Vertical dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics of urban lower boundary layer and its relationship with aerosol concentration over Beijing

By utilizing observational data from a 325 m tower of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on March 19-29, 2001 and August 11-25, 2003, a comprehensive study was conducted on the vertical dynamical and thermodynamic characteristics of the urban lower boundary layer (ULBL) and its relationship with aerosol concentration over Beijing. Firstly, a comparative analysis was made on the gradient data (wind, temperature and humidity), ultrasonic data (atmospheric turbulences) and air-quality observations at different tower heights (47, 120 and 280 m). Secondly, a diagnosis was made to reveal the major features of normalized variances of velocity and temperature, turbulence kinetic energy as well as their relationship with aerosol concentrations. Furthermore, the characteristics of the ULBL vertical structure and the TSP concentration/distribution variations during a sand/dust weather process were also analyzed. The outcome of the study showed that under unstable stratification, the normalized variances of velocity (σu/u*, σv/u*, σw/u*) and temperature (σT/T*) at 47 and 120 m heights fit the Monin-Obukhov similarity (MOS) framework and the fitting formulas were given out accordingly. According to the stratification parameter (z′/L), the stable ULBL could be divided into 2 zones. With z′/L<0.1, it was a weakly stable zone and MOS framework was applicable. The other was a highly stable zone with z′/L>0.1 and the normalized velocity variances tended to increase along with higher stability, but it remained constant for normalized temperature variances. At daytime, the near-surface layer includes two heights of 47 and 120 m, while 280 m has been above it. The ULBL analysis in conjunction with a sand/dust weather process in Beijing in March 2001 indicated that the maximum concentration of Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) at 320 m reached 913.3 μg/m3 and the particles were transported from the upper to lower ULBL, which was apparently related to the development process of a low-level jet and its concomitant strong sinking motion.     

Towards a realistic theory of the geodynamo

Abstract

The physics of the geodynamo is discussed. The main processes relevant for the buoyancy driven geodynamo are isolated. The successive stages of development of geodynamo theory are briefly described. The mechanism of local turbulence in the Earth's core is explained, and an estimate is presented of the turbulent transport of density inhomogeneities in the Earth's core. The significance of this turbulent transport to the geodynamo mechanism is stressed. The general scheme of the complete geodynamo theory of the future is outlined.     

On the propagation of topographically trapped waves

Abstract

In the context of ageostrophic theory in a homogeneous ocean, a nondimensional number is determined which corresponds to the Ursell number for long gravity waves. It is defined as Q = NL ²/h ³, where N is the amplitude of the wave travelling along the long length-scale direction, L is its length and h (which for gravity waves is the water depth) is given by h=(l ⁴ f ²/g)^1/3. where l is the short length-scale, f the Coriolis parameter and g the acceleration due to gravity. The physical meaning of Q is as follows: if Q? O(1) the free evolution of the wave is linear and weakly dispersive, if Q = O(1) nonlinear and dispersive effects balance out and finally if Q ?O(1) the evolution is nonlinear and non-dispersive. Expressions for the time scales for the development of dispersive and nonlinear effects are also determined. These results apply to topographically trapped waves, namely barotropic continental shelf and double Kelvin waves travelling along a rectilinear topographic variation.     

Flow of a stratified fluid bounded by walls of finite thermal conductance

Abstract

A study is made of the behavior of a thermally stratified fluid in a container when the non-horizontal boundaries have finite thermal conductance. The theory of Rahm and Walin is briefly recounted. Numerical solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations for a Boussinesq fluid in a cylinder, adopting a Newtonian heat flux condition at the vertical sidewall, are presented. Results on the details of flow and temperature fields are given over ranges of the Rayleigh number Ra, the container aspect ratio H, and the sidewall conductance S. As S increases, the isotherms in the meridional plane are horizontal at small radii but they diverge at large radii. This creates temperature nonuniformilies in the horizontal direction, and convective motions result. The salient features of the interior temperature profiles are captured by the theoretical model. The velocity field is characterized by two oppositely-directed circulations. As Ra or S varies, the qualitative circulation patterns remain substantially unchanged, but the magnitudes of the convective flows differ by large amounts. The effects of the externally-imposed parameters on the flow and temperature structures are examined.     

