scholarly journals Areal-averaged trace gas emission rates from long-range open-path measurements in stable boundary layer conditions

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 1571-1583 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Schäfer ◽  
R. H. Grant ◽  
S. Emeis ◽  
A. Raabe ◽  
C. von der Heide ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Gradient Methods ◽  
Trace Gas ◽  
Emission Rates ◽  
Stable Boundary ◽  
Flux Gradient ◽  
Surface Emission ◽  
Stable Conditions ◽  
Flux Measurements

Abstract. Measurements of land-surface emission rates of greenhouse and other gases at large spatial scales (10 000 m2) are needed to assess the spatial distribution of emissions. This can be readily done using spatial-integrating micro-meteorological methods like flux-gradient methods which were evaluated for determining land-surface emission rates of trace gases under stable boundary layers. Non-intrusive path-integrating measurements are utilized. Successful application of a flux-gradient method requires confidence in the gradients of trace gas concentration and wind, and in the applicability of boundary-layer turbulence theory; consequently the procedures to qualify measurements that can be used to determine the flux is critical. While there is relatively high confidence in flux measurements made under unstable atmospheres with mean winds greater than 1 m s−1, there is greater uncertainty in flux measurements made under free convective or stable conditions. The study of N2O emissions of flat grassland and NH3 emissions from a cattle lagoon involves quality-assured determinations of fluxes under low wind, stable or night-time atmospheric conditions when the continuous "steady-state" turbulence of the surface boundary layer breaks down and the layer has intermittent turbulence. Results indicate that following the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) flux-gradient methods that assume a log-linear profile of the wind speed and concentration gradient incorrectly determine vertical profiles and thus flux in the stable boundary layer. An alternative approach is considered on the basis of turbulent diffusivity, i.e. the measured friction velocity as well as height gradients of horizontal wind speeds and concentrations without MOST correction for stability. It is shown that this is the most accurate of the flux-gradient methods under stable conditions.

scholarly journals Areal-averaged trace gas emission rates from long-range open-path measurements in stable boundary layer conditions

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1459-1496 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Schäfer ◽  
R. H. Grant ◽  
S. Emeis ◽  
A. Raabe ◽  
C. von der Heide ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Stable Boundary Layer ◽  
Gradient Methods ◽  
Trace Gas ◽  
Emission Rates ◽  
Stable Boundary ◽  
Flux Gradient ◽  
Surface Emission ◽  
Flux Measurements

Abstract. Measurements of land-surface emission rates of greenhouse and other gases at large spatial scales (10 000 m2) are needed to assess the spatial distribution of emissions. This can be more readily done using spatial-integrating micro-meteorological methods than the widely-utilized small chamber measurements. Several micro-meteorological flux-gradient methods utilizing a non-intrusive path-averaging measurement method were evaluated for determining land-surface emission rates of trace gases under stable boundary layers. Successful application of a flux-gradient method requires confidence in the gradients of trace gas concentration and wind and in the applicability of boundary-layer turbulence theory. While there is relatively high confidence in flux measurements made under unstable atmospheres with mean winds greater than 1 m s−1, there is greater uncertainty in flux measurements made under free convective or stable conditions. The study involved quality-assured determinations of fluxes under low wind, stable or night-time atmospheric conditions when the continuous "steady-state" turbulence of the surface boundary layer breaks down and the layer has intermittent turbulence. Results indicate that the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) flux-gradient methods that assume a log-linear profile of the wind speed and concentration gradient incorrectly determine vertical profiles and thus fluxes in the stable boundary layer.

Similarity Theory, Intermittency and Turbulences in the Stable Boundary Layer

2005 ◽  
Vol 277-279 ◽  
pp. 618-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyungm Ja Ha ◽  
Kyung Eak Kim ◽  
Yu Kyung Hyun ◽  
Eun Hee Jeon ◽  
Larry Mahrt
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Stable Boundary Layer ◽  
Similarity Theory ◽  
Similarity Relation ◽  
Stability Parameters ◽  
Stable Boundary ◽  
Flux Gradient ◽  
Stable Conditions ◽  
New Treatments ◽  
Theory Z

The evaluation of similarity theory, z-less formulation of turbulence, and validation for various stable conditions is addressed with the use of CASES99 data over grassland. The dependence of the flux-gradient relationships on height and stability parameters is evaluated. For very stable conditions, similarity relation based on Monin-Obukhov theory is locally invalid and new treatments are required. The flux intermittency is recommended as a good indicator of stability for very thin stable boundary layer.

scholarly journals Ventilation of a Mid-Size City under Stable Boundary Layer Conditions: A Simulation Using the LES Model PALM

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 401
Author(s):  
Jonathan Biehl ◽  
Bastian Paas ◽  
Otto Klemm
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Stable Boundary Layer ◽  
Passive Scalar ◽  
City Center ◽  
Street Canyons ◽  
Stable Boundary ◽  
Northwest Germany ◽  
Stable Conditions ◽  
Les Model ◽  
The City

