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Understanding the turbulent structure of the atmospheric boundary layer: A diagnostic approach

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Abstract

In this paper, we have attempted a diagnostic study of the turbulence characteristics of the ABL by means of two one-dimensional models. The first model uses a first order non-local closure, based on the Transilient Turbulence Theory, for parameterizing turbulent fluxes. while the second model uses second order local closure for parameterizing these. The models have been applied to conduct case studies using the Kytoon data taken at Kharagpur, during 17th–21st June, 1990, as part of the MONTBLEX programme.

Our findings bring out various interesting features regarding the non-local and local turbulent statistics such as kinematic fluxes, turbulence kinetic energy, vertical velocity variance, the contribution of the eddies of various sizes to the fluxes at different level and the mixing lengths. The one-dimensional anisotropy of the turbulent eddies has been revealed by the findings from the transilient model. The vertical variation of the turbulence kinetic energy, as computed directly by the second order model, is found to be strongly correlated with the vertical velocity variance. In particular, for stably stratified boundary layers, identification of two distinct zones of the turbulence kinetic energy and corresponding vertical velocity maxima is possible, which has been interpreted as positive evidence of patchy turbulence in the boundary layer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, University of Calcutta, 92, A.P.C. Road, 700 009, Calcutta, India

    M Chatterjee, G K Sen & D K Sinha

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  1. M Chatterjee
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  2. G K Sen
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  3. D K Sinha
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Chatterjee, M., Sen, G.K. & Sinha, D.K. Understanding the turbulent structure of the atmospheric boundary layer: A diagnostic approach. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Earth Planet Sci.) 105, 63–80 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02880759

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