Occurrence of roll circulations in a shallow boundary layer

Meteorological measurements taken at the Näsudden wind turbine site during slightly unstable conditions have been analyzed. The height of the convective boundary layer (CBL) was rather low, varying between 60 and 300 m. Turbulence statistics near the ground followed Monin-Obukhov similarity, whereas the remaining part of the boundary layer can be regarded as a near neutral upper layer. In 55% of the runs, horizontal roll vortices were found. Those were the most unstable runs, with -z _i/L > 5. Spectra and co-spectra are used to identify the structures. Three roll indicators were identified: (i) a low frequency peak in the spectrum of the lateral component at low level; (ii) a corresponding increase in the vertical component at mid-CBL; (iii) a positive covariance {ovvw} together with positive wind shear in the lateral direction (V/z) in the CBL. By applying these indicators, it is possible to show that horizontal roll circulations are likely to be a common phenomenon over the Baltic during late summer and early winter.     

On the turbulence structure in the stable boundary layer over the Greenland ice sheet

Turbulence measurements from a 30 m tower in the stably stratifiedboundary layer over the Greenland ice sheet are analyzed. The observationsinclude profile and eddy-correlation measurements at various levels. Atfirst, the analysis of the turbulence data from the lowest level (2 m aboveground) shows that the linear form of the non-dimensional wind profile(m) is in good agreement with the observations for z/L <0.4, whereL represents the Obukhov length. A linear regression yieldsm=1+5.8z/L. The non-dimensional temperature profile (h) at the2m level shows no tendency to increase with increasing stability. The datafrom the upper levels of the tower are analyzed in terms of both localscaling and surface-layer scaling. The m and the h values show atendency to level off at large stability (z/>0.4) where represents the local Obukhov length. Hence, the linear form of the functions is no longer appropriate under such conditions. The bestcorrespondence to the data can be achieved when using the expression ofBeljaars and Holtslag for m and h. The vertical profiles of theturbulent fluxes, the wind velocity variances and temperature variance arealso determined. The momentum flux profile and the profiles of wind speedvariances are in general agreement with other observations if a welldeveloped low-level wind maximum occurs, and the height of this maximum isused as a height scale.     

Über die mittlere lineare sukzessive Differenz und ihre Anwendung auf die Untersuchung meteorologischer Beobachtungsreihen

Zusammenfassung Eine endliche Reihe (Sequenz) wird als eine der möglichen Permutationen ihrer Glieder aufgefaßt. Es wird gezeigt, daß die Summe der absoluten Differenzen der aufeinanderfolgenden Glieder gleich ist , wo die natürliche Zahlen sind und nur von der Rangordnung der Glieder der Reihe (von der Permutation) abhängen; die _j sind von der Reihenfolge unabhängig und werden durch die Dispersion der Reihenglieder bestimmt. Die _j und die _j werden separat untersucht; der Erwartungswert der erwähnten Differenzsumme wird abgeleitet. Verschiedene bereits bekannte und auch erstmalig hier vorgeschlagene Maßzahlen werden geprüft. An Reihen jährlicher Regenmengen wird die Rolle der _j und der _j und das Verhalten der besprochenen Maßzahlen veranschaulicht.

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Summary A series ofn members can be considered as one of the possible permutations of its members. It is shown that the sum of the linear successive differences is equal to the expression , where the _j are positive integers, dependent only upon the rank-order (the permutation) of the members, while the _j are independent of the order of the succession and are determined by the dispersion of the members of the series. The factors _j and _j are separately investigated; the expected value of the sum of the linear successive differences is established. Various related statistical measures, already in usage and new ones suggested here, are discussed. Series of yearly rainfall amounts are used to show the effects of the _j and _j and to discuss the behaviour of the various measures.

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Résumé Une série, constituée parn valeurs, est regardée comme une des possibles permutations de ces valeurs. L'auteur montre que la somme des différences absolues, qui se présentent entre les valeurs consécutives de la série, est égale à l'expression . Les _j sont des nombres entiers positifs et ne dépendent que de l'ordre des membres de la série, tandis que les _j, indépendants de l'ordre, sont déterminés par la dispersion des membres. Les facteurs _j et _j sont étudiés séparément; l'espérance mathématique de la somme mentionnée est dérivée. Des paramètres statistiques déjà connus ou proposés ici pour la première fois, sont discutés. Le rôle des _j et des _j et le comportement des divers paramètres sont montrés à l'aide de séries de totaux annuels de pluies.

