Field And Wind-Tunnel Studies Of Aerodynamic Roughness Length

The aerodynamic roughness length (z₀) values of three Gobi desert surfaces were obtained by measurement of the boundary-layer wind profile in the field. To clarify the factors affecting the Gobi surface aerodynamic roughness length, a wind-tunnel experiment was conducted. The wind-tunnel simulation shows that z₀ values increase with increasingsize and coverage of roughness elements. Especially, the shape and height of roughnesselements are more important than other factors in affecting roughness length. The roughness length increases with decreasing values of the geometric parameter (the ratio of element horizontal surface area to height, ) of roughness elements. But at a higher free stream velocity, the height is more important than the shape in affecting roughness length.     

Aerodynamic Roughness of Urban Areas Derived from Wind Observations

This study contributes to the sparse literature on anemometrically determined roughness parameters in cities. Data were collected using both slow and fast response anemometry in suburban areas of Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Vancouver. In all cases the instruments were mounted on tall towers, data were sorted by stability condition, and zero-plane displacement (zd) was taken into account. Results indicate the most reliable slow response estimates of surface roughness are based on the standard deviation of the wind speed obtained from observations at one level. For residential areas, winter roughness values (leaf-off) are 80–90% of summer (leaf-on) values. Direct comparison of fast and slow response methods at one site give very similar results. However, when compared to estimates using morphometric methods at a wider range of sites, the fast response methods tend to give larger roughness length values. A temperature variance method to determine zd from fast response sensors is found to be useful at only one of the four sites. There is no clear best choice of anemometric method to determine roughness parameters. There is a need for more high quality field observations, especially using fast response sensors in urban settings.     

Temporal and Spatial Variations of the Aerodynamic Roughness Length in the Ablation Zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet

To understand the response of the Greenland ice sheet to climate change the so-called ablation zone is of particular importance, since it accommodates the yearly net surface ice loss. In numerical models and for data analysis, the bulk aerodynamic method is often used to calculate the turbulent surface fluxes, for which the aerodynamic roughness length (z ₀) is a key parameter. We present, for the first time, spatial and temporal variations of z ₀ in the ablation area of the Greenland ice sheet using year-round data from three automatic weather stations and one eddy-correlation mast. The temporal variation of z ₀ is found to be very high in the lower ablation area (factor 500) with, at the end of the summer melt, a maximum in spatial variation for the whole ablation area of a factor 1000. The variation in time matches the onset of the accumulation and ablation season as recovered by sonic height rangers. During winter, snow accumulation and redistribution by snow drift lead to a uniform value of z ₀≈ 10⁻⁴ m throughout the ablation area. At the beginning of summer, snow melt uncovers ice hummocks and z ₀ quickly increases well above 10⁻² m in the lower ablation area. At the end of summer melt, hummocky ice dominates the surface with z ₀ > 5  ×  10⁻³ m up to 60 km from the ice edge. At the same time, the area close to the equilibrium line (about 90 km from the ice edge) remains very smooth with z ₀ = 10⁻⁵ m. At the beginning of winter, we observed that single snow events have the potential to lower z ₀ for a very rough ice surface by a factor of 20 to 50. The total surface drag of the abundant small-scale ice hummocks apparently dominates over the less frequent large domes and deep gullies. The latter results are verified by studying the individual drag contributions of hummocks and domes with a drag partition model.     

标量粗糙度对地气交换的影响

为提高地-气间感热和潜热通量的精度,利用Garratt的公式将标量粗糙度Z0T和Z0q引入BATS,对六种不同的植被作对比试验。结果表明:标量粗糙度Z0T和Z0q均远远小于动量粗糙度Z0,约相差3～10个数量级不等。晴天状况下,农作物区Z0/Z0T最小,约103,阔叶林最大,达1010;雨天状况下,各种植被间标量粗糙度的差异减小了。计算的地表温度、感热通量、潜热通量较原BATS的更为合理。     

Estimates of Roughness Parameters for Arrays of Obstacles

Some methods are evaluated and extended to estimate roughness length and zero plane displacement height for atmospheric flow over arrays of obstacles, typically buildings. It appears that the method proposed by Bottema, with an extension to account for low density obstacle arrays, performs best. Procedures are proposed to represent irregular obstacle arrangements by a representative regular array to which Bottema's method can be applied. It is shown that this can be done without loss of accuracy, in general, roughness length can be predicted within a factor of two in more than 74% of the cases (95% reliability estimate). The methods proposed by Lettau and Raupach have been included in the evaluation. Lettau's model, which only requires input on the frontal area density, predicts roughness length unbiassed for frontal area densities up to 0.3, but predictions will be within a factor of two in more than 59% of the cases only (95% reliability estimate).     

