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Gust and downward momentum transport in the atmospheric surface layer

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Abstract

The intermittent structure of the turbulent wind field in the atmospheric surface layer is investigated by conditional sampling methods. The results show that downward momentum can be transported efficiently during a peak gust. The horizontal structure of the gust is also revealed by observing the spatial structure of wind speed fluctuations from a network of 28 anemometers. The high wind region consists of a gust front with a sudden increase of wind speed at the front and a slow decrease to its rear. The development of the gust front is related closely to the momentum flux during the short time of passage of the gust.

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Hayashi, T. Gust and downward momentum transport in the atmospheric surface layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 58, 33–49 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00120750

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