Skip to main content

Analysis of Weak Wind Stable Conditions from the Observations of the Land Surface Processes Experiment at Anand in India

  • Chapter
Atmospheric and Oceanic

Part of the book series: Pageoph Topical Volumes ((PTV))

  • 675 Accesses

Abstract

The observations in weak wind stable conditions are scarce. The present study examines the observations from the Land Surface Processes Experiment (LASPEX) conducted at Anand, (Gujarat, India) during the year 1997–1998 to study the characteristics of surface layer under weak wind stable conditions. The observed surface fluxes are compared with those computed using Monin-Obukhov (M-O) similarity theory. The upper air observations and regional climatology are used to justify the persistence of weak wind conditions at Anand. The frequency of occurrence of weak wind stable conditions is observed to be around 67%. In 86% of the cases under weak wind conditions, bulk Richardson number (R iB ) is found to be larger than 0.2. The magnitude of surface fluxes computed from M-O similarity theory is shown to be smaller in comparison to those based on the observations in weak wind stable conditions. Surface fluxes computed using the empirical relations for the eddy diffusivities and drag and heat exchange coefficients are found to be comparable with those based on M-O similarity theory however these fluxes are under-predicted in comparison to the observations. The traditional M-O similarity theory is not able to simulate the observed fluxes well in weak wind stable conditions at Anand.

