Abstract
The structure of the radiatively dominated stable boundary layer is analysed using idealized calculations at high vertical and spectral resolution. The temperature profile of a nocturnal radiative boundary layer, developing after the evening transition, is found to be well described in terms of radiative cooling to the surface, although radiative exchanges within the atmosphere become increasingly important with time. The treatment of non-black surfaces is discussed in some detail and it is shown that the effect of reducing the surface emissivity is to decrease rather than to increase the radiative cooling rate in the surface layer. It is also argued that an accurate assessment of the impact of non-black surfaces requires careful attention to the spectral and directional characteristics of the surface emissivity. A polar nocturnal boundary layer, developing above snow-covered ground, is simulated and found to reach a slowly evolving state characterized by a strong radiative divergence near the surface that is comparable to observed values. Radiative boundary layers are characterized by large temperature gradients near the surface.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
André JC, Mahrt L (1981) The nocturnal surface inversion and influence of clear-air radiative cooling. J Atmos Sci 39: 864–878
Batchelor GK (1967) Introduction to fluid dynamics, 1st edn. Cambridge University Press, 618 pp
Brunt D (1941) Physical and dynamical meteorology. Cambridge University Press, 428 pp
Carlson MA, Stull RB (1986) Subsidence in the nocturnal boundary layer. J Climat Appl Meteorol 25: 1088–1099
Coantic M, Seguin B (1971) On the interaction of turbulent and radiative transfers in the surface layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 1: 245–263
Cusack S, Edwards JM, Crowther JM (1999) Investigating k distribution methods for parameterizing gaseous absorption in the Hadley centre climate model. J Geophys Res 104: 2051–2057
Derbyshire SH (1999) Boundary-layer decoupling over cold surfaces as a physical boundary-instability. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 90: 297–325
Drüe C, Heinemann G (2007) Characteristics of intermittent turbulence in the upper stable boundary layer over Greenland. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 124: 361–381
Edwards JM, Slingo A (1996) Studies with a flexible new radiation code. I: choosing a configuration for a large-scale model. Q J Roy Meteorol Soc 122: 689–719
Elliot WP (1964) The height variation of vertical heat fluxes near the ground. Q J Roy Meteorol Soc 90: 260–265
Fels SB, Schwartzkopf MD (1975) The simplified exchange approximation: a new method for radiative transfer calculations. J Atmos Sci 32: 1475–1488
Fleagle RG (1953) A theory of fog formation. J Marine Res 12: 43–50
Funk JP (1960) Measured radiative flux divergence near the ground at night. Q J Roy Meteorol Soc 86: 382–389
Garratt JR (1992) The atmospheric boundary layer, 1st edn. Cambridge University Press, 316 pp
Garratt JR, Brost RA (1981) Radiative cooling rates within and above the nocturnal boundary layer. J Atmos Sci 38: 2730–2746
Gerding M, Ritter C, Müller M, Neuber R (2004) Tropospheric water vapour soundings by lidar at high Arctic latitudes. Atmos Res 71: 289–302
Hoch SW, Calanca P, Philipona R, Ohmura A (2005) Year-round observations of longwave radiative flux divergence in Greenland. J Appl Meteorol Climatol 46: 1469–1479
Holtslag AAM (2006) GEWEX atmospheric boundary layer study GABLS on stable boundary layers. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 118: 243–246
Holtslag AAM, Steeneveld GJ, van de Wiel BJH (2007) Role of land-surface feedback on model performance for the stable boundary layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 125: 361–376
Lieske BJ, Stroschein LA (1967) Measurement of radiative flux divergence in the arctic. Arch Meteorol Geophys Bioklimatol 15: 67–81
Lin SJ (2004) A “vertically Lagrangian” finite-volume dynamical core for global models. Mon Wea Rev 132: 2293–2307
Liou KN (1980) An introduction to atmospheric radiation. Academic Press, 392 pp
Marty C, Philipona R, Delamere J, Dutton E, Michalsky J, Stamnes K, Storvold R, Stoffel T, Clough SA, Mlawer EJ (2003) Downward longwave irradiance uncertainty under arctic atmospheres: measurements and modeling. J Geophys Res 108: 4358. doi:10.1029/2002/JD002,937
McClatchey RA, Fenn RW, Selby JEA, Volz FE, Garing JS (1972) The optical properties of the atmosphere. AFCRL 72-0497, Hanscom AFB, Bedford MA
Monteith JL (1957) Dew. Q J Roy Meteorol Soc 83: 322–341
Niemelä S, Räisänen P, Savijärvi H (2001) Comparisons of surface radiative flux parameterizations Part I: longwave radiation. Atmos Res 58: 1–18
Philipona R, Dutton EG, Stoffel T, Michalsky J, Reda I, Stifter A, Wendung P, Wood N, Clough SA, Mlawer EJ, Anderson G, Revercomb HE, Shippert TR (2001) Atmospheric longwave irradiance uncertainty: pyrgeometers compared to an absolute sky-scanning radiometer, and radiative transfer model calculations. J Geophys Res 106: 28129–28141
Räisänen P (1996) The effect of vertical resolution on clear-sky radiation calculations: tests with two schemes. Tellus 48: 403–423
Rodgers CD, Walshaw CD (1966) The computation of infra-red cooling rates in planetary atmospheres. Q J Roy Meteorol Soc 92: 67–92
Savijärvi H (2006) Radiative and turbulent heating rates in the clear-air boundary layer. Q J Roy Meteorol Soc 132: 147–161
Shaw JA, Marston C (2000) Polarized infrared emissivity for a rough water surface. Opt Express 7: 375–380
Spiegel EA (1957) The smoothing of temperature fluctuations by radiative transfer. Astrophys J 126: 202–207
Steeneveld GJ, van de Wiel BJH, Holtslag AAM (2006a) Modelling the Arctic stable boundary layer and its coupling to the surface. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 118: 357–378
Steeneveld GJ, van de Wiel BJH, Holtslag AAM (2006b) Modelling the evolution of the atmospheric boundary layer coupled to the land surface for three contrasting nights in CASES-99. J Atmos Sci 63: 920–935
Steeneveld GJ, Zwaaftink CDG, Wokke M, Pijlman S, Heusinkveld BG, Jacobs AFG, Holtslag AAM (2008) Long term observations of long wave radiative flux divergence in the stable boundary layer over land. In: 18th Symposium on Boundary Layers and Turbulence, Stockholm, Sweden, Paper 17.B6
Thomas GE, Stamnes K (1999) Radiative transfer in the atmosphere and ocean, 1st edn. Cambridge University Press, 517 pp
van de Wiel BJH, Moene AF, Hartogensis OK, de Bruin HAR, Holtslag AAM (2003) Intermittent turbulence and oscillations in the stable boundary layer over land. Part III: a classification for observations during CASES-99. J Atmos Sci 60: 2509–2522
Walden VP, Warren SG, Tuttle E (2003) Atmospheric ice crystals over the antarctic plateau in winter. J Appl Meteorol 42: 1391–1405
Wang K, Wan Z, Wang P, Sparrow M, Liu J, Zhou X, Haginoya S (2005) Estimation of surface long wave radiation and broadband emissivity using Moderate Resolution Imagaing Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperature/emissivity products. J Geophys Res 110: D11,109. doi:10.1029/2004JD005,566
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10546-009-9402-6
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Edwards, J.M. Radiative Processes in the Stable Boundary Layer: Part I. Radiative Aspects. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 131, 105–126 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-009-9364-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-009-9364-8