The characteristics of turbulent moisture on Huaihe river basin in China

Summary ?A lot of work on near surface turbulence characteristics has been done in the experimental study of atmospheric turbulence, but little work on fluctuating scalar field has been done, especially on some quantities such as moisture and pollution. In this paper, with the methods of statistical theory, Fourier transform, fractal geometry and wavelet transform, the turbulent moisture data obtained from Huaihe River Basin Experiment (HUBEX) are studied to explore the statistical, spectral, fractal and intermittent characteristics of turbulent moisture. The results show that: (1) In the high humid area such as Huaihe river basin, the moisture plays an important role in the surface energy balance, energy transportation and cycle. (2) The energy spectra and cospectra are in agreement with the “−2/3” and “−4/3” scaling power law correspondingly in inertial sub-range. (3) The fractal dimension of turbulent moisture in Huaihe river basin is clearly higher than that in other areas (such as Beijing). (4) The fluctuating moisture field has strong intermittency, and is not in accordance with the Kolmogorov theory. With the orthonormal wavelet transform, the dissipative events of the fluctuating moisture field contributing to inertial sub-range intermittency buildup have been identified. After the dissipative events have been suppressed by introducing a conditioning wavelet sampling scheme, the intermittency that affects the statistical structure of inertial sub-range is restrained. However the repressive effects of intermittency on turbulent moisture field are worse than those on turbulent velocity field. The reason may be either the intermittency of turbulent moisture is strong or some coherence structures exist in the turbulent moisture field. Received April 27, 2001; Revised January 23, 2002     

Analysis of atmospheric flow over a surface protrusion using the turbulence kinetic energy equation

Flow over surface obstructions can produce significantly large wind shears such that adverse flying conditions can occur for aeronautical systems (helicopters, STOL vehicles, etc.) Atmospheric flow fields resulting from a semi-elliptical surface obstruction in an otherwise horizontally homogeneous statistically stationary flow are modelled with the boundary-layer / Boussinesq-approximation of the governing equation of fluid mechanics. The turbulence kinetic energy equation is used to determine the dissipative effects of turbulent shear on the mean flow. Mean-flow results are compared with those given in a previous paper where the same problem was attacked using a Prandtl mixing-length hypothesis. The diffusion and convection of turbulence kinetic energy not accounted for in the Prandtl mixing-length concept cause departures of the mean wind profiles from those previously computed, primarily in the regions of strong pressure gradients. Iso-lines of turbulence kinetic energy and turbulence intensity are plotted in the plane of the flow. They highlight regions of high turbulence intensity in the stagnation zone and sharp gradients in intensity along the transition from adverse to favourable pressure gradient.     

Along-Coast Features of Bora-Related Turbulence

The along-coast, offshore turbulence structure of the Bora flow that occurred on 7 November 1999 during the Mesoscale Alpine Programme (MAP) Intensive Observation Period 15 is examined. In this analysis we employ the aircraft and dropsonde data obtained over the Adriatic Sea, where the turbulence structure is determined by estimating turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and its dissipation rate along the flight legs. The turbulence characteristics of Bora in the lee of the Dinaric Alps is greatly influenced by the mesoscale Bora flow structure over the Adriatic Sea, which in the cross-wind direction features an interchange of jets and wakes related to mountain gaps and peaks. In order to establish the origin of turbulence, the Weather Research and Forecasting—Advanced Research WRF (WRF-ARW) numerical model is used and its results are compared to the measurements. All five TKE-prediction parametrization schemes available in the model show reasonable agreement with the measured values. Since these parametrization schemes do not have horizontal advection included, they suggest that the along-flight structure of the Bora turbulence is principally generated by the local vertical wind shear. Further evidence is needed to support this hypothesis.     

Observations of turbulent boundary-layer interaction with a thunderstorm outflow — A possible wake region energy source

Laboratory and numerical model simulations of turbulent circulations within the wake regions of thunderstorm outflows have been done with the assumption that there is no turbulence within the ambient airmass. Furthermore, many observational studies have used Doppler radar data that have been filtered so that turbulent structures are reduced in amplitude or eliminated altogether. This study presents unique Doppler radar observations of the collision of a roll-like boundary-layer circulation with a gust flow. The boundary-layer circulation is seen to interact with the circulation within the gust flow head and to reappear within the wake region. It is suggested that the ambient boundary layer may be an energy source for the generation and/or maintenance of turbulence in the wake region.     