Aerodynamic Scaling for Estimating the Mean Height of Dense Canopies

We used an aerodynamic method to objectively determine a representative canopy height, using standard meteorological measurements. The canopy height may change if the tree height is used to represent the actual canopy, but little work to date has focused on creating a standard for determining the representative canopy height. Here we propose the ‘aerodynamic canopy height’ h _a as the most effective means of resolving the representative canopy height for all forests. We determined h _a by simple linear regression between zero-plane displacement d and roughness length z ₀, without the need for stand inventory data. The applicability of h _a was confirmed in five different forests, including a forest with a complex canopy structure. Comparison with stand inventory data showed that h _a was almost equivalent to the representative height of trees composing the crown surface if the forest had a simple structure, or to the representative height of taller trees composing the upper canopy in forests with a complex canopy structure. The linear relationship between d and z ₀ was explained by assuming that the logarithmic wind profile above the canopy and the exponential wind profile within the canopy were continuous and smooth at canopy height. This was supported by observations, which showed that h _a was essentially the same as the height defined by the inflection point of the vertical profile of wind speed. The applicability of h _a was also verified using data from several previous studies.     

The Characteristics and Parameterization of Aerodynamic Roughness Length over Heterogeneous Surfaces

Aerodynamic roughness length (z0m is a key factor in surface flux estimations with remote sensing algorithms and/or land surface models. This paper calculates z0m over several land surfaces, with 3 years of experimental data from Xiaotangshan. The results show that z0m is direction-dependent, mainly due to the heterogeneity of the size and spatial distribution of the roughness elements inside the source area along different wind directions. Furthermore, a heuristic parameterization of the aerodynamic roughness length for heterogeneous surfaces is proposed. Individual z0m over each surface component (patch) is calculated firstly with the characteristic parameters of the roughness elements (vegetation height, leaf area index, etc.), then z0m over the whole experimental field is aggregated, using the footprint weighting method.     

Effect of Roughness on Surface Boundary Conditions for Large-Eddy Simulation

An important parameterization in large-eddy simulations (LESs) of high- Reynolds-number boundary layers, such as the atmospheric boundary layer, is the specification of the surface boundary condition. Typical boundary conditions compute the fluctuating surface shear stress as a function of the resolved (filtered) velocity at the lowest grid points based on similarity theory. However, these approaches are questionable because they use instantaneous (filtered) variables, while similarity theory is only valid for mean quantities. Three of these formulations are implemented in simulations of a neutral atmospheric boundary layer with different aerodynamic surface roughness. Our results show unrealistic influence of surface roughness on the mean profile, variance and spectra of the resolved velocity near the ground, in contradiction of similarity theory. In addition to similarity-based surface boundary conditions, a recent model developed from an a priori experimental study is tested and it is shown to yield more realistic independence of the results to changes in surface roughness. The optimum value of the model parameter found in our simulations matches well the value reported in the a priori wind-tunnel study.     

Stability Dependence of Height Scales and Effective Roughness Lengths of Momentum and Heat Transfer Over Roughness Changes

It is widely accepted that the correct formulation of an effective roughness length, defined as the area average of the roughness length in heterogeneous terrain, relies upon the appropriate de-termination of a height scale. At this height a meteorological quantity is approximately in equilibrium with local surface conditions and independent of horizontal position. This research note determines explicitly the different height scales from the perturbation solutions of flow velocity and temperature, as well as the fluxes of momentum and heat, in a stratified boundary layer. These solutions are derived from the asymptotic approximation theory and shown to capture major characteristics of momentum and heat transfer over heterogeneous terrain with changes of the underlying roughness lengths. The effective roughness lengths can then be computed by use of these height scales. The dependence of height scales and effective roughness lengths upon stratification is also discussed briefly.     

The Effect of Stratification on the Aerodynamic Roughness Length and Displacement Height

The roughness length, z _0u , and displacement height, d _0u , characterise the resistance exerted by the roughness elements on turbulent flows and provide a conventional boundary condition for a wide range of turbulent-flow problems. Classical laboratory experiments and theories treat z _0u and d _0u as geometric parameters independent of the characteristics of the flow. In this paper, we demonstrate essential stability dependences—stronger for the roughness length (especially in stable stratification) and weaker but still pronounced for the displacement height. We develop a scaling-analysis model for these dependences and verify it against experimental data.     

Diurnal Variations of Thermal Roughness Height over a Grassland

The thermal roughness height associated with the surface radiation temperature has been previously found to vary between different surface types. This study finds that the thermal roughness height varies diurnally even over a homogeneous senescent grassland. The corresponding roughness length for momentum is relatively constant.Both the aerodynamic temperature and the surface radiation temperature are found to be closely related to the air temperature in the middle of the grass canopy. However, the aerodynamic temperature is strongly influenced by the horizontally integrated heat transfer, while the surface radiation temperature represents the integrated thermal emission through the grass depth within the field of view of the radiometer. The aerodynamic temperature is less sensitive to variations and measurement errors in sensible heat flux, wind speed, and air temperature than the thermal roughness height. We find that formulating the aerodynamic temperature in terms of the surface radiation temperature is better posed for use in the bulk formula than using the surface radiation temperature directly and adjusting the thermal roughness length.     

