Landscape Roughness Parameters for Sherwood Forest – Experimental Results

The aim of this work is to present experimentally evaluated effective roughnesses (zoe) of a partly forested landscape. Although the ratio of boundary-layer height to obstacle size was only of the order of 50, there still seemed to exist a height range of 75–200 m where surface-layer similarity was approximately valid. Attempts were made to use conventional wind profile analysis to evaluate zoe, but the small height range and the large number of variables initially led to unacceptable uncertainties. Fixing the displacement height zd, rather than fitting it, reduced the data scatter to an acceptable level. The profile-derived roughness lengths zop obtained in this way were in good agreement with previous work, and with an alternative roughness length estimate zof for which flux-derived profile parameters u* and * were used. This implies that the profile-derived roughnesses were consistent with the measured surface-layer momentum flux. Comparison of both roughness estimates also yielded an improved estimate of the displacement height. Besides this, the authors tested a landscape roughness evaluation method which makes use of the gustiness parameter Tu = u/U in the surface layer. The results obtained by this method were in fair agreement with the profile-derived data. In previous work, the gustiness method was advocated because it could be used at relatively low levels, perhaps even within the roughness sub-layer. At the present measuring site, this was not the case as the gustiness method was only valid in an approximate way, and for a limited height range.     

Optimized Computation of Transfer Coefficients in Surface Layer with Different Momentum and Heat Roughness Lengths

A new method for computing the surface transfer coefficients is proposed, based on state-of-the-art empirical flux-profile relationships. The influence of the roughness length ratio is first demonstrated with the classical iterative calculation method. Then a non-iterative algorithm is developed, taking into account the difference between momentum and heat roughness lengths.The new method is validated by comparison with the reference iterative computation. The large gain-in computer processing time (CPU) time gain for the calculation of surface fluxes in Eulerian grid models is finally assessed.     

Impact of Atmospheric Surface-layer Parameterizations in the new Land-surface Scheme of the NCEP Mesoscale Eta Model

We tested three atmospheric surface-layer parameterization schemes (Mellor-Yamadalevel 2, Paulson, and modified Louis), both ina 1-D mode in the new NCEP land-surface scheme against long-term FIFE and HAPEX observations, and in a coupled 3-D mode withthe NCEP mesoscale Eta model. The differences inthese three schemes and the resulting surface exchange coefficients do not, in general, lead to significant differences in model simulated surface fluxes, skin temperature, andprecipitation, provided the same treatment of roughness length for heat is employed.Rather, the model is more sensitive to the choice of the roughness length for heat. To assess the latter, we also tested two approaches to specifythe roughness length for heat: 1) assuming the roughness length for heat is a fixed ratio of the roughness length for momentum, and 2) relating this ratio to the roughness Reynolds number as proposed by Zilitinkevich.Our 1-D column model sensitivity tests suggested that the Zilitinkevich approach can improve the surface heat fluxand skin temperature simulations. A long-term test with the NCEP mesoscaleEta model indicated that this approach can also reduce forecast precipitation bias. Based on these simulations, in January 1996 we operationally implemented the Paulsonscheme with the new land-surface scheme of the NCEP Eta model, along with the Zilitinkevich formulation to specify the roughness length for heat.     

Experimental Study of Mechanical Behaviour of Rock Joints Under Cyclic Loading

Summary Evaluation of the effects of small repetitive earthquakes on the strength parameters of rock joints in active seismic zones is of interest of the designers of underground constructions. In order to evaluate these effects, it is necessary to study the behaviour of rock joints under dynamic and cyclic loadings. This paper presents the results of a systematic study on the behaviour of artificial rock joints subjected to cyclic shearing. More than 30 identical replicas have been tested using triaxial compression devices under different conditions of monotonic and cyclic loading. At the first stage a few samples have been tested in monotonic loading modes under various confining pressures and rate of displacement. In the second series of tests, small cyclic loads were applied on the samples for increasing number of cycles, frequency levels and stress amplitudes. These were then followed by monotonic loading again. The variations of maximum and residual shear strengths for each test have been studied. The results show increase of shear strength as a result of the increase in confining pressure and they display decrease of shear strength due to the increase of rate of loading, number of cycles, frequency levels and stress amplitudes.     

典型干旱区荒漠戈壁陆面参数的观测研究

根据目前流行的陆面过程模式的需要，利用２０００年５－６月敦煌陆面过程野外观测实验加强期的观测资料，分析了西北典型干旱区荒漠戈壁的一些关键陆面过程和土壤参数的特征和规律。并且利用相对反射为权重加权平均，计算得到典型干旱区敦煌荒漠戈壁的平均反射率为０.２５５±０.０２１；剔除建筑物干扰后，利用对数平均法计算的粗糙度长度平均值为０，００１９±０。０００７１ ｍ；剔除绿洲影响后，用无降水影响的资料确定出土壤湿度影响因子为０．００４５；剔除降水影响后，用观测资料计算的敦煌典型干旱区荒漠戈壁的热容量平均值为１．１２×１０~６ｍ~（－３）Ｋ~（－１），比“黑河试验”在戈壁和在其它沙漠观测的有关值略小一些，但热扩散率和热传导率都比“黑河试验”在戈壁观测的值小一倍左右；观测的敦煌戈壁典型天气条件下的土壤含水量非常小，基本上不超过１％。     

降水条件下的典型干旱区陆面特征模拟验证

利用“我国西北干旱区陆－气相互作用观测试验"在敦煌双墩子戈壁站取得的观测资料及最近的一些研究成果对陆面模式中反照率、相似性函数及地表粗糙度(动量粗糙度,标量粗糙度)3个方面的参数化方案进行了改进,然后对一次典型降水过程的陆面特征及近地层的风、温、湿进行了模拟.结果表明：改进的模式能对降水条件下的干旱区陆面特征进行较好的模拟,其中对辐射、地表温度的模拟相当好,而对能量的模拟虽然还有要改进的地方,但总体结果令人满意;另外改进后的模式对近地层的温度和湿度的模拟也有明显的改善.     