City centers have to cope with an increasing amount of air pollution. The supply of fresh air is crucial yet difficult to ensure, especially under stable conditions of the atmospheric boundary layer. This case study used the PArallelized Large eddy simulation (LES) Model PALM to investigate the wind field over an urban lake that had once been built as a designated fresh air corridor for the city center of Münster, northwest, Germany. The model initialization was performed using the main wind direction and stable boundary layer conditions as input. The initial wind and temperature profiles included a weak nocturnal low-level jet. By emitting a passive scalar at one point on top of a bridge, the dispersion of fresh air could be traced over the lake’s surface, within street canyons leading to the city center and within the urban boundary layer above. The concept of city ventilation was confirmed in principle, but the air took a direct route from the shore of the lake to the city center above a former river bed and its adjoining streets rather than through the street canyons. According to the dispersion of the passive scalar, half of the city center was supplied with fresh air originating from the lake. PALM proved to be a useful tool to study fresh air corridors under stable boundary layer conditions.

scholarly journals Ecosystem fluxes of hydrogen: a comparison of flux-gradient methods

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 2787-2805 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. K. Meredith ◽  
R. Commane ◽  
J. W. Munger ◽  
A. Dunn ◽  
J. Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eddy Covariance ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Gradient Methods ◽  
Net Ecosystem Exchange ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Flux Gradient ◽  
Harvard Forest ◽  
Flux Measurements

Abstract. Our understanding of biosphere–atmosphere exchange has been considerably enhanced by eddy covariance measurements. However, there remain many trace gases, such as molecular hydrogen (H2), that lack suitable analytical methods to measure their fluxes by eddy covariance. In such cases, flux-gradient methods can be used to calculate ecosystem-scale fluxes from vertical concentration gradients. The budget of atmospheric H2 is poorly constrained by the limited available observations, and thus the ability to quantify and characterize the sources and sinks of H2 by flux-gradient methods in various ecosystems is important. We developed an approach to make nonintrusive, automated measurements of ecosystem-scale H2 fluxes both above and below the forest canopy at the Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts, for over a year. We used three flux-gradient methods to calculate the fluxes: two similarity methods that do not rely on a micrometeorological determination of the eddy diffusivity, K, based on (1) trace gases or (2) sensible heat, and one flux-gradient method that (3) parameterizes K. We quantitatively assessed the flux-gradient methods using CO2 and H2O by comparison to their simultaneous independent flux measurements via eddy covariance and soil chambers. All three flux-gradient methods performed well in certain locations, seasons, and times of day, and the best methods were trace gas similarity for above the canopy and K parameterization below it. Sensible heat similarity required several independent measurements, and the results were more variable, in part because those data were only available in the winter, when heat fluxes and temperature gradients were small and difficult to measure. Biases were often observed between flux-gradient methods and the independent flux measurements, and there was at least a 26% difference in nocturnal eddy-derived net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and chamber measurements. H2 fluxes calculated in a summer period agreed within their uncertainty and pointed to soil uptake as the main driver of H2 exchange at Harvard Forest, with H2 deposition velocities ranging from 0.04 to 0.10 cm s−1.

scholarly journals Ecosystem fluxes of hydrogen: a comparison of flux-gradient methods

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 2879-2928 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. K. Meredith ◽  
R. Commane ◽  
J. W. Munger ◽  
A. Dunn ◽  
J. Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eddy Covariance ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Gradient Methods ◽  
Net Ecosystem Exchange ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Flux Gradient ◽  
Harvard Forest ◽  
Flux Measurements

Abstract. Our understanding of biosphere-atmosphere exchange has been considerably enhanced by eddy-covariance measurements, however there remain many trace gases, such as molecular hydrogen (H2), for which there are no suitable analytical methods to measure their fluxes by eddy covariance. In such cases, flux-gradient methods can be used to calculate ecosystem-scale fluxes from vertical concentration gradients. The budget of atmospheric H2 is poorly constrained by the limited available observations, thus the ability to quantify and characterize the sources and sinks of H2 by flux-gradient methods in various ecosystems is important. We developed an approach to make nonintrusive, automated measurements of ecosystem-scale H2 fluxes both above and below the forest canopy at the Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA for over a year. We used three flux-gradient methods to calculate the fluxes: two similarity methods that do not rely on a micrometeorological determination of the eddy diffusivity, K, based on (1) trace gases or (2) sensible heat and one flux-gradient method that (3) parameterizes K. We quantitatively assessed the flux-gradient methods on CO2 and H2O by comparison to their simultaneous independent flux measurements via eddy covariance and chambers. All three flux-gradient methods performed well in certain locations, seasons, and times of day, and the best methods were trace gas similarity above and K parameterization below the canopy. Sensible heat similarity required several independent measurements and the results were more variable, in part because those data were only available in the winter when heat fluxes and temperature gradients were small and difficult to measure. Biases were often observed between flux-gradient methods and the independent flux measurements, including at least a 26% difference in nocturnal eddy-derived Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) and soil chamber measurements. All flux-gradient methods used to calculate above and below canopy H2 fluxes pointed to soil uptake as the main driver of H2 exchange at Harvard Forest. H2 fluxes calculated in a summer period agreed within their uncertainty and indicated that H2 deposition velocities ranged from 0.04 to 0.1 cm s−1.

