO2因子的冠层光合作用简化模型及其关键参数数值敏感分析

利用美国Licor公司生产的Li-6200便携式光合作用测定仪对冬小麦叶片光合作用进行了较为系统的测定研究,在实测资料支持下建立了包含CO2因子的叶片和冠层光合作用模型,验证结果表明,模型具有较高准确性.利用模型对CO2影响参数μ进行数值敏感分析,结果表明:对叶片光合而言,μ=0.83时叶片光合作用模型拟合最好,随μ减小或增大,拟合精度均下降;对冠层光合而言,μ=0.83时模拟光合日总量达到最大值,μ减小或增大,光合日总量均下降.多因子数值分析表明:在辐射值较大的状况下,μ对冠层光合的影响更为显著.     

Effect of angular distribution of foliage on light absorption and photosynthesis in the plant canopy: Theoretical computations

Light absorption and photosynthesis, as affected by the angular distribution of leaves and needles were studied mainly on the basis of theoretical computations. It was apparent that the mean flux density of the light falling on the foliage during the growing period, April 15–October 15, was only slightly affected by the inclination of the foliage as far as northern latitudes (60°N) are concerned. Photosynthesis in horizontal leaves was found to be greater than that in vertical ones when lower values of leaf area index (<2) were evaluated during June 15 and August 15. In the case of larger values of leaf area index (≥6), vertical leaves were somewhat more effective than horizontal leaves in June, but in August the result was quite the opposite. At northern latitudes (>60°N) the efficiency of vertically inclined foliage seems to be greater only during a rather short period around midsummer.     

Estimating the components of the sensible heat budget of a tall forest canopy in complex terrain

Ultrasonic wind measurements, sonic temperature and air temperature data at two heights in the advection experiment MORE II were used to establish a complete budget of sensible heat including vertical advection, horizontal advection and horizontal turbulent flux divergence. MORE II took place at the long-term Carbo-Europe IP site in Tharandt, Germany. During the growing period of 2003 three additional towers were established to measure all relevant parameters for an estimation of advective fluxes, primarily of CO₂. Additionally, in relation to other advection experiments, a calculation of the horizontal turbulent flux divergence is proposed and the relation of this flux to atmospheric stability and friction velocity is discussed. In order to obtain a complete budget, different scaling heights for horizontal advection and horizontal turbulent flux divergence are tested. It is shown that neglecting advective fluxes may lead to incorrect results. If advective fluxes are taken into account, the sensible heat budget based upon vertical turbulent flux and storage change only, is reduced by approximately 30%. Additional consideration of horizontal turbulent flux divergence would in turn add 5–10% to this sum (i.e., the sum of vertical turbulent flux plus storage change plus horizontal and vertical advection). In comparison with available energy horizontal advection is important at night whilst horizontal turbulent flux divergence is rather insignificant. Obviously, advective fluxes typically improve poor nighttime energy budget closure and might change ecosystem respiration fluxes considerably.     

On the coupling of canopy flow to ambient flow for a variety of vegetation types and densities

A canopy flow coupling parameter is defined from earlier canopy flow research to describe the degree of coupling of air flow in vegetation to ambient flow of the surface boundary layer. This ratio concept employs an exponential wind-height relationship in the canopy referenced to the logarithmic wind-height relationship of the ambient air in close proximity to the vegetation interface. Qualitatively, the coupling ratio decreases as the index of canopy flow increases. Numerical criteria are derived to quantify the coupling upwind of the canopy, at the leading edge, through the transition zone, through the zone of established flow, at the trailing edge, and downwind from the canopy domain. It was found that coupling was relatively independent of element density for the more dense arrays, but increased rapidly as densities became more sparsely arrayed. A high degree of coupling existed both upwind and downwind of well-defined domains, while a degeneration of coupling is clearly evident through the zone of established flow. A seasonal contrast in coupling was also discerned. Gravity and slope flows contributed to a higher degree of coupling.     

A numerical model for estimation of the diurnal fluctuation of the inversion height due to a sea breeze

Vertical profiles of temperature, measured over the sea in the summer near the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean, show significant diurnal fluctuation in the height of the marine inversion. During the day, the inversion moved down and during the night it moved up. The fluctuation was about 250 m. Numerical simulations of the daily fluctuation in the height of the inversion during the summer day shows the following: Over the sea, during daytime, the inversion base sinks 250 m, and during the night, it rises back to its original height. The developing sea breeze during the day causes the air over the sea to move downward adiabatically. At night, the inversion rises mainly due to advection of cool stratified air (including an inversion at 480 m) from a long distance over the sea. Such diurnal fluctuations are observed 100 km off shore. This scale is determined by the scale of the sea breeze. Comparison of some of the model vertical profiles with the temperature profiles measured over the sea show a similar diurnal oscillation. The amplitude of the oscillation is the same.     

