Abstract
We present results from an experiment that wasdesigned to investigate turbulent transportrelationships in a nearly homogeneous boundary layerdisturbed by unsteady wind swings, as found at thebase of an advective inversion with a convectiveboundary layer overhead. In such a situation wemeasured vertical gradients and eddy fluxes of temperature andhumidity at two heights. From these, the turbulentdiffusivities of heat and water vapour are obtained,and compared to the predictions of Monin–Obukhovsimilarity theory and those of a numericalsecond-order closure model. It is found that themeasured diffusivities exceed both predictions. Thisis interpreted as a consequence of the unsteadyconditions. It is also found that the diffusivity forheat is roughly 10% larger than that for watervapour. This is in agreement with a theoreticaltreatment of the unsteadiness effects that wedeveloped in an earlier publication. This result isnot reproduced by the numerical model because themodel has no provision for unsteady conditions. Ourresult disagrees with that from an earlier, verysimilar, field experiment, which may be due to asystematic underestimation of sensible heat flux inthe older experiment.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Auble, D. L. and Meyers, T. P.: 1992, ‘An Open Path, Fast Response Infrared Absorption Gas Analyzer for H2O and CO2’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 59, 243–256.
Bink, N. J.: 1996, The Structure of the Atmospheric Surface Layer Subject to Local Advection, Ph.D. Thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University.
Bland, W. L., Loew, J. T., and Norman, J. M.: 1996, ‘Evaporation from Cranberry’, Agric. For. Meteorol. 81, 1–12.
De Bruin, H. A. R., Kohsiek, W., and van den Hurk, B. J. J. M.: 1993, ‘A Verification of Some Methods to Determine the Fluxes of Momentum, Sensible Heat, and Water Vapour Using Standard Deviation and Structure Parameter of Scalar Meteorological Quantities’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 63, 231–257.
Foken, T., Weisensee, U., Kirtzel, H.-J., and Thiermann, V.: 1997, ‘Comparison of New-Type Sonic Anemometers’, in Preprint Volume of the 12th Symposium on Boundary Layers and Turbulence, July 28–August 1, 1997, Vancouver, Canada, American Meteorological Society, Boston, pp. 356–357.
Garratt, J. R.: 1992, The Atmospheric Boundary Layer, Cambridge University Press, U.K., 316 pp.
Hill, R. J.: 1989, ‘Implications of Monin–Obukhov Similarity Theory for Scalar Quantities’, J. Atmos. Sci. 46, 2236–2244.
Jacobs, A. F. G., and McNaughton, K. G.: 1994, ‘The Excess Temperature of a Rigid Fast-Response Thermometer and its Effects on Measured Heat Flux’, J. Atmos. Oceanic Tech. 11, 680–686.
Kaimal, J. C. and Finnigan, J. J.: 1994, Atmospheric Boundary Layer Flows, Oxford University Press, New York, 289 pp.
Kaimal, J. C., Wyngaard, J. C., Izumi, Y., and Coté, O. R.: 1972, ‘Spectral Characteristics of Surface-Layer Turbulence’, Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc. 98, 563–589.
Katul, G. G., Albertson, J. D., Cheng-I Hseih, C. P. S., Sigmon, J. T., Parlange, M. B., and Knoerr, K. R.: 1996, ‘The “Inactive” Eddy Motion and the Large-Scale Turbulent Pressure Fluctuations in the Dynamic Sublayer’, J. Atmos. Sci. 53, 2512–2524.
Lang, A. R. G., McNaughton, K. G., Chen, F., Bradley, E. F., and Ohtaki, E.: 1983, ‘Inequality of Eddy Transfer Coefficients for Vertical Transport of Sensible and Latent Heats during Advective Inversions’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 25, 25–41.
Laubach, J. and McNaughton, K. G.: 1998, ‘A Spectrum-Independent Procedure for Correcting Eddy Flux Measurements with Separated Sensors’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 89, 445–467.
McNaughton, K. G. and Jarvis, P. G.: 1983, ‘Predicting Effects of Vegetation Changes on Transpiration and Evaporation’, in T. T. Kozlowski (ed.), Water Deficits and Plant Growth, Academic Press, New York, pp. 1–47.
McNaughton, K. G. and Laubach, J.: 1998, ‘Unsteadiness as a Cause of Non-Equality of Eddy Diffusivities for Heat and Vapour at the Base of an Advective Inversion’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 88, 479–504.
McNaughton, K. G. and Laubach, J.: 2000, ‘Power Spectra and Cospectra for Wind and Scalars in a Disturbed Surface Layer at the Base of an Advective Inversion’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol., in press.
Moore, C. J.: 1986, ‘Frequency Response Corrections for Eddy Correlation Systems’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 37, 17–35.
Oke, T. R.: 1987, Boundary Layer Climates, 2nd edn, Methuen Press, London, 435 pp.
Patankar, S. V.: 1980, Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow, Hemisphere, London, 197 pp.
Rao, K. S., Wyngaard, J. C., and Coté, O. R.: 1974, ‘Local Advection of Momentum, Heat, and Moisture in Micrometeorology’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 7, 331–348.
Schotanus, P., Nieuwstadt, F. T. M., and de Bruin, H. A. R.: 1983, ‘Temperature Measurement with a Sonic Anemometer and its Application to Heat and Moisture Fluxes’, Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 26, 81–93.
Townsend, A. A.: 1961, ‘Equilibrium Layers and Wall Turbulence’, J. Fluid Mech. 11, 97–120.
Verma, S. B., Rosenberg, N. J., and Blad, B. L.: 1978, ‘Turbulent Exchange Coefficients for Sensible Heat and Water Vapor under Advective Conditions’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 17, 330–338.
Vogt, R., Feigenwinter, C., Paw U, K. T., and Pitacco, A.: 1997, ‘Intercomparison of Ultrasonic Anemometers’, in Preprint Volume of the 12th Symposium on Boundary Layers and Turbulence, July 28–August 1, Vancouver, Canada, American Meteorological Society, Boston, pp. 354–355.
Webb, E. K., Pearman, G. I., and Leuning, R.: 1980, ‘Correction of Flux Measurements for Density Effects Due To Heat and Water Vapour Transfer’, Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc. 106, 85–100.
Zermeño-González, A., and Hipps, L. E.: 1997, ‘Downwind Evolution of Surface Fluxes over a Vegetated Surface during Local Advection of Heat and Saturation Deficit’, J. Hydrol. 192, 189–210.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Laubach, J., McNaughton, K.G. & Wilson, J.D. Heat and Water Vapour Diffusivities Near the Base of a Disturbed Stable Internal Boundary Layer. Boundary-Layer Meteorology 94, 23–63 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1002402515319
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1002402515319