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

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Aggarwal, P., Yadav, A. K., Gulati, A., Raman, S., Rao, S., Singh, M. P., Nigam, S., and Reddy, N. (1995), Surface layer turbulence processes in low wind speeds over land, Atmos. Environ. 29, 2089–2098.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andre, C., Bougeault, P., and Gourtorbe, J. P. (1990), Regional estimates of heat and evaporation fluxes over non-homogeneous terrain. Examples from the HAPBEX-MOBILIHY Programme, Boundary-Layer Meteor. 50, 77–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arya, S. P. S., Introduction to Micrometeorology (Academic Press, 1988) 307 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arya, S. P. S. (1995), Modelling and parameterization of near-source diffusion in weak winds, J. Appl. Meteor. 34, 1112–1122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beljaars, A. C. M. and Holtslag, A. A. M. (1991), Flux parameterization over land surfaces for atmospheric models, J. Appl. Meteor. 30, 327–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Businger, J. A., Wyngaard, J. C., Izumi, Y., and Bradley, E. F. (1971), Flux profile relationships in the atmospheric surface layer, J. Atmos. Sci. 28, 181–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R.H., Dyer, A.J., Brook, R.R., Reid, D. G., and Troup, A.J. (1971), The Wangara Experiment: Boundary Layer Data, Div. of Meteor. Physics Tech. Paper No. 19, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia. 341 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Estournel, C., and Guedalia, D. (1987), A new parameterization of eddy diffusivities for nocturnal boundary-layer modelling, Boundary-Layer Meteor. 39, 191–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garratt, J.R., The Atmospheric Boundary Layer (Cambridge University Press, U.K. 1992) 316 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goel, N. and Srivastva, H. N. (1990), Monsoon trough boundary layer experiment (MONTBLEX), Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. 71, 1594–1600.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goutorbe, J-P., Lebel, T., Dolman, A.J., Gash, Kabat, P., Kerr, Y. H., Monteny, B. A., Prince, S.D., Stricker, J. N. M., Tinga, A., and Wallace, J. S. (1997), An Overview of HAPEX-Sahel: A study in climate and desertifiction, J. Hydrol. 188–189, 4–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Izumi, Y. (1971), Kansas 1968 Field Program Data Report, Air Force Cambridge Res. Lab. AFCRL-72-0041. Environ. Res. Paper No. 379, Hanscom AFB, MA. 79 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kailas, S. V. and Goel, M. (1996), Planning MONTBLEX-An Overview, Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Earth and Planet. Sci.) 5, 209–225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaimal, J. C. and Finnigan, J.J., Atmospheric Boundary Layer Flows-Their Structure and Measurements (Oxford University Press, Oxford 1994) 289 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaimal, J. C. and Wyngaard, J. C. (1990), The Kansas and Minnesota experiments, Boundary-Layer Meteor. 50, 31–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kusuma, G. R. and Narasimha, R. (1996), Estimation of drag coefficient at low wind speeds over the monsoon trough land region during MONTBLEX-90, Geophys. Res. Lett. 23, 2617–2620.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kusuma, G. R., Raman, S., and Prabhu, A. (1991), Boundary layer heights over the monsoon trough region during active and break phases, Boundary-Layer Meteor. 57, 129–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kusuma, G. R., Raman, S., and Prabhu, A., and Narasimha, R. (1995), Turbulent heat flux variation over the monsoon trough region during MONTBLEX-90, Atmos. Environ. 29, 2113–2129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kunhikrishnan, P. K., Sen Gupta, K., Ramachandran, R., Prakash, J. W. J., and Nair, K. N. (1993), Structure of the thermal internal boundary layer over thumba, India, Ann. Geophys. 11, 52–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahrt, L., Sun, J., William, B., Delany, T., and Oncley, S. (1998), Nocturnal boundary layer regimes, Boundary-Layer Meteor. 88, 255–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murthy, B.S., Parasnis, S.S., and Ek, M. (2004), Interactions of the land surface with atmospheric boundary layer: Case studies from LASPEX, Current Sci. 86, 25–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nieuwstadt, F.T.M. (1984), The turbulent structure of the stable nocturnal boundary layer, J. Atmos. Sci. 41, 2202–2216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey, V., Kumar, M., and Shekh, A.M. (2001), Agroclimatic features of LASPEX sites, J. Agrometeorology 3, 39–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prakash, J. W. J., Ramachandran, R., Nair, K. N., Sen Gupta, K., and Kunhikrishnan, P. K. (1992), On the structure of sea-breeze fronts observed near the coastlibe of Thumba, India, Boundary-Layer Meteor. 59, 111–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prakash, J. W. J., Ramachandran, R., Nair, K. N., Sen Gupta, K., and Kunhikrishnan, P. K. (1993), On the spectral behavior of atmospheric boundary layer parameters at Thumba, India, Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc. 119, 187–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Press, W. H., Flannery, B. P., Teukolsky, S. A., and Vetterling, W. T., Numerical Recipes: The Art of Scientific Computing (Cambridge University Press, 1986) 818 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramachandran, R., Prakash, J.W. J., Sen Gupta, K., Nair, K. N., and Kunhikrishnan, P. K. (1994), Variability of surface roughness and turbulence intensities at a coastal site in India, Boundary-Layer Meteor. 70, 385–400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Segendorf, J. F. and Dickson, C. R. (1974), Diffusion under low wind speed inversion conditions, NOAA Technical Memo-ERL-ARL-52, Air Resources Laboratories, Silver Spring.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sellers, P. J., Hall, F. G., Asrar, G., Strebel, D. E., and Murphy, R. E. (1992), An Overview of the First International Sattelite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) Field Experiment (FIFE), J. Geophy. Res. 97, 18345–18373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharan Maithili, Gopalakrishnan, S. G., McNider, R. T., and Singh, M. P. (1996a), Bhopal gas leak: A numerical investigation of prevailing meteorological conditions, J. App. Meteor. 3, 1637–1656.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharan Maithili and Gopalakrishnan, S. G. (2003), Mathematical Modelling of Diffusion and Transport of Pollutants in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer, Pure Appl. Geophys. 160, 357–394.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharan Maithili, McNider, R. T., Gopalakrishnan, S. G., and Singh, M. P (1995), Bhopal gas leak: A numerical simulation of episodic dispersion, Atmos. Environ. 29, 2061–2070.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharan Maithili, Rama Krishna, T.V.B.P.S., and Aditi. (2003a), On the bulk Richardson Number and flux-profile relations in an atmospheric surface layer under weak wind stable conditions, Atmos. Environ. 37, 3681–3691.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharan Maithili, Rama Krishna, T.V.B.P.S., and Aditi (2003b), Surface Layer Characteristics in the Stable Boundary Layer with Strong and Weak Winds, Boundary-Layer Meteor. 108, 257–288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharan Maithili, Singh, M. P., Yadav, A. K., Aggarwal, P., and Nigam, S. (1996b), A Mathematical Model for Dispersion of Air Pollutants in Low Wind Conditions, Atmos. Environ. 30, 1209–1220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheikh, A.M. (1997), Agroclimatic Atlas of Gujarat, Gujarat Agricultural University, Anand, India. (AQ: please update the publisher?)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorbjan, Z., Structure of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 1989) 317 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tjemkes, S. A. and Duynkerke, P. G. (1989), The nocturnal boundary layer: Model Calculations Compared with Observations, J. Appl. Meteor. 28, 161–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vernekar, K. G., Sinha, S., Sadani, L.K., Sivaramkrishnan, S., Parasnis, S.S., Brij Mohan, Saxena, S., Dharamraj, T., Patil, M. N., Pillai, J. S., Murthy, B. S., Debaje, S. B., and Bagavatsingh, A. (2003), An overview of the Land Surface Processes Experiment (LASPEX) over a semi-arid region of India, Boundary-Layer Meteor. 106, 561–572.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wyngaard, J. C. and Cote, O. R. (1971), The budget of turbulent kinetic energy and temperature variance in the atmospheric surface layer, J. Atmos. Sci. 28, 190–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wyngaard, J. C., Cote, O. R., and Izumi, Y. (1971), Local free convection, similarity and budgets of shear stress and heat flux, J. Atmos. Sci. 28, 1171–1182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wyngaard, J. C. and Cote, O. R. (1972), Cospectral similarity in the atmospheric surface layer, Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc. 98, 590–603.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yadav, A.K., Raman, S., and Sharan Maithili (1996), Surface layer turbulence and spectra and eddy dissipation during low winds in tropics. Boundary-Layer Meteor. 79, 205–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yadav, A.K., Raman, S., and Niyogi, D. (2003), A note on estimation of eddy diffusivity and dissipation length in low winds over a tropical urban terrain, Pure Appl. Geophys. 160, 395–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2007 Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sharan, A., Sharan, M. (2007). Analysis of Weak Wind Stable Conditions from the Observations of the Land Surface Processes Experiment at Anand in India. In: Sharan, M., Raman, S. (eds) Atmospheric and Oceanic. Pageoph Topical Volumes. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-8493-7_20

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics