Abstract
The ‘local scaling’ hypothesis, first introduced by Nieuwstadt two decades ago, describes the turbulence structure of the stable boundary layer in a very succinct way and is an integral part of numerous local closure-based numerical weather prediction models. However, the validity of this hypothesis under very stable conditions is a subject of ongoing debate. Here, we attempt to address this controversial issue by performing extensive analyses of turbulence data from several field campaigns, wind-tunnel experiments and large-eddy simulations. A wide range of stabilities, diverse field conditions and a comprehensive set of turbulence statistics make this study distinct
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Abbreviations
- f c :
-
Coriolis parameter
- g :
-
gravitational acceleration
- G :
-
geostrophic wind speed
- H :
-
boundary-layer height
- L :
-
Obukhov length ( \(= -{\Theta u_*^3}/{\kappa g (\overline{w\theta})}\))
- r mn :
-
correlation coefficient between m and n
- u,v,w :
-
velocity fluctuations (around the average) in x,y and z directions
- U,V :
-
mean velocity components in x and y directions
- u * :
-
friction velocity \(\left(=\sqrt[4]{{\overline{uw}}^2+{\overline{vw}}^2}\right)\)
- \(\overline{uw},\overline{vw}\) :
-
vertical turbulent momentum fluxes
- \(\overline{u\theta},\overline{w\theta}\) :
-
longitudinal and vertical heat fluxes
- z :
-
height above the surface
- κ:
-
von Karman constant (=0.40)
- Λ:
-
local Obukhov length
- σ m :
-
standard deviation of m
- θ:
-
temperature fluctuations (around the average)
- Θ:
-
mean temperature
- θ* :
-
temperature scale ( \(=-{\overline{w\theta}}/{u_*}\))
- ζ:
-
stability parameter (=z/Λ)
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A subscript ‘L’ on the turbulence quantities (e.g., u *L) will be used to specify evaluation using local turbulence quantities – otherwise, surface values are implied
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Basu, S., Porté-agel, F., Foufoula-Georgiou, E. et al. Revisiting the Local Scaling Hypothesis in Stably Stratified Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Turbulence: an Integration of Field and Laboratory Measurements with Large-Eddy Simulations. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 119, 473–500 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-005-9036-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-005-9036-2