Abstract
Davenport's geometric similarity is applied to the temperature field in the unstable atmospheric surface layer for displacements in all three orthogonal directions. The decay constants for lateral displacements are over 50 times as large as for vertical displacements. Such large lateral decay constants mean that the measurement of longitudinal constants will be very difficult.
Some of the assumptions inherent in geometric similarity were not satisfied. Two regimes, plume scales and larger scales, having different decay constants, were observed. The possibility of a similar scale dependency of the decay constants for the wind field is discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Danielson, D., Mizuno, T., Moravek, D., Sullivan, D., Thomson, D. W., and Panofsky, H. A. (1974). Two-point statistics over Lake Ontario. Report by Department of Meteorology, Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, Penna, October, 1974, 88 pp.
Davenport, A. G. (1961). The spectrum of horizontal gustiness in high winds. Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol Soc. 87, 194–211.
Davenport, A. G. (1964). The buffeting of large superficial structures by atmospheric turbulence. Annals of the N.Y. Acad Sci., 116, 135–159.
Davison, D. S. (1974). The translation velocity of convective plumes. Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc. 100, 571–592.
Davison, D. S. (1975). The horizontal cross-sectional shape of convective plumes. Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc. 101, 131–141.
Kaimal, J. and Businger, J. (1970). Case studies of a convective plume and a dust devil. J. Appl. Meteorol. 9, 612–620.
Lumley, J. L. and Panofsky, H. A. (1964). The Structure of Atmospheric Turbulence, Interscience Publishers.
Panofsky, H. A. (1962). Scale analysis of atmospheric turbulence at 2 m. Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc. 88, 57–69.
Pielke, R. A., and Panofsky, H. A. (1970). Turbulence characteristics along several towers. Boundary-Layer Meteorol, 1, 115–130.
Ropelewski, C. F., Tennekes, H., and Panofsky, H. A. (1973). Horizontal coherence of wind fluctuations. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 5, 353–363.
Warner, J. and Telford, J. (1963). Some patterns of convection in lower atmosphere. J. Atmos. Sci. 20, 313–318.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Davison, D.S. Geometric similarity for the temperature field in the unstable atmospheric surface layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 10, 167–180 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00229283
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00229283