Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Detection of Entrainment Influences on Surface-Layer Measurements and Extension of Monin–Obukhov Similarity Theory

  • Article
  • Published:
Boundary-Layer Meteorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We present a method to detect influences of boundary-layer processes on surface-layer measurements, using statistics and spectra of surface-layer variables only. We validated our detection method with boundary-layer measurements. Furthermore, we confirm that Monin–Obukhov similarity functions fit well to temperature-variance data obtained at two different homogeneous surfaces. However, we found that humidity variance measurements deviate from the universal functions above one of the two studied surfaces for days on which entrained air reached the surface layer. These results confirm that Monin–Obukhov similarity theory should be used with care in the analysis of surface-layer data. Finally, we propose the use of an extra term in flux-variance relations that depends on the entrainment ratio for humidity and on the boundary-layer height. If boundary-layer measurements are not available, we show how the entrainment ratio for humidity can be approximated from the skewness of the humidity distribution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angevine WM (2008) Transitional, entraining, cloudy, and coastal boundary layers. Acta Geophys 56(1):2–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Betts AK (1992) FIFE atmospheric boundary layer budget methods. J Geophys Res 97(D17):18523

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braam M, Bosveld FC, Moene AF (2012) On Monin–Obukhov scaling in and above the atmospheric surface layer: the complexities of elevated scintillometer measurements. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 144(2): 157–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Canut G, Lothon M, Saïd F, Lohou F (2010) Observation of entrainment at the interface between monsoon flow and the Saharan air layer. Q J R Meteorol Soc 136(S1):34–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Couvreux F, Guichard F, Masson V, Redelsperger J-L (2007) Negative water vapour skewness and dry tongues in the convective boundary layer: observations and large-eddy simulation budget analysis. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 123(2):269–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cuxart J, Morales G, Terradellas E (2002) Pressure transport terms for the nocturnal stable boundary layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 105(1994):305–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Bruin H, Kohsiek W, van den Hurk J (1993) A verification of some methods to determine the fluxes of momentum, sensible heat, and water vapour using standard deviation and structure parameter of scalar meteorological quantities. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 63:231–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Bruin H, van den Hurk BJJM, Kroon LJM (1999) On the temperature-humidity correlation and similarity. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 93:453–468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Moortel I, Munday S, Hood A (2004) Wavelet analysis: the effect of varying basic wavelet parameters. Solar Phys 222(2):203–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deardorff J (1980) Cloud top entrainment instability. J Atmos Sci 37:131–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farge M, Kevlahan N, Perrier V, Goirand E (1996) Wavelets and turbulence. Proc IEEE 84(4):639–669

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graf A, Schüttemeyer D, Geiß H, Knaps A, Möllmann-Coers M, Schween JH, Kollet S, Neininger B, Herbst M, Vereecken H (2010) Boundedness of turbulent temperature probability distributions, and their relation to the vertical profile in the convective boundary layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 134(3):459–486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hägeli P, Steyn D, Strawbridge K (2000) Spatial and temporal variability of mixed-layer depth and entrainment zone thickness. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 97(1):47–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Högström U (1996) Review of some basic characteristics of the atmospheric surface layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 78(3–4):215–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsieh C, Katul G, Chi T-W (2000) An approximate analytical model for footprint estimation of scalar fluxes in thermally stratified atmospheric flows. Adv Water Resour 23:765–772

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudgins L, Friehe CA, Mayer M (1993) Wavelet transforms and atmospheric turbulence. Phys Lett 71(20):3279–3283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaimal JC, Wyngaard JC, Izumi Y, Coté OR (1972) Spectral characteristics of surface-layer turbulence. Q J R Meteorol Soc 98(417):563–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Katul GG, Sempreviva AM, Cava D (2008) The temperature humidity covariance in the marine surface layer: a one-dimensional analytical model. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 126:263–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kimmel SJ, Wyngaard JC, Otte MJ (2002) Log-chipper turbulence in the convective boundary layer. J Atmos Sci 59(6):1124–1134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kormann R, Meixner FX (2001) An analytical footprint model for non-neutral stratification. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 99:207–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lenschow DH, Wulfmeyer V, Senff C (2000) Measuring second-through fourth-order moments in noisy data. J Atmos Oceanic Tech 17(10):1330–1347

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lohou F, Saïd F, Lothon M, Durand P, Serça D (2010) Impact of boundary-layer processes on near-surface turbulence within the West African monsoon. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 136(1):1–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lothon M, Couvreux F, Donier S, Guichard F, Lacarrère P, Lenschow DH, Noilhan J, Saïd F (2007) Impact of coherent eddies on airborne measurements of vertical turbulent fluxes. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 124:425–447

