Large-Eddy Simulation of air Pollution Dispersion in the Nocturnal Cloud-Topped Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Effects of stratocumulus clouds on the dispersion of contaminants are studied in the nocturnal atmospheric boundary layer. The study is based on a large-eddy simulation (LES) model with a bulk parametrization of clouds. Computations include Lagrangian calculations of atmospheric dispersion of a passive tracer released from point sources at various heights above the ground. The results obtained show that the vertical diffusion is non-Gaussian and depends on the location of a source in the boundary layer.     

Land-Surface Heterogeneity Effects in the Planetary Boundary Layer

We investigate the cumulative added value of assimilating temperature, moisture, and wind observations in the three-dimensional non-hydrostatic Fifth-Generation Pennsylvania State University/National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model MM5 and use these forecasts to analyze the relationship between surface forcing and planetary boundary-layer (PBL) depth. A data assimilation methodology focused on the surface and the PBL, previously tested in a one-dimensional version of MM5, is applied to 29 May, 6 June, and 7 June 2002 during the International $\hbox {H}_{2}\hbox {O}$ Project over the Southern Great Plains. Model-predicted PBL depth is evaluated against PBL depth diagnosed from data across 4,800 km of airborne lidar data (flight tracks 100–300 km long). The forecast with data assimilation verifies better against observations and is thus used to investigate the environmental conditions that govern PBL depth. The spatial structure in PBL depth is found to be most affected by spatial variations in surface buoyancy flux and capping inversion strength. The spatial scales of surface flux forcing reflected in the PBL depth are found through Fourier analysis and multiresolution decomposition. Correlations are ${<}0.50$ at scales of 64 km or less and increase at larger scales for 29 May and 6 June, but on 7 June low correlations are found at all scales, possibly due to greater within-PBL wind speeds, a stronger capping inversion on this day, and clouds. The results suggest a minimum scale, a function of wind speed, below which heterogeneity in surface buoyancy fluxes is not reflected directly in PBL depth.     

A Wind-Tunnel Artificially-Thickened Simulated Weakly Unstable Atmospheric Boundary Layer

A wind-tunnel simulation of an atmospheric boundary layer, artificially thickened as is often used in neutral flow wind-loading studies, has been investigated for weakly unstable stratification, including the effect of an overlying inversion. Rather than using a uniform inlet temperature profile, the inlet profile was adjusted iteratively by using measured downstream profiles. It was found that three cycles are sufficient for there to be no significant further change in profiles of temperature and other quantities. Development to nearly horizontally-homogeneous flow took a longer distance than in the neutral case because the simulated layer was deeper and therefore the length scales larger. Comparisons show first-order and second-order moments quantities are substantially larger than given by ‘standard forms’ in the mixed layer but are close in the surface layer. Modified functions, obtained by matching one to the other, are suggested that amount to an interpolation in the mixed layer between the strongly unstable and the weakly unstable cases.     

Impact of Different Aerosols on the Evolution of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

The present work analyzes the effect of aerosols on the evolution of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over Shangdianzi in Beijing.A one-dimensional ABL model and a radiative transfer scheme are incorporated to develop the structure of the ABL.The diurnal variation of the atmospheric radiative budget,atmospheric heating rate,sensible and latent heat fluxes,surface and the 2 m air temperatures as well as the ABL height,and its perturbations due to the aerosols with different single-scattering albedo (SSA) are studied by comparing the aerosol-laden atmosphere to the clean atmosphere.The results show that the absorbing aerosols cause less reduction in surface evaporation relative to that by scatting aerosols,and both surface temperature and 2 m temperature decrease from the clean atmosphere to the aerosol-laden atmosphere.The greater the aerosol absorption,the more stable the surface layer.After 12:00 am,the 2 m temperature increases for strong absorption aerosols.In the meantime,there is a slight decrease in the 2 m temperature for purely scattering aerosols due to radiative cooling.The purely scattering aerosols decrease the ABL temperature and enhance the capping inversion,further reducing the ABL height.     

On the Possible Impact of a Following-Swell on the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

A simple model of the atmospheric boundary layer over the ocean where the swell impact on the atmosphere is explicitly accounted for is suggested. The model is based on Ekman’s equations, where the stress in the wave boundary layer is split into two parts: the turbulent and wave-induced stress. The turbulent stress is parameterized traditionally via the eddy viscosity proportional to the generalized mixing length. The wave-induced stress directed upward (from swell to the atmosphere) is parameterized using the formalism of the wind-over-waves coupling theory. The model can be seen as an extension of the model by Kudryavtsev and Makin (J Phys Oceanogr 34:934–949, 2004) to the scale of the entire atmospheric boundary layer by including the Coriolis force into the momentum conservation equation and generalizing the definition of the mixing length. The regime of low winds for swell propagating along the wind direction is studied. It is shown that the impact of swell on the atmosphere is governed mainly by the swell parameter—the coupling parameter that is the product of the swell steepness and the growth rate coefficient. When the coupling parameter drops below − 1 the impact of swell becomes significant and affects the entire atmospheric boundary layer. The turbulent stress is enhanced near the surface as compared to the no-swell case, and becomes negative above the height of the inner region. The wind profile is characterized by a positive gradient near the surface and a negative gradient above the height of the inner region forming a characteristic bump at the height of the inner region. Results of the model agree at least qualitatively with observations performed in the atmosphere in presence of swell.     

城市大气边界层的数值研究

本文利用能量闭合的二维非线性、非定常模式,结合地面热量平衡方程,研究了城市热岛和城市热岛环流以及其它相关的城市边界层参量的发展演变规律;同时探讨了在城市污染面源的情况下,污染物的扩散、输送问题.模拟结果得到了天津市城市热岛观测资料的证实.     

The Atmospheric Boundary Layer Over Baltic Sea Ice

A new parametrization for the surface energy balance of urban areas is presented. It is shown that this new method can represent some of the important urban phenomena, such as an urban heat island and the occurrence of a near-neutral nocturnal boundary layer with associated positive turbulent heat fluxes, unlike the traditional method for representing urban areas within operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. The basis of the new parametrization is simple and can be applied easily within an operational NWP model. Also, it has no additional computational expense compared to the traditional scheme and is hence applicable for operational forecasting requirements. The results show that the errors for London within the Met Office operational mesoscale model have been significantly reduced since the new scheme was introduced. The bias and root-mean-square (rms) errors have been approximately halved, with the rms error now similar to the model as a whole. The results also show that a seasonal cycle still exists in the model errors, but it is suggested that this may be caused by anthropogenic heat sources that are neglected in the urban scheme.The British Crowns right to retain a non-exclusive royalty-free license in and to any copyright is acknowledged.     

Turbulent Helicity in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

We consider the assumption postulated by Deusebio and Lindborg (J Fluid Mech 755:654–671, 2014) that the helicity injected into the Ekman boundary layer undergoes a cascade, with preservation of its sign (right- or alternatively left-handedness), which is a signature of the system rotation, from large to small scales, down to the Kolmogorov microscale of turbulence. At the same time, recent direct field measurements of turbulent helicity in the steppe region of southern Russia near Tsimlyansk Reservoir show the opposite sign of helicity from that expected. A possible explanation for this phenomenon may be the joint action of different scales of atmospheric flows within the boundary layer, including the sea-breeze circulation over the test site. In this regard, we consider a superposition of the classic Ekman spiral solution and Prandtl’s jet-like slope-wind profile to describe the planetary boundary-layer wind structure. The latter solution mimics a hydrostatic shallow breeze circulation over a non-uniformly heated surface. A 180°-wide sector on the hodograph plane exists, within which the relative orientation of the Ekman and Prandtl velocity profiles favours the left rotation with height of the resulting wind velocity vector in the lowermost part of the boundary layer. This explains the negative (left-handed) helicity cascade toward small-scale turbulent motions, which agrees with the direct field measurements of turbulent helicity in Tsimlyansk. A simple turbulent relaxation model is proposed that explains the measured positive values of the relatively minor contribution to turbulent helicity from the vertical components of velocity and vorticity.     

大气边界层气象学研究综述

文中回顾了大气边界层气象学的发展历史，总结了目前大气边界层气象学的主要进展，并指出国内外在未来大气边界层气象学研究方面面临的一些主要科学问题，以及对未来大气边界层气象学的发展方向提出若干建议，同时还指出了大气边界层气象学在思想上和方法上应该注意的一些相关问题。     

On Modelling the One-Dimensional Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Several commonly used turbulence closure schemes forthe atmospheric boundarylayer (ABL) are applied to simulate neutral, nocturnal and diurnal cyclesituations in a one-dimensional ABL. Results obtained with the differentschemes, E-, E- and its modified versions, and twoversions ofthe q ² Level 2.5, are compared and discussed.     

