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.     

Transport-Dissipation Analytical Solutions to the E-∈Turbulence Model and their Role in Predictions of the Neutral ABL

E- turbulence model predictions of the neutralatmospheric boundary layer (NABL) are reinvestigated to determine thecause for turbulence overpredictions found in previous applications. Analytical solutions to the coupled E and equations for the case of steady balance between transport and dissipation terms, the dominant balance just below the NABL top, are derived. It is found that analytical turbulence profiles laminarizeat a finite height only for values of closure parameter ratio c ₂ /_e equal toor slightly greater than one, with laminarization as z for greater . The point = 2 is additionally foundthat where analytical turbulent length scale (l) profilesmade a transition from ones ofdecreasing ( < 2) to increasing ( > 2)values with height. Numerically predicted profiles near the NABL topare consistent with analytical findings. The height-increasingvalues of l predicted throughout the NABL with standard values ofclosure parameters thus appear a consequence of 2.5(> 2), implied by these values (c ₂ = 1.92, _{= 1.3}, _{e = 1}). Comparison of numericalpredictions with DNS data shows that turbulence overpredictions obtained with standard-valued parameters are rectifiedby resetting and _e to 1.1 and 1.6, respectively, giving, with c ₂ = 1.92, 1.3, and laminarization of the NABL's cappingtransport-dissipation region at a finite height.     

Analysis of Astex-Stratocumulus Observational Data Using a Mass-Flux Approach

A mass-flux approach is applied to observational data obtained in a convective boundary layer topped with stratocumulus clouds. The observational data were obtained from aircraft measurements during the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX). A conditional sampling method is used to calculate average updraft and downdraft values. The vertical fluxes calculated with the mass-flux approach are found to be proportional to the real (measured) fluxes, with a proportionality factor being about 0.6. This value is predicted by theory for two variables having a joint Gaussian distribution function; proportionality factor = 2^-1 0.637. The horizontal fractional entrainment and detrainment rates calculated from the data ( 1–2 × 10^-2 m^-1) are an order of magnitude higher than the rates obtained by large eddy simulations for cumulus convection ( 2–3 × 10^-3 m^-1) and two orders of magnitude higher than those used in modelling cumulus convection with a mass-flux scheme in an operational weather forecast model ( 3 × 10^-4 m^-1). A numerical mass-flux model for the thermodynamics was developed and showed that results are in good agreement when compared with measured profiles of the liquid water content.     

Wind Stress Structure in the Unstable Marine Surface Layer Detected by Sar

The wind stress in the marine surface layer under unstable conditions and low wind speed has been studied using a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image of the sea surface and time series of the horizontal and vertical wind velocities and of the wind stress recorded on board the C.N.R. research platform, in the northern Adriatic Sea, during a SAR overflight.A conditional sampling technique has been used on the wind stress time series and on the SAR image to detect downward (sweep) and upward (ejection) bursts of the momentum flux, as well as the two-dimensional structure of the radar backscatter.From the ensemble average of both the wind stress and the backscatter structures, it has been possible to estimate the mean duration of the upward (11 s) and the downward (15 s) wind stress bursts and the mean size of the bright patches of the SAR image (120 m). The front of the mean backscatter structure, associated with the downward wind stress bursts, has been related to the time length of the mean sweep stress structure to get, after accounting for a threshold of the wind stress for the generation of the sea surface wavelets, the translation velocity U_t of the mean wind stress of sweep, very close to the mean wind speed. The vertical coherence of the wind stress structures has permited to refer the translation velocity to a level very close to the sea surface, but above the viscous sublayer. The variability of U_t with height has been studied through comparison with the mean wind speed at different heights z calculated by a boundary-layer model. Accounting for the results reported in the literature, there is an indication that U_t is constant with height in the range 0.5 m z 15 m.The two-dimensional pattern of the wind stress structures has been derived from the SAR image. The structures appear elongated crosswind, as with microfronts, with an average cross- to down-wind ratio of 4. The area covered by the downward wind stress structures represents 13% of the total area.     