Characteristics of canopy turbulence over a deciduous forest on complex terrain

Canopy turbulence plays an important role in mass and energy exchanges at the canopy-atmosphere interface. Despite extensive studies on canopy turbulence over a flat terrain, less attention has been given to canopy turbulence in a complex terrain. The purpose of this study is to scrutinize characteristics of canopy turbulence in roughness sublayer over a hilly forest terrain. We investigated basic turbulence statistics, conditionally sampled statistics, and turbulence spectrum in terms of different atmospheric stabilities, wind direction and vertical structures of momentum fluxes. Similarly to canopy turbulence over a homogeneous terrain, turbulence statistics showed coherent structure. Both quadrant and spectrum analysis corroborated the role of intermittent and energetic eddies with length scale of the order of canopy height, regardless of wind direction except for shift of peak in vertical wind spectrum to relatively high frequency in the down-valley wind. However, the magnitude of the momentum correlation coefficient in a neutral condition was smaller than typical value over a flat terrain. Further scrutiny manifested that, in the up-valley flow, temperature skewness was larger and the contribution of ejection to both momentum and heat fluxes was larger compared to the downvalley flow, indicating that thermal instability and weaker wind shear in up-valley flow asymmetrically affect turbulent transport within the canopy.     

植被内部及其上方湍流场的数值模拟

植被内部及其上方的湍流流场对于了解植被与大气之间的动量、热量和质量交换过程极其重要。本文把高阶湍流封闭模型的Reynolds应力方程模型(RSM)应用于植被湍流的计算,得到了风速、湍流动能、Reynolds应力及能量耗散率的垂直分布,与现场观测数据比较,甚为满意。     

Measurements and predictions of turbulent recirculating flow over a rectangular depression

Measurements of mean velocity and turbulence intensity components are reported for flow over a two-dimensional rectangular depression; these include measurements in the highly turbulent regions of recirculating flow. Predictions of the mean-flow variables were obtained from three finite-difference models: (1) a vorticity stream-function model using constant effective viscosity, (2) a primitive variable model using constant effective viscosity, and (3) a primitive variable model in which effective viscosity is computed from a turbulence model. The turbulent kinetic energy was also predicted by the last of these models. These predictions were compared with the measurements in order to evaluate what accuracy can be expected when state-of-the-art finite-difference models are applied to complex flow situations in the atmospheric environment. Some areas are noted where improvement of modeling capabilities for complex flows is still needed.     

Daytime Turbulence Statistics above a Steep Forested Slope

Six levels of simultaneously sampled ultrasonic data are used to analyse the turbulence structure within a mixed forest of 13 m height on a steep slope (35°) in an alpine valley. The data set is compared to other studies carried out over forests in more ideal, flat terrain. The analysis is carried out for 30-min mean data, joint probability distributions, length scales and spectral characteristics.Thermally induced upslope winds and cold air drainage lead to a wind speed maximum within the trunk space. Slope winds are superimposed on valley winds and the valley-wind component becomes stronger with increasing height. Slope and valley winds are thus interacting on different spatial and time scales leading to a quite complex pattern in momentum transport that differs significantly from surface-layer characteristics. Directional shear causes lateral momentum transports that are in the same order or even larger than the longitudinal ones. In the canopy, however, a sharp attenuation of turbulence is observed. Skewed distributions of velocity components indicate that intermittent turbulent transport plays an important role in the energy distribution.Even though large-scale pressure fields lead to characteristic features in the turbulent structure that are superimposed on the canopy flow, it is found that many statistical properties typical of both mixing layers and canopy flow are observed in the data set.     

NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF TURBULENT FLOW IN AND ABOVE PLANT CANOPIES

The turbulent flow in and above plant canopies is of fundamental importance to the understanding oftransport processes of momentum,heat and mass between plant canopies and atmosphere,and to microme-teorology.The Reynolds stress equation model(RSM)has been applied to calculate the turbulence in cano-pies in this paper.The calculated mean wind velocity profiles,Reynolds stress,turbulent kinetic energy andviscous dissipation rate in a corn canopy and a spruce forest are compared with field observed data and withWilson's and Shaw's model.The velocity profiles and Rynolds stress calculated by both models are in goodagreement,and the length scale of turbulence appears to be similar.     

On the downward transport of turbulent kinetic energy in the surface layer over plant canopies

Downward fluxes of turbulent kinetic energy have been frequently observed in the air layer just above plant canopies. In order to investigate the mechanism for such downward transport, analysis of observational data is attempted. Height-dependency of turbulent kinetic energy flux and turbulence statistics including higher order moments is represented as a function of a non-dimensional height z/H, where z is an observational height and H an average height of plant canopies. Downward fluxes and non-Gaussianity of wind velocity fluctuations are predominant just above plant canopies and decrease with increasing height. The downward flux is closely related to the high intensity of turbulence and the non-Gaussianity of wind velocity fluctuations, especially with a positive skewness in the longitudinal wind and a negative skewness in the vertical wind. The analysis method of conditional sampling and averaging is applied to the present observations. The results show that the predominance of the intermittent inrush phase over the intermittent ejection phase leads to the above-mentioned non-Gaussianity. Finally, a simple explanation is given in order to interpret the turbulent flow structure in the air layer near the plant canopies, which is associated with the downward energy transport process.     

Organized structures in developing turbulent flow within and above a plant canopy,using a Large Eddy Simulation

A Large Eddy Simulation (LES) model representing the air flow within and above a plant canopy layer has been completed. Using this model, the organized structures of turbulent flow in the early developmental stages of a crop are simulated and discussed in detail.The effect of the drag due to vegetation is expressed by a term added to the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation averaged over the grid scale. For the formulation of sub-grid turbulence processes, the equations for the time-dependent SGS (Sub-Grid-Scale) turbulence energy equation is used, which includes the effects of dissipation (both by viscosity and leaf drag), shear production and diffusion.The organized structure of turbulent flow at the air-plant interface, obtained numerically by the model, yields its contribution to momentum transfer. The three-dimensional large eddy structures, which are composed of spanwise vortices (rolls) and streamwise vortices (ribs), are simulated near the air-plant interface. They are induced by the shear instability at inflection points of the velocity profile. The structure clearly has a life cycle. The instantaneous image of the structure is similar to those observed in the field observations of Gaoet al. (1989) and in the laboratory flume experiments of Ikeda and Ota (1992). These organized structures also account for the well known fact that the sweep motion of turbulence dominates momentum transport within and just above a plant canopy, and the motion of ejection prevails in the higher regions.     

Vertical Structure Of Turbulence In Offshore Flow During Rasex

The adjustment of the boundary layer immediately downstream froma coastline is examined based on two levels of eddy correlation data collected on a mast at the shore and six levels of eddy correlation data and profiles of mean variables collected from a mast 2 km offshore during the Risø Air-Sea Experiment. The characteristics of offshore flow are studied in terms of case studies and inter-variable relationships for the entire one-month data set. A turbulent kinetic energy budget is constructed for each case study.The buoyancy generation of turbulence is small compared to shear generation and dissipation. However, weakly stable and weakly unstable cases exhibit completely different vertical structure. With flow of warm air from land over cooler water, modest buoyancy destruction of turbulence and reduced shear generation of turbulence over the less rough sea surface cause the turbulence to rapidly weaken downstream from the coast. The reduction of downward mixing of momentum by the stratification leads to smaller roughness lengths compared to the unstable case. Shear generation at higher levels and advection of stronger turbulence from land often lead to an increase of stress and turbulence energy with height and downward transport of turbulence energy toward the surface.With flow of cool air over a warmer sea surface, a convective internal boundary layer develops downstream from the coast. An overlying relatively thick layer of downward buoyancy flux (virtual temperature flux) is sometimes maintained by shear generation in the accelerating offshore flow.     

