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A determinant hypothesis for the superadiabatic wind and temperature profiles
Author(s) -
Priestley C. H. B.
Publication year - 1960
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.49708636812
Subject(s) - constant (computer programming) , convection , thermodynamics , smoothing , physics , heat flux , mechanics , statistical physics , mathematics , heat transfer , statistics , computer science , programming language
The view is advanced that values of the Monin‐Obukhov coefficients, as they are obtained from field data, are products of smoothing rather than true physical constants of a steady regime intermediate between free and forced convection. This hypothesis provides a satisfactory prediction of the first coefficient and, if it is correct, reduces the dual problem of heat and momentum transfer in superadiabatic conditions to the specification of four constants : von Kármán's constant, Priestley's free convection constant, and the ratio K H / K M in neutral and in free convection conditions. In inversion conditions it has yet to be shown whether the constancy of stress and heat flux extend very far, if at all, above the level where significant departures from the neutral profile begin. Thus the basic assumption of some common current approaches still awaits examination.