Sea-breeze scaling from numerical model simulations, Part I: Pure sea breezes

Numerical model simulations of sea-breeze circulations under idealized conditions are subjected to dimensional analyses in order to resolve sea-breeze dynamical relations and unify previous results based on observations. The analysis is motivated by the fact that sea-breeze depth scaling and volume...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Boundary-layer meteorology 2007-01, Vol.122 (1), p.17-29
Main Authors: PORSON, Aurore, STEYN, Douw G, SCHAYES, Guy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Convection, turbulence, diffusion. Boundary layer structure and dynamics
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
Fluctuations
Mathematical models
Meteorology
Sea breezes
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Summary:Numerical model simulations of sea-breeze circulations under idealized conditions are subjected to dimensional analyses in order to resolve sea-breeze dynamical relations and unify previous results based on observations. The analysis is motivated by the fact that sea-breeze depth scaling and volume flux scaling are only partially understood. The analysis is based on nonlinear numerical modelling simulations in combination with recent observational scaling analyses. The analysis confirms scaling laws for sea-breeze strength dependence on governing variables and shows how the sea-breeze speed scale is controlled by surface heat flux. It also shows that the sea-breeze depth scale is controlled by stability. By combining sea-breeze speed and depth scales, the sea-breeze volume flux scale is determined by an equilibrium between the accumulated convergence of heat over land since sunrise and stable air advection from the sea surface.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0006-8314
1573-1472
DOI:10.1007/s10546-006-9090-4