Spectral Maxima In A Perturbed Stable Boundary Layer

Wind velocity data have been collected on Nansen Ice Sheet, Antarctica, close to the base of a steeply sloping glacier along which frequently flow katabatic winds. The aim of this study is to investigate how turbulent energy and momentum flux are perturbed by the flow interaction with topography and by the strong mechanical mixing produced by downslope flows. Spectral and cospectral analyses, performed on the wind velocity components, provide evidence that such a perturbation, at any stability, is restricted to frequencies lower than the inertial subrange. Longitudinal spectra display an energy increment, due to turbulence generated by topography and by mechanical forcing related to the katabatic wind structure. The energy, supplied by the topographic forcing, displaces the turbulent energy maximum toward lower frequencies. In near-neutral stratification the spectral maximum occurs at a reduced frequency, which seems to be consistent with the height of the steepest part of the slope, and seems to shift toward higher frequencies as a linear ,function of the local stability parameter,L_l. The parameterisation of the orographic perturbation by means of a similarity relationship allows us to scale u spectra in the same way as over uniform terrain. The scaled, perturbed spectra collapse onto a unique curve in the mid-frequency as well in the inertial subrange, while maxima are grouped in a cluster. Lateral and vertical velocity spectra exhibit shapes independent of stability, suggesting a topographic perturbation that is predominantly over stability effects.     

Hilbert方法在大气边界层湍流特征分析中的有效性

介绍一种新的建立在经验模态分解(EMD)方法基础上的非线性、非平稳数据分析技术一Hilbert分析技术,并首次将其应用于大气边界层(PBL)湍流数据的分析,初步探讨了其在PBL湍流研究中的有效性.通过对城市与森林冠层上湍流资料的能量分布特征和统计平稳度进行分析、比较,结果表明:Hilbert谱分析能有效地对PBL湍流信号进行分析.它的边缘谱分析能够有效地探测PBL湍流信号的能量分布特征,统计平稳度分析也能有效地给出PBL湍流信号平稳性的定量化测量,这些将有助于建立合适的数据质量控制方法,以及对现有空气质量与扩散模式中扩散参数的计算加以改进.文中个例分析中,城市和森林冠层上空的湍流有一定相似性,湍流混合都比较充分,但森林冠层上湍流信号的能量更多地集中在大尺度湍涡,且扰动风速的高频部分具有更强的间歇性.对于相近高度的湍流信号来说,多数情况下,森林冠层上相同尺度的湍涡表现得比城市冠层上更不稳定,但湍涡的含能量要更低.     

An Investigation into Ridge-Top Turbulence Characteristics During Neutral and Weakly Stable Conditions: Velocity Spectra and Isotropy

An investigation into high Reynolds number turbulent flow over a ridge top in New Zealand is described based on high-resolution in-situ measurements, using ultrasonic anemometers for two separate locations on the same ridge with differing upwind terrain complexity. Twelve 5-h periods during neutrally stratified and weakly stable atmospheric conditions with strong wind speeds were sampled at 20 Hz. Large (and small) turbulent length scales were recorded for both vertical and longitudinal velocity components in the range of 7–23 m (0.7–3.3 m) for the vertical direction and 628–1111 m (10.5–14.5 m) for the longitudinal direction. Large-scale eddy sizes scaled to the WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) numerical model simulated boundary-layer thickness for both sites, while small-scale turbulent features were a function of the complexity of the upwind terrain. Evidence of a multi-scale turbulent structure was obtained at the more complex terrain site, while an assessment of the three-dimensional isotropy assumption in the inertial subrange of the spectrum showed anisotropic turbulence at the less complex site and evidence of isotropic turbulence at the more complex site, with a spectral ratio convergence deviating from the 4/3 or unity values suggested by previous theory and practice. Existing neutral spectral models can represent locations along the ridge top with simple upwind complexity, especially for the vertical wind spectra, but sites with more orographic complexity and strong vertical wind speeds are often poorly represented using these models. Measured spectra for the two sites exhibited no significant diurnal variation and very similar large-scale and small-scale turbulent length scales for each site, but the turbulence energy measured by the variances revealed a strong diurnal difference.     