Some Basic Properties of the Surrogate Subgrid-Scale Heat Flux in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

The development of improved subgrid-scale (SGS) models for large-eddy simulation of scalar transport in the atmospheric boundary layer requires an improved understanding of basic properties of the SGS fluxes. High frequency atmospheric wind speed and temperature data sampled at a height of 1.7 m are used to measure SGS heat fluxes and dissipation of temperature variance, by means of one-dimensional filtering and invoking Taylor's hypothesis. Conditional averaging is used to isolate interesting features of the SGS signals, and to relate them to the large-scale characteristics of the flow, such as the presence of coherent structures. Both mean and conditionally averaged SGS quantities are compared with those obtained using a standard eddy-diffusivity model. Within the limitations imposed by the one-dimensional data analysis, we observe that the model appears unable to reproduce important features of the real signals, such as the negative dissipation of temperature variance associated with strong negative resolved temperature gradients due to the ejection of warm air under unstable atmospheric stability conditions.     

Numerical Study Of The Impact Of Coherent Structures On Vertical Transfers In The Atmospheric Boundary Layer

In two preceding papers, coherent structures of theatmospheric boundary layer (ABL), such as rollvortices or cells, were investigated through radar andaircraft observations collected during the TRAC-93(Turbulence Radar Aircraft Cells) experiment held inFrance in June 1993. The analysis of this experimentaldata set provided information on the spatialcharacteristics of these organisations (length scale,orientation, type ... ), their temporal and verticalevolution, and their relation with the dynamic andthermodynamic conditions of the ABL. For the thirdpaper in this series, a large eddy simulation model is used to examine the impact of thecoherent structures on the ABL vertical fluxes. Theanalysis of the simulated horizontal fields is madewith two-dimensional auto and cross-correlationsapplied on different pertinent ABL variables. Theresults emphasise a directional anisotropy of theseorganised fields throughout the ABL, much morepronounced in the heat flux fields, not only at thelength scale of organisations but also at theturbulence scales. This finding has an importantconsequence for traditional ABL flux measurementsbased on the hypothesis of isotropic and homogeneousturbulence. It can explain part of the underestimationof the surface fluxes often mentioned in theliterature. This approach makes it possible tomodify the concept of diffusion time (in chemicalmodelling) and could also lead to revised ABLparameterisations in Range Scale models.     

夜间城市大气边界层和气溶胶的相互作用

本文利用能量闭合的二维非线性、非定常模式,结合地面热量平衡方程,研究了夜间城市边界层和气溶胶的相互作用问题。结果表明：气溶胶在夜间对大气低层起保温作用,对大气上层起冷却作用;使大气低层稳定度减小,上层稳定度增加;此外,气溶胶还能够削弱贴地逆温强度。在正常城市气溶胶污染情况下,气溶胶对城市热岛强度影响不大,但可使城市热岛环流稍有增加。夜间城市边界层对气溶胶的反馈作用使大气下层气溶胶浓度减小,上层气溶胶浓度增加。上述部分结论得到了在天津取得的城市热岛观测资料的直接验证。     

Impact of Sea-Spray on the Atmospheric Surface Layer

The feedback effects of sea-spray on the heat and momentum fluxes under equilibrium conditions associated with winds of tropical cyclones are investigated using a one-dimensional coupled sea-spray and atmospheric surface-layer (ASL) model. This model is capable of simulating the microphysical aspects of the evaporation of saline water droplets of various sizes and their dynamic and thermal interaction with the turbulence mixing that is simulated by the Mellor–Yamada 1.5-order closure scheme. Sea-spray droplet generation is described by a state-of-the-art parametrization that predicts the size spectrum of sea-spray droplets for a given surface forcing. The results from a series of simulations indicate the way in which evaporating droplets of various sizes modify the turbulence mixing near the surface, which in turn affects further droplet evaporation. All these results are direct consequences of the effects of sea-spray on the balance of turbulent kinetic energy in the spray-filled surface layer. In particular, the overall impact of sea-spray droplets on the mean wind depends on the wind speed at the level of sea-spray generation. When the wind speed is below 40 m s⁻¹, the droplets are small in size and tend to evaporate substantially and thus cool the spray-filled layer, while for wind speeds above 50 m s⁻¹, the size of the droplets is so large that they do not have enough time to evaporate much before falling back into the sea. The sensible heat carried by the droplets is released to the ambient air, increasing the buoyancy of the surface layer and enhancing the turbulent mixing. The suspension of sea-spray droplets reduces the buoyancy and makes the surface layer more stable, decreasing the friction velocity and the downward turbulent mixing of momentum. The results from the numerical experiments also suggest that, in order not to violate the constant flux assumption critical to the Monin–Obukhov similarity theory, a displacement equal to the mean wave height should be included in the logarithmic profiles of the wind and thermal fields.     

