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A numerical modeling study of the marine boundary layer over the Gulf Stream during cold air advection

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Abstract

A two-dimensional mesoscale model has been developed to simulate the air flow over the Gulf Stream area where typically large gradients in surface temperature exist in the winter. Numerical simulations show that the magnitude and the maximum height of the mesoscale circulation that develops downwind of the Gulf Stream depends on both the initial geostrophic wind and the large-scale moisture. As expected, a highly convective Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) develops over this area and it was found that the Gulf Stream plays an important role in generating the strong upward heat fluxes causing a farther seaward penetration as cold air advection takes place. Numerical results agree well with the observed surface fluxes of momentum and heat and the mesoscale variation of vertical velocities obtained using Doppler Radars for a typical cold air outbreak. Precipitation pattern predicted by the numerical model is also in agreement with the observations during the Genesis of Atlantic Lows Experiment (GALE).

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Abbreviations

u :

east-west velocity [m s−1]

v :

north-south velocity [m s−1]

\(\bar w\) :

vertical velocity in σ coordinate [m s−1]

w :

vertical velocity inz coordinate [m s−1]

gq:

potential temperature [K]

q :

moisture [kg kg−1]

π:

scaled pressure [J kg−1 K−1]

U g :

the east-south component of geostrophic wind [m s−1]

V g :

the north-south component of geostrophic wind [m s−1]

σ:

vertical coordinate following terrain

x :

east-west spatial coordinate [m]

y :

north-south spatial coordinate [m]

z :

vertical spatial coordinate [m]

t :

time coordinate [s]

g :

gravity [m2 s−1]

E :

terrain height [m]

H :

total height considered in the model [m]

q s :

saturated moisture [kg kg−1]

p :

pressure [mb]

p 00 :

reference pressure [mb]

P :

precipitation [kg m−2]

γ:

vertical lapse rate for potential temperature [K km−1]

L :

latent heat of condensation [J kg−1]

C p :

specific heat at constant pressure [J kg−1 K−1]

R :

gas constant for dry air [J kg−1 K−1]

R v :

gas constant for water vapor [J kg−1 K−1]

f :

Coriolis parameter (2Ω sin Φ) [s−1]

Ω:

angular velocity of the earth [s−1]

Φ:

latitude [o]

K H :

horizontal eddy exchange coefficient [m2 s−1]

Δt :

integration time interval [s]

Δx :

grid interval distance inx coordinate [m]

Δy :

grid interval distance iny coordinate [m]

α:

adjustable coefficient inK H

\(\overline {u'w'}\) :

subgrid momentum flux [m2 s−2]

\(\overline {w'\theta '}\) :

subgrid potential temperature flux [m K s−1]

\(\overline {w'q'}\) :

subgrid moisture flux [m kg kg−1 s−1]

u * :

friction velocity [m s−1]

θ * :

subgrid flux temperature [K]

q * :

subgrid flux moisture [kg kg−1]

w * :

subgrid convective velocity [m s−1]

z 0 :

surface roughness [m]

L :

Monin stability length [m]

θ s :

surface potential temperature [K]

k :

von Karman's constant (0.4)

v :

air kinematic viscosity coefficient [m2 s−1]

K M :

subgrid vertical eddy exchange coefficient for momentum [m2 s−1]

K θ :

subgrid vertical eddy exchange coefficient for heat [m2 s−1]

K q :

subgrid vertical eddy exchange coefficient for moisture [m2 s−1]

z i :

the height of PBL [m]

h s :

the height of surface layer [m]

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, 27695-8208, Raleigh, NC, USA

    Ching-Yuang Huang & Sethu Raman

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  1. Ching-Yuang Huang
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  2. Sethu Raman
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Huang, CY., Raman, S. A numerical modeling study of the marine boundary layer over the Gulf Stream during cold air advection. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 45, 251–290 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01066673

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