The Influences of Thermodynamic Characteristics on Aerodynamic Roughness Length over Land Surface

It has previously been shown that aerodynamic roughness length changes significantly along with nearsurface atmospheric thermodynamic state; however, at present, this phenomenon remains poorly understood, and very little research concerning this topic has been conducted. In this paper, by using the data of different underlying surfaces provided by the Experimental Co-observation and Integral Research in Semi-arid and Arid Regions over North China, aerodynamic roughness length (z₀) values in stable, neutral, and unstable atmospheric stratifications are compared with one another, and the relationship between z₀ and atmospheric thermodynamic stability (ζ) is analyzed. It is found that z₀ shows great differences among the stable, neutral, and unstable atmospheric thermodynamic states, with the difference in z₀ values between the fully thermodynamic stable condition and the neutral condition reaching 60% of the mean z₀. Furthermore, for the wind speed range in which the wind data are less sensitive to z₀, the surface z₀ changes more significantly with ζ, and is highly correlated with both the Monin-Obukhov stability (ζ₀) and the overall Richardson number (R_ib), with both of their correlation coefficients greater than 0.71 and 0.47 in the stable and unstable atmospheric stratification, respectively. The empirical relation fitted with the experimental observations is quite consistent with the Zilitinkevich theoretical relation in the stable atmosphere, but the two are quite distinct and even show opposite variation tendencies in the unstable atmosphere. In application, however, verification of the empirical fitted relations by using the experimental data finds that the fitted relation is slightly more applicable than the Zilitinkevich theoretical relation in stable atmospheric stratification, but it is much more suitable than the Zilitinkevich relation in unstable atmospheric stratification.     

梯度法计算空气动力学粗糙度存在的问题

利用2009年春季内蒙古苏尼特左旗风速、空气温湿度的野外观测资料,用梯度法研究荒漠化草原区空气动力学粗糙度Z0时发现,Z0有明显的日、月分布规律。中性条件下,根据风速对Z0的不同影响可分为3个特征区。梯度法计算Zn有风速条件约束,只有在风速较大时计算的Z0真实可靠,确定可靠风速区域是正确应用梯度法计算Z0的关键。乙随风速值的增大成指数关系递减,可从指数函数的收敛性确定Z0。     

高大建筑物影响城市粗糙副层流场特征的数值研究

用数值模拟方法研究了高大建筑物对城市粗糙副层气流场特征的影响。数值模式采用基于雷诺平均纳维—斯托克斯方程组的应用计算流体力学FLUENT软件,次网格湍流参数化选用k-ε闭合方案。建筑物用立方体表示,并规则排列于模拟区域内。通过改变高大建筑物的数量与位置,对建筑物阵列内及其上空的气流特征进行了多个算例的数值模拟。依据模拟结果计算获得建筑物区域的面积平均风速廓线,结果表明各算例的粗糙副层风速廓线各不相同。运用动力学方法由风速廓线计算出各算例的零平面位移高度和粗糙度,并与几种计算零平面位移高度和粗糙度的形态学方法进行了比较检验。结果表明两种形态学方法(Ba、Ma)计算所得的零平面位移高度与动力学方法计算结果很接近,但对于粗糙度而言,几种形态学方法的计算结果都明显偏高。     

Horizontal Scale of Roughness Variations for Realistic Landscapes

A method is described to infer the horizontal scale of roughness variations from land-use maps, for use in flux aggregation schemes designed to account for sub-grid scale terrain heterogeneity in numerical models of the atmosphere. Based on simple statistical-geometrical considerations, it is shown that this horizontal scale is inversely proportional to edge density, which can be readily derived from high-resolution land-use maps. The method is demonstrated for a highly heterogeneous landscape in northern Belgium, the resulting length scale values approximately ranging between 200 and 1500 m. Finally, the extension towards satellite imagery and coarse land-use data is discussed.     

Aerodynamic Variables in the Bulk Formulation of Turbulent Fluxes

Aerodynamic variables are required to apply Monin–Obukhov similarity theory in the bulk formulation of surface fluxes. In the literature, these aerodynamic variables are commonly misinterpreted. In this paper, we review the concept of the aerodynamic variable, its connection to surface-layer similarity theory and how and why the aerodynamic variable is replaced with other variables.Observed mean variables below the surface layer, such as the surface radiation temperature, or the air temperature at canopy height, are often used in place of the extrapolated aerodynamic variables in the bulk formula, requiring empirical relationships between aerodynamic and observed variables, or requiring empirical adjustments of bulk resistances. The present study examines the validity of these relationshi Experiment (CODE). The results indicate that using a measured substitute for an aerodynamic variable can lead to significant errors in estimates of turbulent surface fluxes.     