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lothon M, Couvreux F, Durand P, Hartogensis O, Legain D, Lohou F, Pardyjak ER, Pino D, Reuder J, VilàGuerau de Arellano J, Alexander D, Augustin P, Bargain E, Barrié J, Bazile E, Bezombes Y, BlayCarreras E, van de Boer A, Boichard JL, de Coster O, Cuxart J, Dabas A, Darbieu C, Deboudt K, Delbarre H, Derrien S, Faloona I, Flamant P, Fourmentin M, Garai A, Gibert F, Gioli B, Graf A, Groebner J, Guichard F, Jonassen M, van den Kroonenberg A, Lenschow D, Martin S, Martinez D, Mastrorillo L, Moene AF, Molinos F, Moulin E, Pietersen H, Piguet B, Pique E, RománGascón C, Saïd F, Sastre M, Seity Y, Steeneveld GJ, Toscano P, Traullé O, Tzanos YCD, Wacker S, Wildmann N, Zaldei A (2012) The boundary layer late afternoon and sunset turbulence 2011 field experiment. In: 20th symposium on boundary layers and turbulence/18th conference on air-sea interaction, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 13 July 2012, 14B.1

  • Mahrt L (1991) Boundary-layer moisture regimes. Q J R Meteorol Soc 117(497):151–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahrt L, Lenschow DH (1976) Growth dynamics of the convectively mixed layer. J Atmos Sci 33:41–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mauder M, Desjardins RL, Oncley SP, MacPherson I (2007) Atmospheric response to a partial solar eclipse over a cotton field in central California. J Appl Meteorol Climatol 46(11):1792–1803

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michels BI, Jochum AM (1995) Heat and moisture flux profiles in a region with inhomogeneous surface evaporation. J Hydrol 166(3–4):383–407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moene AF, Schüttemeyer D (2008) The effect of surface heterogeneity on the temperature humidity correlation and the relative transport efficiency. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 129(1):99–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moene AF, Michels BI, Holtslag AAM (2006) Scaling variances of scalars in a convective boundary layer under different entrainment regimes. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 120(2):257–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moeng C-H, Wyngaard JC (1989) Evaluation of turbulent transport and dissipation closures in second-order modeling. Am Meteorol Soc 46(14):2311–2330

    Google Scholar 

  • Monin AS, Obukhov AM (1954) Basic laws of turbulent mixing in the surface layer of the atmosphere. Trudy geofiz inst AN SSSR 24(151):163–187

    Google Scholar 

  • Obukhov AM (1946) Turbulence in an atmosphere with a non-uniform temperature. Trudy Inst Theor Geofiz AN SSSR 1:95–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Oncley SP, Friehe CA, Larue JC, Businger JA, Itsweire EC, Chang SS (1996) Surface-layer fluxes, profiles, and turbulence measurements over uniform terrain under near-neutral conditions. J Atmos Sci 53(7):1029–1044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patton EG, Sullivan PP, Davis KJ (2003) The influence of a forest canopy on top-down and bottom-up diffusion in the planetary boundary layer. Q J R Meteorol Soc 129(590):1415–1434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pino D, Vilà-Guerau de Arellano J, Duynkerke PG (2003) The contribution of shear to the evolution of a convective boundary layer. J Atmos Sci 60(16):1913–1926

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schotanus P, Nieuwstadt F, De Bruin H (1983) Temperature measurement with a sonic anemometer and its application to heat and moisture fluxes. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 26:81–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sempreviva AM, Gryning S-E (2000) Mixing height over water and its role on the correlation between temperature and humidity fluctuations in the unstable surface layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 97:273–291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sempreviva AM, Højstrup J (1998) Transport of temperature and humidity variance and covariance in the marine surface layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 87:233–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sorbjan Z (1996) Effects caused by varying the strength of the capping inversion based on a large eddy simulation model of the shear-free convective boundary layer. J Atmos Sci 53(14):2015–2024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tapper NJ (1990) Urban influences on boundary layer temperature and humidity: results from Christchurch, New Zealand. Atmos Environ 24B(1):19–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Terradellas E, Morales G, Cuxart J, Yagüe C (2001) Wavelet methods: application to the study of the stable atmospheric boundary layer under non-stationary conditions. Dyn Atmos Oceans 34(2–4):225–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van de Boer A, Moene AF, Schuettemeyer D (2013) Sensitivity and uncertainty of analytical footprint models according to a combined natural tracer and ensemble approach. Agric For Meteorol 169:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Dijk A, Moene AF, De Bruin HAR (2004) The principles of surface flux physics: theory, practice and description of the ECPACK library. Internal Report 2004/1, Meteorology and air quality group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands (March 2004), 99 pp