A Field Study of the Mean Pressure About a Windbreak

To provide additional field data for assessingwindbreak flow models, mean ground-level pressurehas been measured upstream and downstream from along porous fence (height H = 1.25 m, resistancecoefficient k _r = 2.4). Measurements were madeduring periods of near-neutral stability and near-normallyincident flow, with the fence standing on bare soil(roughness length, z ₀ 0.8 cm;H/z ₀ 160), or within a plant canopy. The mean pressure field,measured far from the ends of the fence, was foundto be quite insensitive to mean wind direction( , zero for perpendicular flow), for| | less than about 25°.In the absence of a canopy, during each measurementperiod the minimum pressure occurred at the closestsampling location to leeward of the windbreak, thepressure-gradient in most cases beingmaximally-adverse in the immediate lee, and decayingwith increasing downwind distance (x). On one day ofmeasurements, however, the pressure gradient over2 x/H 6 (H = windbreak height) resembled theleeward plateau identified by Wang and Taklein their numerical studies. Perhaps thisoccasional feature was only due to instrumenterror. Nevertheless a plateau of sorts wasindicated in similar measurements by Judd andPrendergast (with H = 1.92 m, z ₀ 1.2 cm;H/z ₀ 160, k _r 3). Therefore,existence of a leeward pressure plateau behind athin fence cannot be definitely ruled out.When the windbreak was placed in a canopy, minimumsurface pressure was displaced downwind. Thisagrees with the wind-tunnel study of Judd, Raupach and Finnigan,and is consistent with a simple simulation reported here.     

The Effect of Atmospheric Stability on the Surface-Layer Characteristics in a Low-Wind Area of Tropical West Africa

This study details the observed effects ofatmospheric stability on characteristics of thesurface layer in a low wind speed (U = 1.5 m s-1)regime of tropical West Africa. Theaerodynamic roughness length, z0, anddisplacement height, d, obtained from profilewind-speed data at our bush land site (height 2 m)have values of 0.24 ± 0.10 m and 1.54 ± 0.04 mrespectively. In the unstable range (-2.5 < Ri < -0.1; Riis gradient Richardson number), thestandard deviation in wind speed fluctuations, u, increased from 0.57 ± 0.19 m s-1 toa maximum of 0.7 ± 0.2 m s-1 in near-neutralconditions, and in the stable range, the parameterdecreased rapidly to 0.41 ± 0.15 m s-1 at Ri 0.2.In the same stability range, the horizontal winddispersion, , decreased withincreasing stability from 19 ± 8 deg. to 13 ± 5 deg.The surface-layer integral quantity, u/u*, when plottedas a function of stability, is in agreement with theempirical results. The ratio ofsensible heat flux (estimated) to the net radiationranged between 0.1 and 0.2 at nighttime,increasing to about 0.5 during the daytime, and showeda strong dependency on season.     

Synchronous Scan and Excitation-Emission Matrix Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Water-Soluble Organic Compounds in Atmospheric Aerosols

Three-dimensional excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectra of water-soluble organic compounds (WSOC) from aerosol samples were measured and compared with those reported in the literature for natural dissolved organic matter. The EEM profiles of the WSOC presented three characteristic excitation/emission (_Exc/_Em) peaks: 240/405 nm, 310/405 nm and 280/340 nm. The fluorescence intensities at _Exc/_Em240/405 nm and _Exc/_Em310/405 nm are located at wavelengths shorter than those reported for aquatic humic substances, indicating a smaller content of both aromatic structures and condensed unsaturated bond systems in the WSOC fraction. The EEM profiles of fractions obtained by the isolation procedure of the WSOC by the XAD resins showed that a fractionation has occurred and the XAD-8 eluate is highly representative of the total WSOC of collected aerosol. Synchronous scan spectra were more detailed than conventional fluorescence emission spectra, appearing more suitable for studying multicomponent samples such as the WSOC from atmospheric aerosols.     

A study of a fair weather boundary layer in TOGA-COARE: Parameterization of surface fluxes in large scale and regional models for light wind conditions

The study focuses on a way to parameterize the effect of subgrid scale convective motions on surface fluxes in large scale and regional models for the case of light surface winds. As previously proposed, these subgrid effects are assumed to scale with the convection intensity through the relationship: where is the mean velocity of the wind, U₀ the velocity of the mean wind, w_* the free convection velocity, and an empirical coefficient to be determined. Both observations and numerical simulation are presently used to determine the free convection coefficient .Large eddy simulation of a fair weather convective boundary layer case observed during TOGA-COARE is performed. Comparisons between observations and the simulation of surface properties and vertical profiles in the planetary boundary layer are presented. The simulated vertical turbulent fluxes of heat, moisture and buoyancy range well within estimates from aircraft measurements.The most important result is that the true free convection coefficient , directly estimated from simulation, leads to a value of 0.65, smaller than the ones estimated from temporal and spatial variances. Using observations and simulation, estimates of from temporal and spatial variances are obtained with similar values 0.8. From both theoretical derivations and numerical computations, it is shown that estimates of the true from variances are possible but only after applying a correction factor equal to 0.8. If this correction is not used, is overestimated by about 25%. The time and space sampling problem is also addressed in using numerical simulations.     

Observed variations of σθ and σΦ in the nocturnal drainage flow in a deep valley

The variations of and in the drainage flow in the Brush Creek valley of western Colorado are investigated using data from Doppler acoustic sodars and instrumented towers. The data were obtained on two experimental nights during the 1984 ASCOT field study. There is good agreement between the variations derived from low-level observations of the sodars and those derived from the towers located throughout the valley. The observed hourly average and in the nocturnal drainage flow are about 20 ° to 25 ° and 5 °, respectively; these values are much larger than those generally observed over flat terrain during nighttime stable conditions. After sunrise (about 0600 MST), as the valley warms and the flow direction changes to up-valley, these parameters increase sharply to their peak values at about 0800 MST and then decrease to their normal daytime values after about two hours.In the drainage flow, the hourly average varies inversely with wind speed according to the relation u 0.7ms^-1. The vertical standard deviation is much less enhanced by complex terrain than the horizontal standard deviation. The observed values are predicted fairly well by the local similarity theory.Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Summer Research Participant at ATDD in 1987 andOak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Summer Research Participant at ATDD in 1987 and     

Scavenging Efficiency of ‘Aerosol Carbon’ and Sulfate in Supercooled Clouds at Mt. Sonnblick (3106 m a.s.l., Austria)

Cloud water and interstitial aerosol samples collected at Mt. Sonnblick (SBO) were analyzed for sulfate and aerosol carbon to calculate in-cloud scavenging efficiencies. Scavenging efficiencies for sulfate (_SO) ranged from 0.52 to 0.99 with an average of 0.80. Aerosol carbon was scavenged less efficiently with an average value (_AC) of 0.45 and minimum and maximum values of 0.14 and 0.81, respectively. Both _SO and _AC showed a marked, but slightly different, dependence on the liquid water content (LWC) of the cloud. At low LWC, _SO increased with rising LWC until it reached a relatively constant value of 0.83 above an LWC of 0.3 g/m³. In the case of aerosol carbon, we obtained a more gradual increase of _AC up to an LWC of 0.5 g/m³. At higher LWCs, _{_} remained relatively constant at 0.60. As the differences between _SO and _A varied across the LWC range observed at SBO, we assume that part of the aerosol carbon was incorporated into the cloud droplets independently from sulfate. This hypothesis is supported by size classified aerosol measurements. The differences in the size distributions of sulfate and total carbon point to a partially external mixture. Thus, the different chemical nature and the differences in the size and mixing state of the aerosol particles are the most likely candidates for the differences in the scavenging behavior.     

