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Statistics of atmospheric turbulence within and above a corn canopy

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Abstract

Two three-dimensional split-film anemometers were used to measure turbulence statistics within and above a corn canopy. Normalised profiles of mean windspeed, root-mean-square velocity, momentum flux, and heat flux were constructed from half-hourly averages by dividing within-canopy measurements by the simultaneous canopy-top measurement. With the exception of the heat flux, these profiles showed consistent shape from day to day. Time series of the three velocity components were recorded on magnetic tape and subsequently analysed to obtain Eulerian time and length scales and the power spectrum of each component at several heights. The timescale was found to have a local minimum value at the top of the canopy. However the length scale L wformed from the timescale and the root-mean-square vertical velocity varied with height as L w≃ 0.1 z. The power-spectra were non-dimensionalised to facilitate comparison of spectra at different heights and times. All spectra had -5/3 regions spanning at least two decades in frequency.

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Wilson, J.D., Ward, D.P., Thurtell, G.W. et al. Statistics of atmospheric turbulence within and above a corn canopy. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 24, 495–519 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00120736

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