河西走廊下垫面粗糙度实测值与模拟值的差异性分析

利用甘肃省河西地区17个风塔观测资料和风向风速标准差法,计算了风塔处的下垫面粗糙度,并与中尺度数值模式ARPS中使用的粗糙度参数进行了比较分析。结果表明,数值模式中使用的粗糙度值和实况具有一定差异,其使用的粗糙度定义方案并不能准确地反映出下垫面粗糙度和非均一性特征。差异最大出现在草原下垫面上,可达375%,且差异程度随下垫面植被复杂程度增加。     

黑河下游绿洲近地层湍流输送特征研究

分析2003年9月5-27日在黑河下游额济纳绿洲取得的近地面层湍流观测资料,讨论无量纲湍流方差与稳定度参数Z/L的关系.无量纲风速分量σu/u*、σv/u*和σw/u*在不稳定层结与稳定度Z/L满足1/3次方时,符合Monin-Obkuhov相似理论.在近中性时,σu/u*、σw/u*值比平坦下垫面的略小些,σv/u*值比平坦下垫面的略大.无量纲温度脉动方差和湿度脉动方差在对流状态下与Z/L满足-1/3次方,在稳定和不稳定层结下,随|Z/L|减小而增大.地面热量以感热输送为主,感热通量峰值约为250 W/m2,潜热通量的峰值为170 W/m2;夜间潜热通量较小,感热通量则出现负值.动量通量日间平均在0.2-0.3 N/m2,峰值为0.31 N/m2.黑河下游绿洲柽柳林动力学粗糙度比HEIFE戈壁及其他绿洲下垫面的大,中性时z0m=0.47551 m.中性状态下动量整体输送系数CD=22.2×10-3,不稳定层结时平均值CD=10.3×10-3,稳定层结时平均值CD=7.2 × 10-3.热量整体输送系数CH,中性状态下CH=3.2 × 10-3,不稳定层结时平均值为CH=3.3×10-3,稳定层结时平均值为CH=2.7×10-3.     

Influence of a Two-scale Surface Roughness on a Neutral Turbulent Boundary Layer

Flow in the urban boundary layer is strongly influenced by the surface roughness, which is composed principally of isolated buildings or groups of buildings. Previous research has shown that the flow regime depends on the characteristic height of these obstacles (H), and the spacing between them (W). In reality, the urban boundary layer contains roughness elements with a wide range of length scales; in many practical situations these can be classified into large-scale roughness—buildings, or groups of buildings—and small-scale roughness, such as street furniture and elements on the façades and roofs. It is important to understand how the small-scale roughness might modify mass and momentum transfer in the urban boundary layer, but relatively little information is available concerning the potential interaction between large- and small-scale roughness elements in the different flow regimes. This problem has been studied using wind-tunnel experiments, by measuring vertical velocity profiles over a two-dimensional obstacle array, adding small-scale roughness elements to the top of larger parallel square bars. The experiments were performed for different cavity aspect ratios: the results show that the small-scale roughness increases the turbulence intensities and the momentum transfer when the large-scale obstacles are closely packed (H/W > 1) but it has very little effect for more widely-spaced obstacles (H/W < 1).     

Aerodynamic Parameters of Regular Arrays of Rectangular Blocks with Various Geometries

The aerodynamic effects of various configurations of an urban array were investigated in a wind-tunnel experiment. Three aerodynamic parameters characterising arrays—the drag coefficient (C _d ), roughness length (z _o) and displacement height (d)—are used for analysis. C _d is based on the direct measurement of the total surface shear using a floating element, and the other two parameters are estimated by logarithmic fitting of the measured wind profile and predetermined total drag force. The configurations of 63 arrays used for measurement were designed to estimate the effects of layout, wind direction and the height variability of the blocks on these parameters for various roughness packing densities. The results are summarised as follows: (1) The estimated C _d and z _o of the staggered arrays peak against the plan area index (λ _p ) and frontal area index (λ _f ), in contrast with values for the square arrays, which are less sensitive to λ _p and λ _f . In addition, the square arrays with a wind direction of 45° have a considerably larger C _d , and the wind direction increases z _o/H by up to a factor of 2. (2) The effect of the non-uniformity of roughness height on z _o is more remarkable when λ _f exceeds 20%, and the discrepancy in z _o is particularly remarkable and exceeds 200%. (3) The effect of the layout of tall blocks on C _d is stronger than that of short blocks. These results indicate that the effects of both wind direction and the non-uniformity of the heights of buildings on urban aerodynamic parameters vary greatly with λ _p and λ _f ; hence, these effects should be taken into account by considering the roughness packing density.