Fluxes calculated from CW96

Surface fluxes have been calculated from the high-rate 30 m data from all flights.  Histograms and outlier values of buoyancy flux and stress for all flights show that a 120 second averaging window seemed to capture most of the flux.

Eddy fluxes (stress, moisture, temperature and buoyancy flux) for each flight are in the table below.

 
Point Conception Point Sur Cape Mendocino Cape Blanco
June 19 June 02 June 07 July 01
June 23 June 11 June 12
June 29 June 17 June 26
June 21
 

Flux data for all flights:

Change of stress with height depends on layer stability

Unstable stress decreases linearly from the surface, while there is curvature for stable cases as shown here (from M. Tjenstrom and A.-S. Smedman, "The vertical turbulence structure of the coastal MABL," JGR 93(C3), p. 4821.)
This was also seen by J. Zemba and C. A. Friehe, "The marine atmospheric boundary layer jet during CODE", JGR 92(C2), 1489-1496 .

In the table below are stresses calculated from the level runs only.  They are directly calculated using the eddy correlation method.  In Tjenstrom and Smedman stresses are calculated from profiles, which I plan to do later.  Though less statistically reliable than the level run fluxes, fluxes from sawtooth legs would allow the stress profiles to be calculated.   The blue lines show 0 and 1st order fits to the data (not very good).
 
Point Conception Point Sur Cape Mendicino Cape Blanco
June 19 June 02 June 07 July 01
June 23 June 11 June 12
June 29 June 17 June 26
June 21

The data on this page is unpublished. If it is used please cite the author Kathleen Edwards, the Center for Coastal Studies, and the Coastal Waves group at Scripps Insitution of Oceanography.

Please send comments or questions to me at kate@coast.ucsd.edu