scholarly journals Sensitivity of large-aperture scintillometer measurements of area-average heat fluxes to uncertainties in topographic heights

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-68
Author(s):  
M. A. Gruber ◽  
G. J. Fochesatto ◽  
O. K. Hartogensis
Keyword(s):  
Error Analysis ◽  
Sensitivity Function ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Index Structure ◽  
Real Field ◽  
Computational Error ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Coupled Equations ◽  
Large Aperture ◽  
Beam Height

Abstract. Scintillometer measurements allow for estimations of the refractive index structure parameter Cn2 over large areas in the atmospheric surface layer. Turbulent fluxes of heat and momentum are inferred through coupled sets of equations derived from the Monin–Obukhov similarity hypothesis. One-dimensional sensitivity functions have been produced that relate the sensitivity of heat fluxes to uncertainties in single values of beam height over homogeneous and flat terrain. However, real field sites include variable topography and heterogeneous surfaces. We develop here the first analysis of the sensitivity of scintillometer derived sensible heat fluxes to uncertainties in spatially distributed topographic measurements. For large-aperture scintillometers and independent friction velocity u* measurements, sensitivity is shown to be concentrated in areas near the center of the beam path and where the underlying topography is closest to the beam height. Uncertainty may be greatly reduced by focusing precise topographic measurements in these areas. A new two-dimensional variable terrain sensitivity function is developed for quantitative error analysis. This function is compared with the previous one-dimensional sensitivity function for the same measurement strategy over flat and homogeneous terrain. Additionally, a new method of solution to the set of coupled equations is produced that eliminates computational error. The results are produced using a new methodology for error analysis involving distributed parameters that may be applied in other disciplines.

scholarly journals Functional derivatives applied to error propagation of uncertainties in topography to large-aperture scintillometer-derived heat fluxes

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 2361-2371 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Gruber ◽  
G. J. Fochesatto ◽  
O. K. Hartogensis ◽  
M. Lysy
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Sensitivity Function ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Index Structure ◽  
Real Field ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Flat Terrain ◽  
Functional Derivatives ◽  
Beam Height

Abstract. Scintillometer measurements allow for estimations of the refractive index structure parameter Cn2 over large areas in the atmospheric surface layer. Turbulent fluxes of heat and momentum are inferred through coupled sets of equations derived from the Monin–Obukhov similarity hypothesis. One-dimensional sensitivity functions have been produced that relate the sensitivity of heat fluxes to uncertainties in single values of beam height over flat terrain. However, real field sites include variable topography. We develop here, using functional derivatives, the first analysis of the sensitivity of scintillometer-derived sensible heat fluxes to uncertainties in spatially distributed topographic measurements. Sensitivity is shown to be concentrated in areas near the center of the beam path and where the underlying topography is closest to the beam height. Relative uncertainty contributions to the sensible heat flux from uncertainties in topography can reach 20% of the heat flux in some cases. Uncertainty may be greatly reduced by focusing accurate topographic measurements in these specific areas. A new two-dimensional variable terrain sensitivity function is developed for quantitative error analysis. This function is compared with the previous one-dimensional sensitivity function for the same measurement strategy over flat terrain. Additionally, a new method of solution to the set of coupled equations is produced that eliminates computational error.

scholarly journals A Hypothesis for the Redevelopment of Warm-Core Cyclones over Northern Australia

2008 ◽  
Vol 136 (10) ◽  
pp. 3863-3872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry Emanuel ◽  
Jeff Callaghan ◽  
Peter Otto
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Thermal Diffusivity ◽  
Tropical Cyclones ◽  
Deep Layer ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Warm Core ◽  
Vertical Heat ◽  
Underlying Soil

Tropical cyclones moving inland over northern Australia are occasionally observed to reintensify, even in the absence of well-defined extratropical systems. Unlike cases of classical extratropical rejuvenation, such reintensifying storms retain their warm-core structure, often redeveloping such features as eyes. It is here hypothesized that the intensification or reintensification of these systems, christened agukabams, is made possible by large vertical heat fluxes from a deep layer of very hot, sandy soil that has been wetted by the first rains of the approaching systems, significantly increasing its thermal diffusivity. To test this hypothesis, simulations are performed with a simple tropical cyclone model coupled to a one-dimensional soil model. These simulations suggest that warm-core cyclones can indeed intensify when the underlying soil is sufficiently warm and wet and are maintained by heat transfer from the soil. The simulations also suggest that when the storms are sufficiently isolated from their oceanic source of moisture, the rainfall they produce is insufficient to keep the soil wet enough to transfer significant quantities of heat, and the storms then decay rapidly.

