TY - JOUR
T1 - The structure of turbulence in a coastal atmospheric boundary layer
AU - Shao, Yaping
AU - Hacker, Jörg M.
AU - Schwerdtfeger, Peter
PY - 1991/10
Y1 - 1991/10
N2 - This study, based on airborne observations obtained during the Upper Spencer Gulf experiments in South Australia, investigates the structure of turbulence in a coastal boundary layer, which represents an extreme situation of horizontal inhomogeneity. The development of the coastal boundary layer under mainly onshore wind conditions, which is characterized by the formation of a convective thermal internal boundary layer (TIBL), is illustrated using cross‐sections of potential temperature, sensible‐heat fluxes and turbulent kinetic energy. The similarity of turbulence within the TIBL and the effectiveness of local scaling for inhomogeneous conditions are examined. It is suggested that, even in advective conditions, turbulence can be considered as being in local equilibrium. By introducing a simple TIBL model, local similarity relationships can be linked to external parameters. Some turbulence properties, such as the variance of vertical velocity, are found to be determined by three external parameters: the surface heat flux over land, the onshore wind speed and the thermal stability of the approaching airflow.
AB - This study, based on airborne observations obtained during the Upper Spencer Gulf experiments in South Australia, investigates the structure of turbulence in a coastal boundary layer, which represents an extreme situation of horizontal inhomogeneity. The development of the coastal boundary layer under mainly onshore wind conditions, which is characterized by the formation of a convective thermal internal boundary layer (TIBL), is illustrated using cross‐sections of potential temperature, sensible‐heat fluxes and turbulent kinetic energy. The similarity of turbulence within the TIBL and the effectiveness of local scaling for inhomogeneous conditions are examined. It is suggested that, even in advective conditions, turbulence can be considered as being in local equilibrium. By introducing a simple TIBL model, local similarity relationships can be linked to external parameters. Some turbulence properties, such as the variance of vertical velocity, are found to be determined by three external parameters: the surface heat flux over land, the onshore wind speed and the thermal stability of the approaching airflow.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026393027&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/qj.49711750209
DO - 10.1002/qj.49711750209
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0026393027
SN - 0035-9009
VL - 117
SP - 1299
EP - 1324
JO - Quarterly Journal of The Royal Meteorological Society
JF - Quarterly Journal of The Royal Meteorological Society
IS - 502
ER -