Research Progress on Estimation of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Height

Atmospheric boundary layer height(ABLH) is an important parameter used to depict characteristics of the planetary boundary layer(PBL) in the lower troposphere. The ABLH is strongly associated with the vertical distributions of heat, mass, and energy in the PBL, and it is a key quantity in numerical simulation of the PBL and plays an essential role in atmospheric environmental assessment. In this paper, various definitions and methods for deriving and estimating the ABLH are summarized, from the perspectives of turbulent motion, PBL dynamics and thermodynamics, and distributions of various substances in the PBL. Different methods for determining the ABLH by means of direct observation and remote sensing retrieval are reviewed, and comparisons of the advantages and disadvantages of these methods are presented. The paper also summarizes the ABLH parameterization schemes, discusses current problems in the estimation of ABLH, and finally points out the directions for possible future breakthroughs in the ABLHrelated research and application.     

Analytical Solution for the Convectively-Mixed Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Based on the prognostic equations of mixed-layer theory assuming a zeroth order jump at the entrainment zone, analytical solutions for the boundary-layer height evolution are derived with different degrees of accuracy. First, an exact implicit expression for the boundary-layer height for a situation without moisture is analytically derived without assuming any additional relationships or specific initial conditions. It is shown that to expand the solution to include moisture, only minor approximations have to be made. Second, for relatively large boundary-layer heights, the implicit representation is simplified to an explicit function. Third, a hybrid expression is proposed as a reasonable representation for the boundary-layer height evolution during the entire day. Subsequently, the analysis is extended to present the evolution of any boundary-layer averaged scalar, either inert or under idealized chemistry, as an analytical function of time and boundary-layer height. Finally, the analytical solutions are evaluated. This evaluation includes a sensitivity analysis of the boundary-layer height for the entrainment ratio, the free tropospheric lapse rate of the potential temperature, the time-integrated surface flux and the initial boundary-layer height and potential temperature jump.     

Small-Scale Variability in the Coastal Atmospheric Boundary Layer

The influence of the main large-scale wind directions on thermally driven mesoscale circulations at the Baltic southwest coast, southeast of Sweden, is examined. The aim of the study is to highlight small-scale alterations in the coastal atmospheric boundary layer. A numerical three-dimensional mesoscale model is used in this study, which is focused on an overall behaviour of the coastal jets, drainage flows, sea breezes, and a low-level eddy-type flow in particular. It is shown that synoptic conditions, together with the moderate terrain of the southeast of Sweden (max. height h₀ 206 m), governs the coastal mesoscale dynamics triggered by the land-sea temperature difference T. The subtle nature of coastal low-level jets and sea breezes is revealed; their patterns are dictated by the interplay between synoptic airflow, coastline orientation, and T.The simulations show that coastal jets typically occur during nighttime and vary in height, intensity and position with respect to the coast; they interact with downslope flows and the background wind. For the assigned land surface temperature (varying ±8 K from the sea temperature) and the opposing constant geostrophic wind 8 m s^-1, the drainage flow is more robust to the opposing ambient flow than the sea breeze later on. Depending on the part of the coast under consideration, and the prevailing ambient wind, the sea breeze can be suppressed or enhanced, stationary at the coast or rapidly penetrating inland, locked up in phase with another dynamic system or almost independently self-evolving. A low-level eddy structure is analyzed. It is governed by tilting, divergence and horizontal advection terms. The horizontal extent of the coastal effects agrees roughly with the Rossby radius of deformation.