     

Flux Footprints Within and Over Forest Canopies

The characteristics of turbulence within a forest arespatially heterogeneous and distinct from thoseassociated with the surface boundary layer. Consequently, the size and probability distribution offlux footprints emanating from sources below aforest canopy have the potential to differ from thoseobserved above forests.A Lagrangian random walk model was used toinvestigate this problem since no analytical solutionof the diffusion equation exists. Model calculations suggest that spatialcharacteristics of flux footprint probabilitydistributions under forest canopies are muchcontracted, compared to those evaluated in the surfaceboundary layer. The key factors affecting thestatistical spread of the flux footprint, and theposition of the peak of its probability distribution,are horizontal wind velocity and the standarddeviations of vertical and horizontal velocityfluctuations. Consequently, canopies, which attenuatemean horizontal wind speed, or atmospheric conditions,which enhance vertical velocity fluctuations, willcontract flux footprint distributions mostly near thefloor of a forest. It was also found that theprobability distributions of the flux footprint arenarrower when horizontal wind velocity fluctuationsare considered, instead of the simpler case that considers only vertical velocity fluctuations and meanhorizontal wind velocity.     

Shear convection

The paper discusses convection in the presence of wind shear, a condition analysed previously by Zilitinkevich (1971). This region (between the forced and fully developed convective layers) was also considered by Betchov and Yaglom (1971). In the present paper the author endeavors to develop a consistent analysis from the basic hypothesis of a very weak interaction between the vertical convective motions and mechanical turbulence, employing a new similarity model of the turbulent regime. Additional experimental data are introduced. Unlike the notation used in the references quoted above, this regime is termed shear convection rather than free convection. The latter is traditionally regarded as synonymous with the terms pure or fully developed convection.     

Carbon dioxide and the δ18O record of late-Quaternary climatic change: a global model

A dynamical model for the late-Quaternary global variations of ¹⁸O, mean ocean surface tempeature , ice mass I, deep ocean temperature , and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration , is constructed. This model consists of two diagnostic equations (for ¹⁸O and ), and three prognostic equations (for I, , and ) of a form studied extensively in previous articles. The carbon dioxide equation includes forcing by a representation of the Milankovitch earth-orbital radiation effects, and contains a basic instability that drives a free oscillation of period near 100,000 years. The system is constrained to conserve mass and energy, contain physically plausible feedbacks including a system time constant no greater than 10.000 years, and be robust (i. e., structurally stable in the presence of expected noise levels and uncertainties in values of coefficients). Within the limits of these constraints, coefficients are chosen such that (i) the solution gives a good fit to the observed SPECMAP ¹⁸O variations, and (ii) the ice mass variations are qualitatively similar to the ¹⁸O variations. The predicted long term variations of sea surface temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide are in reasonably good agreement with the limited observational evidence available for these quantities, while the predicted variations of deep ocean temperature remain to be verified when paleoclimatic estimates of this quantity become available. The relative contributions of ice mass changes and surface water temperature changes to the variations of ¹⁸O at any time are given by the model.     

A study of the sensitivity of bare soil evaporation schemes to soil surface wetness,using the coupled soil moisture and surface temperature prediction model,BARESOIL

Summary The performance of evaporation schemes with and approach and their combination within resistance representation of evaporation from bare soil surface is discussed. For this purpose nine schemes, based on different functions of or , on the ratio of the volumetric soil moisture content and its saturated value are used.The quality of the chosen schemes has been evaluated using the results of time integration by the coupled soil moisture and surface temperature prediction model, BARESOIL, using in situ data. A sensitivity analysis was made using two sets of data derived from the volumetric soil moisture content of the top soil layer. One with values below the wilting point (0.17 m³m^–3) and the second with values above 0.20m³m^–3. Data sets were obtained at the experimental site Rimski anevi, Yugoslavia, from the bare surface of a chernozem soil.With 4 Figures     

The von Kármán constant determined by large eddy simulation

The present study explores the extent to which the logarithmic region of the adiabatic atmospheric boundary layer can be modeled using a three-dimensional large eddy simulation. A value of the von Kármán constant (_LES) is obtained by determining the slope of a logarithmic portion of the velocity profile. Its numerical value is found to be dependent on the value of the Smagorinsky-Model Reynolds number, Re_SM: the value of _LES increases with Re_SM. Results indicate that _LES approaches a value of 0.35 as Re_SM reaches about 7.75 × 10⁵ for the largest domain. The sensitivity of _LES to the profile region over which it is evaluated has been tested. Results show that _LES is not sensitive to the depth of this evaluation region when we employ five grids above the sub-grid buffer layer where sub-grid-scale effects dominate. The maximum _LES is obtained when the lower boundary of the evaluation region is just above the top of the sub-grid-scale buffer layer. This result is consistent with modelled mean speed and resolved-scale shear stress profiles.     

MCC and gull flight behavior

Wintertime observations of mesoscale cellular convection (MCC) over the East China Sea have resulted in criteria that have a remarkable similarity to those reported by Woodcock (1975) in the study of thermals and gull flight behavior. It has been determined that the surface wind speed (V) and the air-sea temperature difference (T) prescribe unique and compatible conditons for both the occurrence of MCC and soaring by sea gulls. Specifically, the onset of MCC when V is between 5 and 9 m s^–1 is inversely proportional to T in the range 5 to 7 °C. Elsewhere, the onset of MCC occurs under conditions of direct proportionality between V and T. Necessary conditions for the occurrence of MCC due to heating from below are T 5 °C and V 5 m s^–1. The boundaries of the convective regime for MCC are discussed and interpreted in accordance with the regime for sea-gull soaring and similarity concepts.     

Microwave vegetation optical depth and inverse modelling of soil emissivity using Nimbus/SMMR satellite observations

Summary A radiative transfer model has been used to determine the large scale effective 6.6 GHz and 37 GHz optical depths of the vegetation cover. Knowledge of the vegetation optical depth is important for satellite-based large scale soil moisture monitoring using microwave radiometry. The study is based on actual observed large scale surface soil moisture data and observed dual polarization 6.6 and 37 GHz Nimbus/SMMR brightness temperatures over a 3-year period. The derived optical depths have been compared with microwave polarization differences and polarization ratios in both frequencies and with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values from NOAA/AVHRR. A synergistic approach to derive surface soil emissivity from satellite observed brightness temperatures by inverse modelling is described. This approach improves the relationship between satellite derived surface emissivity and large scale top soil moisture fromR ²=0.45 (no correction for vegetation) toR ²=0.72 (after correction for vegetation). This study also confirms the relationship between the microwave-based MPDI and NDVI earlier described and explained in the literature.List of Symbols f frequency [Hz] - f _i(p) fractional absorption at polarizationp - h surface roughness - h h cos² - H horizontal polarization - n _i complex index of refraction - p polarization (H orV) - R _s microwave surface reflectivity - T _B(p) brightness temperature at polarizationp - T ^* normalized brightness temperature - T polarization difference (T _v-T _H) - T _s temperature of soil surface - T _c temperature of canopy - T _max daily maximum air temperature - T _min daily minimum air temperature - V vertical polarization - soil moisture distribution factor; also used for the constant to partition the influence of bound and free water components to the dielectric constant of the mixture - empirical complex constant related to soil texture - microwave transmissivity of vegetation (=e ^–) - ^* effective transmissivity of vegetation (assuming =0) - microwave emissivity - _s emissivity of smooth soil surface - _rs emissivity of rough soil surface - _vs emissivity of vegetated surface - soil moisture content (% vol.) - K dielectric constant [F·m^–1] - K _fw dielectric constant of free water [F·m^–1] - K _ss dielectric constant of soil solids [F·m^–1] - K _m dielectric constant of mixture [F·m^–1] - K _o permittivity of free space [8.854·10^–12 F·m^–1] - high frequency limit ofK _wf [F·m^–1] - wavelength [m] - incidence angle [degrees from nadir] - polarization ratio (T _H/T _V) - b soil bulk density [gr·cm^–3] - s soil particle density [gr·cm^–3] - R surface reflectivity in red portion of spectrum - NIR surface reflectivity in near infrared portion of spectrum - _eff effective conductivity of soil extract [mS·cm^–1] - vegetation optical depth - _6.6 vegetation optical depth at 6.6 GHz - ₃₇ vegetation optical depth at 37 GHz - ^* effective vegetation optical depth (assuming =0) - single scattering albedo of vegetation With 12 Figures     

The behaviour of a mixed-layer model of the convective boundary layer coupled to a big leaf model of surface energy partitioning

Daily mean values of the Priestley-Taylor coefficient, ¯, are derived from a simple model of the daily growth of a convective boundary layer. For a particular control set of driving environmental variables, ¯ is related to the prescribed bulk surface resistance, r_S by 1/¯ = 1/₀ + mr_S for parameters ₀ and m. The dependence of the parameters ₀ and m on weather is explored and a potential use of this linear relation to provide information about regional values of r_S is indicated.     