Observations of a multi-level turbulence structure in a very stable atmospheric boundary layer

Boundary-layer measurements conducted at the Marsta site in Sweden from a winter-time situation (23–25 Feb.) with stable stratification have been analysed. The data comprise wind and temperature profile measurements up to 30 m, turbulence measurements at 2, 6 and 30 m and Doppler acoustic sounder data up to about 150 m. The upwind fetch at the site is flat and free from obstacles to a distance of ca 5 km for the particular sector chosen for the experiment.During the night, a two-layer vertical structure developed. Analysis of power spectra, co-spectra and variances in a shallow and very stable turbulent boundary layer near the ground show that the turbulence is fully developed and follow the universal behaviour.Above, at a height of 30 m, another turbulent layer is produced by increased wind shear near a low-level jet. This turbulent upper layer can be regarded as a layer of free shear flow. At this height, there also exist wave-turbulence interactions at low frequencies which sometimes cause a countergradient heat flux.     

The effect of idealized water waves on the turbulence structure and kinetic energy budgets in the overlying airflow

The influence of an idealized moving wavy surface on the overlying airflow is investigated using direct numerical simulations (DNS). In the present simulations, the bulk Reynolds number is Re = 8000 (; where U₀ is the forcing velocity of the flow, h the height of the domain and v the kinematic viscosity) and the phase speed of the imposed waves relative to the friction velocity, i.e., the wave age varies from very slow to fast waves. The wave signal is clearly present in the airflow up to at least 0.15λ (where λ is the wave length) and is present up to higher levels for faster waves. In the kinetic energy budgets, pressure transport is mainly of importance for slow waves. For fast waves, viscous transport and turbulent transport dominate near the surface. Kinetic energy budgets for the wave and turbulent perturbations show a non-negligible transport of turbulent kinetic energy directed from turbulence to the wave perturbation in the airflow. The wave-turbulent energy transport depends on the size, tilt, and phase of the wave-induced part of the turbulent Reynolds stresses.According to the DNS data, slow waves are more efficient in generating isotropic turbulence than fast waves.Despite the differences in wave-shape as well as in Reynolds number between the idealized direct numerical simulations and the atmosphere, there are intriguing similarities in the turbulence structure. Important information about the turbulence above waves in the atmosphere can be obtained from DNS—the data must, however, be interpreted with care.     

2009年“莫拉克”台风登陆过程阵风特征分析

利用上海台风研究所移动观测车获取的“莫拉克”台风登陆过程中超声风、温等观测资料对地面阵风特性进行了诊断分析.结果表明,在风速时间序列中叠加有周期为3-7 min的阵风扰动,显现出明显的相干结构,即沿顺风方向阵风风速峰期有下沉运动,谷期有上升运动;阵风扰动的各向异性特征明显,沿顺风方向的阵风扰动能量最大,其次是沿侧向和垂直方向的扰动能量;沿顺风方向的阵风垂直动量通量向下传播,而沿侧风方向阵风扰动动量垂直通量总体贡献接近于0.阵风扰动沿顺风方向的积分空间尺度和时间尺度最大,沿侧风方向和垂直方向其次,均明显大于湍流的积分空间和时间尺度.此外,阵风扰动的其他特征还包括:感热垂直通量极小;当平均风速较大时阵风风向变化幅度较小,而风速较小时阵风风向变化幅度则较大;动力学分析表明,阵风扰动主要表现出重力内波的一些特性.     

Interaction of internal waves and turbulence in the ocean

Within the framework of the semiempirical theory of turbulence for stratified fluids some aspects of the problem of internal wave-turbulence interaction in the upper layer of the ocean are discussed. The conditions of amplification and sustaining of turbulence by internal waves are investigated. Stationary distributions of turbulent energy are found for a stratified fluid with a shear flow produced, for example, by a low-frequency internal wave. The internal wave damping due to both turbulent viscosity and turbulent diffusion in the thermocline is studied. For a two-layer model damping constant is determined as a function of the wave number. The variation of surface turbulence by internal waves is estimated and the role of this process in slick formation is considered.