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A comparison of a Eulerian and a Lagrangian time scale for over-water atmospheric flows during stable conditions

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Abstract

Lagrangian integral time scales were calculated from crosswind concentration distributions of oil-fog smoke released from a continuous point source over the ocean during stable atmospheric conditions assuming an exponential correlation function. Variance of the lateral velocity fluctuations, Σ v 2, and the energy dissipation rate, ɛ, were obtained from simultaneous Eulerian measurements at the beach. An Eulerian energy dissipation scale defined as Σ v 2/ɛ was then computed. The ratio of the Lagrangian integral scale to the Eulerian energy dissipation scale was found to be close to 1. This ratio was also estimated to be 1 based on physical and dimensional considerations regarding the cascade of energy. Length scales for longitudinal, lateral and vertical directions were interpreted with a model based on similarity considerations applicable for over-water atmospheric flows.

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Authored under contract EY-76-C-02-0016 with the U.S. Department of Energy. Accordingly, the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to publish or reproduce the published form of this contribution, or allow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes.

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Sethuraman, S., Meyers, R.E. & Brown, R.M. A comparison of a Eulerian and a Lagrangian time scale for over-water atmospheric flows during stable conditions. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 14, 557–565 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00121894

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00121894

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