Numerical simulation of internal boundary-layer development and comparison with atmospheric data

A finite-volume numerical model is employed to investigate the adaptation of the atmospheric boundary layer to a change in the underlying surface roughness, such as that existing in the transition from land to the free surface of a water body. Numerical results are validated by comparison with neutral stratification atmospheric data and compared with the internal boundary-layer (IBL) heights computed using a number of existing empirical formulae. The numerical analysis allows an extension of the fetch range in which the existing formulae, calibrated only by comparison with short fetch data, may be applied. An argument is offered that the spatial variability of the water surface roughness should be also taken into account for the IBL development over the surface of a water body.     

An Approximate Analytical Solution Of Flux-Profile Relationships For The Atmospheric Surface Layer With Different Momentum And Heat Roughness Lengths

An approximate method for calculating the relationship between z/L(z = reference height, L = Obukhov length) and the bulk Richardsonnumber is presented. If this relationship is known, the momentum andheat fluxes can be computed easily without any iteration. The avoidance of iteration can speed up computationsin large-scale models considerably (up to 10 times) and cases which do not converge or converge very slowly cannot occur. The proposed formulae take into account the difference between momentum (z_0M) and heat roughnesslengths (z_0H). Because the roughness lengths are not neglected at any step of the derivation, the resulting analytical formulae can be used not only between the surface and the reference height but also between two finite levels z₁ andz₂ (by replacing z_0M and z_0H by z₁ and z by z₂). Theequations remain correct even in the limit z₁ z₂.The formulae are based upon the (partially modified) Businger–Dyer flux–profile relationships and,consequently, they are restricted to predominantly homogeneous terrain.These new approximations are an improvement over the existing solutions because they are simpler than most of the formulae in the literature and are able to match the numerical exact solution for different parameter sets (Businger, Dyer, Högström) with an maximum error of about 2% for a wide range of z/L, z/z_0M and z_0M/z_0H.Furthermore, in stable conditions, schemes with and without a finitecritical bulk Richardson number can be approximated. The possibleambiguity of the exact solution =f(RI_B) in (moderately) stable conditions is discussed briefly. The performance of the new formulae is compared to the exact numerical solution and to different formulae proposed in the literature.     

Investigation of natural rock joint roughness

The paper provides a comprehensive review on rock joint roughness measurement and quantification procedures. Superiority of fractal based methods over JRC, statistical parameters and statistical functions in quantifying roughness is discussed in the paper. Two of the best fractal based methodologies available in the literature, the modified 2-D divider and variogram methods, are used to quantify natural rock joint roughness in 3-D and 2-D, respectively. The capability of these two methods in accurate quantification of natural rock joint roughness is shown in the paper by applying the procedures to four natural rock joints. A good comparison has been obtained from the values obtained through the two methods. Both these methodologies have two parameters to capture the stationary roughness. The fractal dimension captures the spatial auto correlation of roughness; the other parameter captures the amplitude of roughness. Anisotropic roughness has been studied by applying two other methodologies: (a) a triangular plate methodology and (b) a light source methodology to the same four natural rock joints. A reasonably good comparison has been obtained through the results of these two methodologies. All four roughness quantification methodologies can be applied to any size of sample covering from laboratory to field scales. The results of the triangular plate and light source methodologies provided possible sliding direction values (under the gravitational loading) close to that reported in the literature for the rough discontinuity planes used in the study.     

Methodological Considerations Regarding the Measurement of Turbulent Fluxes in the Urban Roughness Sublayer: The Role of Scintillometery

We address some of the methodological challenges associated with the measurement of turbulence and use of scintillometers in the urban roughness sublayer (RSL). Two small-aperture scintillometers were located near the roof interface in a densely urbanized part of Basel, Switzerland, as part of the Basel Urban Boundary-Layer Experiment (BUBBLE) in the summer of 2002. Eddy correlation instruments were co-located near the mid-point of each scintillometer path for data verification purposes. The study presents the first values of the inner length scale of turbulence (l ₀) and the refractive index structure parameter of air for a city and demonstrates the influence of mechanical driven turbulence on dissipation. Comparison of dissipation values determined from the two approaches show large scatter that is possibly due to the spatial inhomogeneity of the turbulence statistics within the RSL. Velocity and temperature spectra display a −2/3 slope in the inertial subrange, although the spectral ratio is less than the theoretical prediction of 4/3 expected for isotropy. Conventional Monin–Obukhov equations used to calculate fluxes from the scintillometer were replaced with urban forms of the equations. The results suggest that the scintillometer may be an appropriate tool for the measurement of sensible heat flux (Q _H ) above the rooftops given a suitable determination of the effective measurement height.