Scaling the MABL height
Profiles of virtual
potential temperature and wind
were scaled fairly sucessfully. Over 90% of the profiles were
scaled this way. The unscaled profiles are shown on the left, the
scaled profiles on the right with the averaged dimensionless profile in
white. The slightly stably stratified MABL with the strongly stably
stratified inversion layer above is apparent in the average, as is the
jetlike wind profile.
The scaled temperature and
wind profiles were grouped by air-sea temperature
difference to see if stability affected the dimensionless profile.
Little variation is shown though maybe it's just subtle, since we expect
dimensionless wind and temperature shear to be a function of stability.
Maybe I will compare this to the Businger-Dyer formula for dimensionless
shears in the future.
Different height scales were used for the temperature (inversion base
height) and the wind (jet height) profiles, because the fit was best that
way.
Comparison of height scales used in the scalings
The two different height scales, the MABL jet height and inversion
base height, are often similar but there is a lot of scatter. To
see how they compare follow these links to see how the scatter might vary
with zeta
(z/L) or with the presence of cloud,
defined as if anywhere in the profile the liquid water content exceeded
.02.
The data on this page is unpublished.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