Impact of wind speeds on turbulent transport of carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes at a tropical location in Ile - Ife, southwest Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodora Bello ◽  
Adewale Ajao ◽  
Oluwagbemiga Jegede
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Stable Boundary Layer ◽  
Turbulent Transport ◽  
Strong Wind ◽  
Stable Boundary ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Low Wind Speed ◽  
Tropical Area

<p>The study investigates impact of wind speeds on the turbulent transport of CO<sub>2 </sub>fluxes for a land-surface atmosphere interface in a low-wind tropical area between May 28<sup>th</sup> and June 14<sup>th</sup>, 2010; and May 24<sup>th</sup> and June 15<sup>th</sup>, 2015. Eddy covariance technique was used to acquire turbulent mass fluxes of CO<sub>2</sub> and wind speed at the study site located inside the main campus of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife, Nigeria. The results showed high levels of CO<sub>2 </sub>fluxes at nighttime attributed to stable boundary layer conditions and low wind speed. Large transport and distribution of CO<sub>2 </sub>fluxes were observed in the early mornings due to strong wind speeds recorded at the study location. In addition, negative CO<sub>2 </sub>fluxes were observed during the daytime attributed to prominent convective and photosynthetic activities. The study concludes there was an inverse relationship between turbulent transport of CO<sub>2 </sub>fluxes and wind speed for daytime period while nighttime CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes showed no significant correlation.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: CO<sub>2 </sub>fluxes, Wind speed, Turbulent transport, Low-wind tropical area, Stable boundary layer</p>

The fluxes and air chem istry of isoprene above a deciduous hardwood forest

1995 ◽  
Vol 351 (1696) ◽  
pp. 279-296 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Chemical Oxidation ◽  
Oxidation Products ◽  
Emission Rates ◽  
Temperate Deciduous Forest ◽  
Surface Emission ◽  
Temperature Scaling ◽  
Ultimate Fate

Isoprene is a non-methane hydrocarbon that is emitted by certain plant species. This compound affects the chemistry of the troposphere because it is oxidized by the hydroxyl radical and its oxidation products are precursors for the photochemical production of ozone. In 1992, we conducted a study on the controls of isoprene emission from a temperate deciduous forest. We draw upon data from this field experiment, and the literature, to describe the biological, chemical and physical processes that control the synthesis, emission and atmospheric lifetime of isoprene. Isoprene biosynthesis is associated with photosynthesis. Once produced, isoprene molecules diffuse through the stomata and laminar boundary layer of leaves to reach the atmosphere. Then isoprene molecules are transported by turbulence through the plant canopy and into the atmosphere’s boundary layer. The ultimate fate of isoprene is controlled primarily by chemical oxidation and deposition to the surface. Emission rates of isoprene from leaves can be predicted by an algorithm that is a function of light energy and leaf temperature. Scaling of isoprene fluxes from the leaf to canopy scale is accomplished by linking the leaf algorithm to a canopy micrometeorological model. Field tests of the scaling model indicate that it can successfully estimate canopy-scale isoprene flux densities, as long as the biomass of isoprene emitting plants is used as a driving variable.

scholarly journals Turbulent Velocity-Variance Profiles in the Stable Boundary Layer Generated by a Nocturnal Low-Level Jet

2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (11) ◽  
pp. 2700-2719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M. Banta ◽  
Yelena L. Pichugina ◽  
W. Alan Brewer
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Stable Boundary Layer ◽  
Strong Wind ◽  
Surface Exchange ◽  
Stable Boundary ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Stable Conditions ◽  
Velocity Scale ◽  
Low Level Jet ◽  
Wind Profiles

Abstract Profiles of mean winds and turbulence were measured by the High Resolution Doppler lidar in the strong-wind stable boundary layer (SBL) with continuous turbulence. The turbulence quantity measured was the variance of the streamwise wind velocity component σ2u. This variance is a component of the turbulence kinetic energy (TKE), and it is shown to be numerically approximately equal to TKE for stable conditions—profiles of σ2u are therefore equivalent to profiles of TKE. Mean-wind profiles showed low-level jet (LLJ) structure for most of the profiles, which represented 10-min averages of mean and fluctuating quantities throughout each of the six nights studied. Heights were normalized by the height of the first LLJ maximum above the surface ZX, and the velocity scale used was the speed of the jet UX, which is shown to be superior to the friction velocity u* as a velocity scale. The major results were 1) the ratio of the maximum value of the streamwise standard deviation to the LLJ speed σu/UX was found to be 0.05, and 2) the three most common σ2u profile shapes were determined by stability (or Richardson number Ri). The least stable profile shapes had the maximum σ2u at the surface decreasing to a minimum at the height of the LLJ; profiles that were somewhat more stable had constant σ2u through a portion of the subjet layer; and the most stable of the profiles had a maximum of σ2u aloft, although it is important to note that the Ri for even the most stable of the three profile categories averaged less than 0.20. The datasets used in this study were two nights from the Cooperative Atmosphere–Surface Exchange Study 1999 campaign (CASES-99) and four nights from the Lamar Low-Level Jet Project, a wind-energy experiment in southeast Colorado, during September 2003.

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