Improving the vegetation dynamic simulation in a land surface model by using a statistical-dynamic canopy interception scheme

Canopy interception of incident precipitation, as a critical component of a forest＇s water budget, can affect the amount of water available to the soil, and ultimately vegetation distribution and function. In this paper, a statistical-dynamic approach based on leaf area index and statistical canopy interception is used to parameterize the canopy interception process. The statistical-dynamic canopy interception scheme is implemented into the Community Land Model with dynamic global vegetation model （CLM-DGVM） to improve its dynamic vegetation simulation. The simulation for continental China by the land surface model with the new canopy interception scheme shows that the new one reasonably represents the precipitation intercepted by the canopy. Moreover, the new scheme enhances the water availability in the root zone for vegetation growth, especially in the densely vegetated and semi-arid areas, and improves the model＇s performance of potential vegetation simulation.     

Evidence of pressure-forced turbulent flow in a forest

Lagged cross-correlation analyses between streamwise velocity at several heights within and above a forest, and between streamwise velocity and surface pressure, provide evidence that turbulence in the sub-crown region of the forest is to a large extent driven by pressure perturbations. The analyses support earlier results based on examination of coherent structures observed in the same forest. The phase of the streamwise velocity signal exhibits an increasing delay with decreasing height, indicative of a downwind tilted structure, until the upper region of the forest is reached, at which point the effect is reversed. It is suggested that positive pressure perturbations ahead of advancing microfronts induce streamwise accelerations in the trunk space. This link between the pressure pattern and the wind field explains why velocity spectra in the trunk space are depleted in the higher frequencies, relative to levels above.     

On deep mean flow generation mechanisms and the abyssal circulation of numerical model gyres

Mesoscale resolution ocean general circulation model (EGCM) experiments have been carried out under a variety of different model physical assumptions, and the different model systems often produce very different deep mean flow fields. The flat bottom, rectangular basin experiments exhibit two distinct types of deep mean flow, which are here called “corotating” and “counterrotating”. Counterrotating deep flow, in which two adjacent deep gyres, with circulation of opposite senses, underlie the upper ocean eastward jet and its recirculation, has been found only in models with adiabetic two-layer model physics. None of the more complex model systems exhibit counterrotating deep flows; this type of flow is apparently restricted to a particular range of forcing/dissipation parameter space and/or particular model physical assumptions.Since the deep flow in these EGCM systems is generally weak, geostrophic dynamics provides the basic deep flow interior balance and the mean vertical velocity field, through the lower layer vorticity equation, largely determines the deep interior flow. The dynamical constraints on the mean vertical velocity field introduced by different model physical equations are reviewed and the adiabatic quasi-geostrophic (QG) two-layer model system is shown to be strongly constrained in several respects. In particular, the idea that eddy and mean heat flux divergence (or “layer thickness flux divergence”) drive the mean vertical velocity does not generalize to more complicated dynamical systems in which there is the possibility of altering the mean vertical density profile and/or in which the horizontal flow can be divergent. As a consequence of the constraints, there can be no basin net vorticity input to the lower layer via vortex stretching in the QG system.Because of the adiabatic QG constraints and the particular parametric regime in which the published adiabatic QG EGCM experiments exist, a very plausible explanation can be found for the existence of the deep cyclonic circulation of the model subtropical gyre. It is this cyclonic circulation that causes these deep flows to differ so dramatically from those of the more physically complex model systems. Because all the published adiabatic QG experiments that have non-trivial deep flows exhibit the counterrotating behavior, and because available ocean data do not support the existence of such a gyre in the North Atlantic, it seems important to thoroughly understand the reasons for the existence or absence of the deep cyclonic circulations. If they are an invitable feature of adiabatic QG systems, these models may need to be treated with caution as tools for understanding the mean ocean circulation.     

Detection of turbulent coherent motions in a forest canopy part I: Wavelet analysis

Turbulence measurements performed at high frequencies yield data revealing intermittent and multi-scale processes. Analysing time series of turbulent variables thus requires extensive numerical treatment capable, for instance, of performing pattern recognition. This is particularly important in the case of the atmospheric surface layer and specifically in the vicinity of plant canopies, where largescale coherent motions play a major role in the dynamics of turbulent transport processes. In this paper, we examine the ability of the recently developedwavelet transform to extract information on turbulence structure from time series of wind velocities and scalars. It is introduced as a local transform performing a time-frequency representation of a given signal by a specific wavelet function; unlike the Fourier transform, it is well adapted to studying non-stationary signals. After the principles and the most relevant mathematical properties of wavelet functions and transform are given, we present various applications of relevance for our purpose: determination of time-scales, data reconstruction and filtering, and jump detection. Several wavelet functions are inter-compared, using simple artificially generated data presenting large-scale features similar to those observed over plant canopies. Their respective behaviour in the time-frequency domain leads us to assign a specific range of applications for each.