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The dissipation of kinetic energy in the lowest layers of the atmosphere
Author(s) -
Taylor R. J.
Publication year - 1952
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.49707833606
Subject(s) - kinetic energy , dissipation , turbulence kinetic energy , mechanics , turbulence , shearing (physics) , energy flux , richardson number , eddy , flux (metallurgy) , atmospheric sciences , temperature gradient , physics , environmental science , meteorology , materials science , thermodynamics , classical mechanics , astronomy , metallurgy
The supply of kinetic energy to a shallow layer of air is considered. The cases chosen for analysis comprise occasions of comparatively strong wind and of fairly small temperature gradient so that the supply of kinetic energy from the vertical flux of total heat is not important at small heights. In these cases the diffusive flux of kinetic energy is also shown to be negligible. Hence it follows that, on these occasions, the rate of dissipation per unit volume is given by the product of the local values of the shearing stress and vertical gradient of mean velocity when steadiness and horizontal uniformity of the turbulence are assumed. Estimates of the rate of dissipation per unit mass at heights from 1 m to 50 m are made for particular occasions and used, together with the observed energy densities, to provide estimates of the size of the dissipating eddies at the heights of observation according to expressions given by L. F. Richardson and G. I. Taylor.