Effects of turbulence on the transport of individual particles as bedload in a gravel‐bed river

This study investigates the association between mean and turbulent flow variables and the movement of individual particles in a gravel‐bed river. The experimental design implemented in the Eaton‐North River (Québec, Canada) is based on the simultaneous observations at a high temporal resolution of both particle movements as bedload using an underwater video camera and of the streamwise and vertical flow velocity components using a vertical array of three electromagnetic current meters (ECMs). The frequency and distance of displacement of particles larger than 20 mm that were sliding or rolling on the bed were measured from a 10 minutes long film. Mean and turbulent flow properties obtained for periods without sediment transport are compared to those when particles were sliding and rolling. When particles are sliding, weak differences are present for the mean streamwise velocity and normal vertical stresses. Instantaneous Reynolds shear stresses are significantly lower for sliding events which was not expected but could be explained by the important dominance of Quadrant 3 events (inward interactions). When particles are rolling, only the vertical normal stresses show a weak difference from those observed in the absence of transport but they tend to occur when Quadrant 2 (ejections) dominate the flow field. For both sliding and rolling particles, vertical and/or streamwise fluid accelerations show high magnitude values when compared to periods without transport. For sliding particles, streamwise acceleration is mostly negative and combines most of the time with a positive vertical acceleration. For rolling particles, streamwise and vertical acceleration are predominantly of opposite sign. These results suggest that fluid acceleration or deceleration in the streamwise and vertical directions is affecting the pressure field around particles. In this study, fluid acceleration seems to play a more important role than Reynolds shear stress or normal stresses for bedload movements. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Galactic Spiral Arms and Dynamo Control Parameters

We discuss the effects of galactic spiral arms on the -coefficient, turbulent diffusivity and turbulent energy density of the interstellar turbulence. We argue that the -coefficient and the dynamo number are larger in the interarm regions, whereas the kinetic energy density of turbulence is larger in the arms; the turbulent magnetic diffusivity can be only weakly affected by the spiral pattern.     

Driving Galactic Turbulence by Supernova Explosions

We investigate the general properties of supernova driven interstellar turbulence using local three-dimensional MHD simulations under Galactic conditions. Our model includes the effects of large-scale shear due to Galactic differential rotation, density stratification, compressibility, magnetic fields, heating via supernova explosions and parameterized radiative cooling of the interstellar medium. In addition to investigating isolated supernova explosions we allow for multiple supernovae distributed randomly in the Galactic disc and exponentially in the vertical direction. Single supernova explosions drive a strong shock, the lifetime of which is approximately 2 Myr in our model. This stage is found to be characterized by a kinetic energy spectrum in the diffuse gas with spectral index consistent with k = –2. Large-scale shear and Coriolis force act on the supernova remnant producing some vorticity inside it, but this process was found to be very weak. In the case of multiple supernova explosions, older remnants have an important role causing density fluctuations in the interstellar medium. In this clumpy medium, the propagation velocity of the shock fronts changes due to the changing density, and vorticity is generated. In the absence of these supernova interactions the kinetic energy spectrum shows a relatively wide shock spectrum with spectral index k = –2, but when the supernova interactions become dominant the classical k = –5/3 spectrum is observed.     

Experimental determination of saltating glass particle dispersion in a turbulent boundary layer

A horizontal saltation layer of glass particles in air is investigated experimentally over a flat bed and also over a triangular ridge in a wind tunnel. Particle concentrations are measured by light scattering diffusion (LSD) and digital image processing, and velocities using particle image velocimetry (PIV). All the statistical moments of the particle concentration are determined such as mean concentration, root mean square concentration fluctuations, skewness and flatness coefficients. Over the flat bed, it is confirmed that the mean concentration decreases exponentially with height, the mean dispersion height being a significant length scale. It is shown that the concentration distribution follows quite well a lognormal distribution. Over the ridge, measurements were made at the top of the ridge and in the cavity region and are compared with measurements without the ridge. On the hill crest, particles are retarded, the saltation layer decreases in thickness and concentration is increased. Downwind of the ridge, particle flow behaves like a jet, in particular no particle return flow is observed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

大功率高频电波加热电离层的非线性物理过程

地基大功率电波加热电离层是通过地基大功率短波发射机向电离层发射无线电波,通过波-粒和波-波的相互作用将无线电波的能量注入电离层.通过这种有目的可操控的方式改变电离层电子密度和温度的分布,可以深入研究电离层中等离子体能量和物质的非线性演化过程,特别是电离层电子的非平衡态分布和加速问题.本文通过对电离层加热中几个比较重要物理过程的评述,对过去20年来我国研究学者在这一研究方向上取得的重要进展进行了介绍.