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A two‐dimensional numerical study of horizontal roll vortices in an inversion capped planetary boundary layer
Author(s) -
Mason P. J.,
Sykes R. I.
Publication year - 1982
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.49710845805
Subject(s) - vortex , turbulence , buoyancy , mechanics , eddy , internal wave , boundary layer , physics , inversion (geology) , planetary boundary layer , geology , meteorology , classical mechanics , paleontology , structural basin
The dynamics of large‐scale horizontal roll vortices in an inversion‐capped planetary boundary layer subject to surface heating are investigated by means of a numerical model. The rolls are assumed to be twodimensional and calculated explicity, while small scale turbulence is parametrized using a buoyancy‐dependent mixing length hypothesis. The assumptions of the model are based upon atmospheric observations which show the occurrence of large eddies highly elongated in a direction close to that of the geosstrophic wind and a partitioning of turbulence energy between these large eddies and smaller scales. The model produces realistic turbulence statistics and provides information on the sensitivity to various assumptions and parameters. Apart from the generation of internal gravity waves in the stable region above the boundary layer the results are insensitive to the details of the parametization. The internal gravity wave generation is sensitive to most parameterss and in particular to the roll orientation.