Wave and turbulence structure in a shallow baroclinic convective boundary layer and overlying inversion

Data from the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO) are used to investigate the wave and turbulence structurue of the convective atmospheric mixed layer and the overlying inversion. Three cases are discussed in which the depth of the mixed layer is below the top of the 300 m tower at the BAO and is...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the atmospheric sciences 1985, Vol.42 (1), p.47-57
Main Authors: MING YU ZHOU, LENSCHOW, D. H, STANKOV, B. B, KAIMAL, J. C, GAYNOR, J. E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Convection, turbulence, diffusion. Boundary layer structure and dynamics
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
Meteorology
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Data from the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO) are used to investigate the wave and turbulence structurue of the convective atmospheric mixed layer and the overlying inversion. Three cases are discussed in which the depth of the mixed layer is below the top of the 300 m tower at the BAO and is nearly steady state for several hours. Velocity and temperature variances and spectra, coherences between vertical velocity and temperature, and vertical velocities at different levels on the tower are used to show that although the mixed-layer behavior is for the most part similar to that found in previous studies, there are some significant differences due mainly to the relatively large shear term in the turbulent energy equation compared with buoyancy, both within the mixed layer and in the capping inversion.
ISSN:0022-4928
1520-0469
DOI:10.1175/1520-0469(1985)042<0047:WATSIA>2.0.CO;2