The Role of Airmass Types and Surface Energy Fluxes in Snow Cover Ablation in the Central Appalachians

2004 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 1887-1899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Leathers ◽  
Daniel Graybeal ◽  
Thomas Mote ◽  
Andrew Grundstein ◽  
David Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Snow Cover ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Energy Fluxes ◽  
Synoptic Classification ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Central Appalachians ◽  
Synoptic Conditions ◽  
Meteorological Influences

Abstract A one-dimensional snowpack model, a unique airmass identification scheme, and surface weather observations are used to investigate large ablation events in the central Appalachian Mountains of North America. Data from cooperative observing stations are used to identify large ablation events within a 1° latitude × 1° longitude grid box that covers the majority of the Lycoming Creek basin in northern Pennsylvania. All 1-day ablation events greater than or equal to 7.6 cm (3 in.) are identified for the period of 1950 through 2001. Seventy-one events are identified, and these days are matched with a daily airmass type derived using the Spatial Synoptic Classification technique. Average meteorological characteristics on ablation days of each airmass type are calculated in an effort to understand the diverse meteorological influences that led to the large ablation events. A one-dimensional mass and energy balance snowpack model (“SNTHERM”) is used to calculate surface/atmosphere energy fluxes responsible for ablation under each airmass type. Results indicate that large ablation events take place under diverse airmass/synoptic conditions in the central Appalachians. Five airmass types account for the 71 large ablation events over the 52-yr period. Forty-three of the events occurred under “moist” airmass types and 28 under “dry” airmass conditions. Large ablation events under dry airmass types are driven primarily by daytime net radiation receipt, especially net solar radiation. These events tend to occur early and late in the snow cover season when solar radiation receipt is highest and are characterized by relatively clear skies, warm daytime temperatures, and low dewpoint temperatures. Moist airmass types are characterized by cloudy, windy conditions with higher dewpoint temperatures and often with liquid precipitation. During these events sensible heat flux is most often the dominant energy flux to the snowpack during ablation episodes. However, in many cases there is also a significant input of energy to the snowpack associated with condensation. Combinations of high sensible and latent heat fluxes often result in extreme ablation episodes, similar to those witnessed in this area in January 1996.

Flat-stitching error analysis of large-aperture photon sieves

2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guang Jin ◽  
Junliang Yan ◽  
Hua Liu ◽  
Xing Zhong ◽  
Yong Yan
Keyword(s):  
Error Analysis ◽  
Large Aperture ◽  
Photon Sieves

scholarly journals Modeling of Bacterial Chemotaxis in a Medium with a Repellent

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
pp. 802
Author(s):  
O. M. Vasilev ◽  
V. O. Karpenko
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Phenomenological Model ◽  
Bacterial Chemotaxis ◽  
Sensitivity Function ◽  
Numerical Characteristic ◽  
Dimensional System ◽  
System Boundaries ◽  
One Dimensional

The bacterial chemotaxis in a one-dimensional system with a repellent has been considered. The process of bacterial redistribution in the system is analyzed, and a corresponding phenomenological model is proposed, which makes allowance for the diffusion of bacteria and their motion caused by the repellent gradient. The repellent injection into the system is governed by boundary conditions. In the framework of this model, the chemotaxis sensitivity function, a numerical characteristic, which describes the nonuniformity in the bacterial distribution, is calculated. A dependence of the chemotaxis sensitivity function on the repellent concentration at the system boundaries is obtained. A relation between the bacterial distribution and the parameters of repellent distribution is found.

Natural Convection in a Horizontal Cavity Partially Occupied by a Porous Media Saturated by a Coolant Liquid

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fakhreddine S. Oueslati ◽  
Rachid Bennacer ◽  
Habib Sammouda ◽  
Ali Belghith
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Porous Media ◽  
Natural Convection ◽  
Flow Structure ◽  
Boussinesq Approximation ◽  
Density Variation ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Coupled Equations ◽  
Complex Flow Structure

The natural convection is studied in a cavity witch the lower half is filled with a porous media that is saturated with a first fluid (liquid), and the upper is filled with a second fluid (gas). The horizontal borders are heated and cooled by uniform heat fluxes and vertical ones are adiabatic. The formulation of the problem is based on the Darcy-Brinkman model. The density variation is taken into account by the Boussinesq approximation. The system of the coupled equations is resolved by the classic finite volume method. The numerical results show that the variation of the conductivity of the porous media influences strongly the flow structure and the heat transfer as well as in upper that in the lower zones. The effect of conductivity is conditioned by the porosity which plays a very significant roll on the heat transfer. The structures of this flow show that this kind of problem with specific boundary conditions generates a complex flow structure of several contra-rotating two to two cells, in the upper half of the cavity.

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