  • Vilà-Guerau de Arellano J (2004) Entrainment process of carbon dioxide in the atmospheric boundary layer. J Geophys Res 109(D18):1–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Webb E, Pearman G, Leuning R (1980) Correction of flux measurements for density effects due to heat and water vapour transfer. Q J R Meteorol Soc 106:85–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilczak JM, Oncley SP, Stage SA (2001) Sonic anemometer tilt correction algorithms. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 99:127–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We greatly thank Oscar Hartogensis, Olivier de Coster, Henk Pietersen (Wageningen UR, the Netherlands) and Martin Lennefer (University Bonn, Germany) for their help with EC measurements before, during and after the BLLAST campaign. Furthermore, we thank Christine Moene for assisting in mapping the surroundings of the EC stations. We also thank Miranda Braam for her assistance with data processing and visualizing Fig. 1, and Jordi Vilà-Guerau de Arellano and Huug Ouwersloot (Wageningen UR, the Netherlands) for their critical notes on our study. We thank Fabienne Lohou (Laboratoire d’Aérologie Toulouse, France) and two anonymous reviewers for their critical comments and helpful suggestions. Furthermore, we thank Ned Patton (NCAR Boulder, US) for providing the detailed data from his LES study of 10 years ago. This work was financed by the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) project GR2687/3-1 and SCHU2350/2-1; links between local-scale measurements and catchment-scale measurements and modelling of gas exchange processes over land surfaces. The BLLAST field experiment was made possible thanks to the contribution of several institutions and supports: INSU-CNRS (Institut National des Sciences de l’Univers, Centre national de la Recherche Scientifique, LEFE-IDAO program), Météo-France, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (University of Toulouse), EUFAR (EUropean Facility for Airborne Research) and COST ES0802 (European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical). The field experiment would not have occurred without the contribution of all participating European and American research groups, which all have contributed in a significant amount (see supports). The BLLAST field experiment was hosted by the instrumented site of Centre de Recherches Atmosphériques, Lannemezan, France (Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées, Laboratoire dAérologie). BLLAST data are managed by SEDOO, from Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées. The MODEM radiosoundings were supported by CNRS, University of Toulouse and the FEDER program (Contract nr. 34172—Development of the instrumentation of Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées—PIRENEA—ESPOIR). The 60-m tower equipment was also supported by CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier and by the European POCTEFA FluxPyr program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Meteorology and Air Quality Section, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    A. van de Boer & A. F. Moene

  2. Meteorological Institute University Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    A. van de Boer, D. Schüttemeyer & C. Simmer

  3. Agrosphere Institute, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

    A. Graf

Authors
  1. A. van de Boer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. F. Moene
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Graf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. D. Schüttemeyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. C. Simmer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. van de Boer.

Appendix

Appendix

Vertical profiles of temperature (red) and humidity (blue) from all successful radiosoundings at a site 1 km from our EC stations are shown in Fig. 13. We manually added a first-order jump model to every vertical profile (black lines). Corresponding surface and entrainment fluxes are given in Table 1. Soundings launched at a site 4 km from our EC stations and contributing calculated fluxes are shown in Fig. 14 and in Table 2 respectively.

Fig. 13
figure 13

Vertical profiles of temperature (red) and humidity (blue) obtained at a distance of 1 km from our EC stations, using radiosoundings (MODEM). From left to right, then from top to bottom, the sets of \(\theta \) and \(q\) are placed in chronological order. Black lines indicate the first-order jump model. Corresponding DOY and time are given above every vertical profile

Full size image
Fig. 14
figure 14

Vertical profiles of temperature (red) and humidity (blue) obtained at a distance of 4 km from our EC stations, using radiosoundings (Vaisala). From left to right, then from top to bottom, the sets of \(\theta \) and \(q\) are placed in chronological order. Black lines indicate the first-order jump model

Full size image

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

van de Boer, A., Moene, A.F., Graf, A. et al. Detection of Entrainment Influences on Surface-Layer Measurements and Extension of Monin–Obukhov Similarity Theory. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 152, 19–44 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-014-9920-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-014-9920-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation