Abstract
Based on gradient transport theory or K-theory, turbulent transport in the atmosphere has long been parameterized using the eddy diffusivity. Due to its simplicity, this approach has often been applied in many numerical models but rarely tested with observations. Here, the widely used O’Brien cubic polynomial approach has been validated together with an exponential approach against eddy diffusivity profiles determined from measurements and from large-eddy simulation data in stable conditions. Verification is completed by analyzing the variability effects on pollutant concentrations of two different vertical diffusion (K(z)) schemes incorporated in an atmospheric chemical model. It is shown that the analytical, exponential solution agrees better with observations than the O’Brien profile and should be used henceforth in practical applications.
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Acknowledgements
Authors are grateful to Branko Grisogono for many valuable advises and suggestions; furthermore, we thank the reviewers for several important recommendations. This work is supported by the EMEP4HR project under number 175183/S30 funded by the Research Council of Norway, and by projects BORA 119-1193086-1311 and 004-1193086-3036 of the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sport.
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Open Access This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0), which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
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Jeričević, A., Večenaj, Ž. Improvement of Vertical Diffusion Analytic Schemes Under Stable Atmospheric Conditions. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 131, 293–307 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-009-9367-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-009-9367-5