Momentum and heat transfers in the surface layer over a frozen sea

Wind and temperature profiles from a 10-m mast were measured over the frozen Baltic Sea. The Monin-Obukhov similarity theory applies well to runs carefully selected according to stationarity criteria. This provides relatively low-scattered results with the roughness length z ₀ 0.04 cm, the drag coefficient C _D 1.5 × 10^-3 and the Stanton number C _H 1.00 × 10^-3 under near-neutral conditions. The roughness length, however, behaves in a peculiar way under intense stratification conditions. The reasons proposed for this could lead to an extension of the theory. The mechanisms for momentum and heat transfers are also examined, revealing that there are two different regimes, the smooth and the rough, for the wall friction but not for the heat transfer. Further, the scatter of the data for momentum and heat transfer under the aerodynamically rough regime can be explained by the distinction between the type of thermal stability conditions.     

Fossil-pollen evidence for abrupt climate changes during the past 18 000 years in eastern North America

A quantitative measure of the rate at which fossil-pollen abundances changed over the last 18 000 years at 18 sites spread across eastern North America distinguishes local from regionally synchronous changes. Abrupt regional changes occurred at most sites in late-glacial time (at 13700, 12 300, and 10000 radiocarbon yr BP) and during the last 1000 years. The record of abrupt late-glacial vegetation changes in eastern North America correlates well with abrupt global changes in ice-sheet volume, mountain snow-lines, North Atlantic deep-water production, atmospheric CO₂, and atmospheric dust, although the palynological signal varies from site to site. Changes in vegetation during most of the Holocene, although locally significant, were not regionally synchronous. The analysis reveals non-alpine evidence for Neoglacial/Little Ice Age climate change during the last 1000 years, which was the only time during the Holocene when climate change was of sufficient magnitude to cause a synchronous vegetational response throughout the subcontinent. During the two millennia preceding this widespread synchronous change, the rate of change at all sites was low and the average rate of change was the lowest of the Holocene.Contribution to Clima Locarno Past and Present Climate Dynamics; Conference September 1990, Swiss Academy of Sciences — National Climate Program     

Atmospheric estimates of power-law exponents Μ and Μθ

Measurements in the atmospheric surface layer of sixth-order velocity structure functions and of sixth-order mixed velocity-temperature structure functions support values of and previously obtained in the laboratory at moderate turbulence Reynolds numbers.     

SODAR-based estimation of TKE and momentum flux profiles in the atmospheric boundary layer: Test of a parameterization model

Summary A simple parameterization for the estimation of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and momentum flux profiles under near-neutral stratification based on sodar measurements of the vertical velocity variance has been tested using data from the LINEX-2000 experiment. Measurements included operation of a phased-array Doppler sodar DSDPA.90 and of a sonic anemometer USA-1 mounted at a meteorological tower at a height of 90m. Good agreement has been found between the TKE and momentum flux values derived from the sonic and sodar data (with correlation coefficients r>0.90 and a slope of the regression lines of about 1.01.1) suggesting the possible use of sodar measurements of _w ² to derive turbulence parameter profiles above the tower range.     

Final results of the CONDORS convective diffusion experiment

TheConvectiveDiffusionObserved byRemoteSensors (CONDORS) field experiment conducted at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory used innovative techniques to obtain three-dimensional mappings of plume concentration fields, /Q, of oil fog detected by lidar and chaff detected by Doppler radar. It included extensive meteorological measurements and, in 1983, tracer gases measured at a single sampling arc. Final results from ten hours of elevated and surface release data are summarized here. Many intercomparisons were made. Oil fog /Q measured 40m above the arc are mostly in good agreement withSF ₆ values, except in a few instances with large spacial inhomogeneities over short distances. After a correction scheme was applied to compensate for the effect of its settling speed, chaff dy/Q agreed well with those of oil except in two cases of oil fog hot spots. Mass or frequency distribution vs. azimuth or elevation angle comparisons were made for chaff, oil, and wind, with mostly good agreements. Spacial standard deviations, _y and _z, of chaff and oil agree overall and are consistent at short range with velocity standard deviations _vand _w 0.6w^* (the convective scale velocity), as measured atz>100m. Surface release _y is enhanced up to 60% at smallx, consistent with the Prairie Grass measurements and with larger _v and reduced wind speed measured near the surface. Decreased _y at small dimensionless average times is also noted. Finally, convectively scaled dy, C _y, were plotted versus dimensionlessx andz for oil, chaff, and corrected chaff for each 30–60 min period. Aggregated CONDORSC _y fields compare well with laboratory tank and LES numerical simulations; surface-released oil fog compares expecially well with the tank experiments. However, large deviations from the norm occurred in individual averaging periods; these deviations correlated strongly with anomalies in measured distributions.On assignment to the US Environmental Protection Agency, Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory, RTP, NC.     

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     

Numerical modeling of the nocturnal urban boundary layer

A numerical case study with a second-order turbulence closure model is proposed to study the role of urban canopy layer (UCL) for the formation of the nocturnal urban boundary layer (UBL). The turbulent diffusion coefficient was determined from an algebraic stress model. The concept of urban building surface area density is proposed to represent the UCL. Calculated results were also compared with field observation data. The height of the elevated inversion above an urban center was simulated and found to be approximately twice the average building height. The turbulent kinetic energy k, energy dissipation rate , and turbulence intensities u ² and w ² increase rapidly at the upwind edge of the urban area. The Reynolds stress uw displayed a nearly uniform profile inside the UBL, and the vertical sensible heat flux w had a negative value at the inversion base height. This indicates that the downward transport of sensible heat from the inversion base may play an important role in the formation of the nocturnal UBL.     

Gas and Particulate Products Distribution from the Photooxidation of α-Humulene in the Presence of NOx, Natural Atmospheric Air and Sunlight

The photooxidation of -humulene in the presence of NO_x, natural sunlight, and rural background air was investigated using a combination of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Identification and quantification of gas and particulate reaction products were reported over the course of the reaction. The daytime photooxidation was carried out in a large outdoor smog chamber (190 m³). A wide range of ring retaining and ring opening products in the gas and particle phase are reported. On average, measured gas and particle phase products accounted for 44% of the reacted -humulene carbon. Measurements show that a number of reaction products with low vapor pressures (e.g. 3-seco--humulone aldehyde, 7-seco--humulone aldehyde, -humulal aldehyde, -humulene 3-oxide or -humulene 7-oxide, -humulaic/alic acid isomers, and 3-seco--14-hydroxyhumulone aldehyde) were found in the early stage of the reaction and may play an important role in the early formation of secondary organic aerosol. A detailed mechanism is proposed to account for most products observed in this investigation.     

Influence of heterogeneous land surfaces on surface energy and mass fluxes

Summary Land-surface heterogeneity affects surface energy fluxes. The magnitudes of selected land-surface influences are quantified by comparing observations with model simulations of the FIFE (First ISLSCP Field Experiment) domain. Several plausible heterogeneous and homogeneous initial and boundary conditions are examined, although soilmoisture variability is emphasized. It turns out that simple spatial averages of surface variation produced biased flux values. Simulated maximum latent-heat fluxes were approximately 30 to 40 W m^–2 higher, and air temperatures 0.4 °C lower (at noon), when computations were initialized with spatially averaged soil-moisture and leaf-area-index fields. The planetary boundary layer (PBL) height and turbulent exchanges were lower as well. It additionally was observed that (largely due to the nonlinear relationship between initial soil-moisture availability and the evapotranspiration rate), real latent-heat flux can be substantially less than simulated latent-heat flux using models initialized with spatially averaged soil-moisture fields. Differences between real and simulated fluxes also vary with the resolution at which real soil-moisture heterogeneity is discretized.With 8 Figures     

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.