The behaviour of aerosol optical depth during clear summer days in Athens,Greece

Summary The integral aerosol optical depths (k ) at the hour of 08:20 Local Standard Time (LST), are compared with those calculated previously at 11:20 and 14:20 LST, for clear days during summer in Athens over the period 1962–1988. The mean values at 08:20 LST were consistently lower than the values at 11:20 and 14:20 LST. The influence of the vertical wind profile on the values ofk was also investigated. A comparison was made of the wind profiles at 02:00 and 14:00 LST, for days in which the 11:20 and 14:20 LST values ofk were 0.200 andk 0.350, respectively. The corresponding bulk wind shear s was also found for the period 1980–1988. The most significant results occurred with the first category of days. The resultant wind velocities from the surface to the 900 hPa level, in each hour were higher by 2–4 m·s^–1 with respect to the corresponding values for the second category. At 02:00 LST the bulk wind shear showed a considerable difference (1.8) between the two categories of days in the surface to 700 hPa layer at 02:00 LST. Finally, the associated weather conditions that appear to initiate a period of low values ofk (k 0.200) at 11:20 and 14:20 LST were examined for the period 1980–1988. Fifteen such cases were identified and it was found that they all occurred after the passage of weak cold fronts.With 6 Figures     

THE EJECTION-SWEEP CHARACTER OF SCALAR FLUXES IN THE UNSTABLE SURFACE LAYER

In the atmospheric surface layer, it is widely accepted that ejection andsweep eddy motions, typically associated with coherent structures, areresponsible for much of the land-surface evaporation, sensible heat, andmomentum fluxes. The present study analyzes the ejection-sweep propertiesusing velocity and scalar fluctuation measurements over tall natural grassand bare soil surfaces. It is shown that momentum ejections and sweeps occurat equal frequencies (D eject D sweep 0.29) irrespective of surfaceroughness length or atmospheric stability conditions. Also, their magnitudesare comparable to values reported from open channel velocity measurements (Dsweep 0.33; D eject : 0.30). The scalar D eject is constant andsimilar in magnitude to the momentum D eject( 0.29) over both surfacesand for a wide range of atmospheric stability conditions, in contrast to thescalar D sweep. The scalar sweep frequency is shown to depend on the scalarskewness for the dynamic convective and free convective sublayers, but isidentical to D eject for the dynamic sublayer. The threshold scalar skewnessat which the D sweep dependence occurs is 0.25, in agreement with theaccepted temperature skewness value at near-neutral conditions. In contrastto a previous surface-layer experiment, this investigation demonstrates thatthe third-order cumulant expansion method (CEM) reproduces the measuredrelative flux contribution of ejections and sweeps (S0) for momentumand scalars at both sites. Furthermore, a linkage between S0 and thescalar variance budget is derived via the third-order CEM in analogy tomomentum. It is shown that S0 can be related to the flux divergenceterm and that such a relationship can be estimated from surface-layersimilarity theory, and the three sublayer model of Kader and Yaglom andproposed similarity functions.     

Similarity of atmospheric Reynolds shear stress and heat flux fluctuations over a rough surface

Horizontal u and vertical w velocity fluctuations have been measured together with temperature fluctuations in the atmospheric surface layer, at a small height above a wheat crop canopy. Marginal probability density functions are presented for both individual fluctuations u, w, and for the instantaneous Reynolds stress uw, and heat fluxes w and u. Probability density functions of the velocity fluctuations deviate less significantly from the Gaussian form than the probability density of temperature. There appears to be closer similarity between statistics of the instantaneous heat fluxes than between the momentum flux and either of the heat fluxes investigated. The mean momentum flux receives equal contributions from the events referred to as ejections and sweeps in laboratory boundary layers. Sweeps provide the largest contribution to the heat fluxes.     

An observational study of heat fluxes and their relationships with net radiation

Experimental evidence indicates that the diurnal behaviour of the fluxes of heat into the ground and into the atmosphere versus the net flux of radiation can be modelled by closed curves, the hourly values folowing one another in either a clockwise or counter clockfashion. A general formulation to express the different heat fluxes as a function of net radiation is proposed. This relationship between the different heat fluxes and can be expressed as a sum of three terms: the first indicates a direct proportionality to , the second gives the deviation from linearity and depends on /t, and the third gives the value of the flux when = 0. The formulae are then expressed as a function of time and the ratios between the heat fluxes and are evaluated. A comparison with the approximations generally used shows that the latter may be considered as particular cases of the more general equations proposed here.     

The Kolmogorov constant for carbon dioxide in the atmospheric surface layer over a paddy field

From measurements in the atmospheric surface layer over a paddy field, the Kolmogorov constants for CO₂ and longitudinal wind velocity were obtained. In this study, the nondimensional dissipation rate _nc = (1–16 _v )^-1/2 for CO₂ variance and = (1–16 _v )^-1/4 – _v for turbulent energy were used, assuming the equality of the local production term and the local dissipation term, and neglecting the divergence flux term in the budget equation. The value of the constant for CO₂ was consistent with recent determinations for temperature and humidity. The constant for longitudinal wind velocity showed good agreement with other recent observations.     

Analytical investigations of horizontal meso-scale momentum equations with Newtonian nudging

Summary This study presents an analytical investigation of the local behaviour of the solution to a mesoscale model with Newtonian nudging when observed winds are time varying. The analysis examines each Fourier component of the time series of observed winds. Unlike the case with a constant observed wind, the nudged wind vector does not asymptotically approach the observed wind. In response to sinusoidal oscillation of the observed wind, the nudged wind vector is always on a half circle connecting the vector ends of the observed and un-nudged modelled winds. When nudging parameter 0, the nudged wind vector approaches the un-nudged wind; when , the nudged wind vector approaches the observed wind. For commonly used values of nudging parameter , the modelled wind field always carries errors.A target nudging scheme is devised in this study in order to ensure the model result is identical to observed winds with sinusoidal oscillation. Investigation shows that such a target wind exists for a finite value of , and the magnitude of the target-nudging term is about the same as that of a normal nudging term if f, wheref is the Coriolis parameter and is the frequency of the wind oscillation.With 7 Figures     

Observation of lake breeze penetration and subsequent development of the thermal internal boundary layer for the Nanticoke II Shoreline Diffusion Experiment

The turbulent structure of the lake breeze penetration and subsequent development of the thermal internal boundary layer (TIBL) was observed using a kytoon-mounted ultrasonic anemometer-thermometer. The lake breeze penetrated with an upward rolling motion associated with the upward flow near the lake breeze front. After the lake breeze front passed, the behaviors of the velocity and temperature at the top of the lake breeze layer were similar to those found in convective boundary layers (CBL). Comparing _gq/_*, _u /w _* and _w /w _* between the present observation of TIBL development after the passage of the lake breeze front and CBL data from the literature, the /_* values showed reasonable agreement; however, _u /w _* and _w /W_* had smaller values in the TIBL than in the CBL at higher altitudes. This is due to the differences in the mean velocity profiles. While the CBL has a uniform velocity profile, the TIBL has a peak at lower elevation due to the lake breeze penetration; the velocity then decreases with height.Present address: The Institute of Behavioral Science, 1-35-7 Yoyogi, Tokyo 151, Japan.     

Changing thermal topography of the Baltimore-Washington corridor: 1950–1979

A study of the temperature field for the Baltimore-Washington region reveals that since 1950 there has been the development of an urban heat corridor. Trend surface analysis shows that there has been an inversion of the thermal topography in the region as a saddle of rising temperatures has emerged, replacing a trough of lowered temperatures through three decades. Steady population growth throughout the area is seen to be the most important contributor. The strengthening of the heat corridor is best expressed in the summer months and weakest during the winter months. As population continues to grow in this region, the thermal topography is sure to be modified even further.It is recommended that further study be devoted to temperature and precipitation changes in regions experiencing urban growth.     

Measurements of solar radiation and estimation of optical depth in the high Andes of Peru

Summary During an expedition to the high Andes of Southern Peru in June–July 1977, measurements of direct solar radiation in four spectral bands (0.270–0.530–0.630–0.695–2.900 ) were conducted at six sites in elevations ranging from sea level to 5645 m. These measurements were evaluated in Langley plots to determine total optical depths () and irradiances at the top of the atmosphere. In addition, water vapor optical depths (_wv) were calculated from the mean radiosounding over Lima during the expedition, and Rayleigh (_ray) and ozone (_oz) optical depths were obtained from published tabulations. Subtracting _ray, _oz, and _wv from yielded estimates of aerosol optical depth _aer. The components _ray and _oz decrease from the shorter towards the longer wavelength bands and from the lower towards the higher elevation sites; _aer also decreases towards the higher elevations. Particularly pronounced is the decrease of _aer and from the lowlands of the Pacific coast to the highlands of the interior, reflecting the effect of a persistent lower-tropospheric inversion and the contrast from the marine boundary layer to the clear atmosphere of the high Andes.With 4 Figures