Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/C51494X/1
Structural transition at the top of the atmospheric surface layer.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor J Moncrieff, University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Atmospheric
- Overall Classification:
- Atmospheric
- ENRIs:
- Pollution and Waste
- Global Change
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Science Topics:
- Land - Atmosphere Interactions
- Boundary Layer Meteorology
- Biogeochemical Cycles
- Ocean - Atmosphere Interact.
- Abstract:
- The Atmospheric Surface Layer (ASL) is the turbulent layer of the atmosphere that lies nearest the ground. It is typically a few tens to a few hundreds of metres deep during the day. Through it must pass all of the momentum, and all of the heat, moisture and trace gasses that are exchanged between the atmosphere and the ground. Weather and climate models require good sub-models for these exchanges if they are to function well. Turbulence in the daytime ASL is usually considered to be rather unstructured in nature and to have properties that depend on the heat flux from the ground below. Our view is very different. We have strong evidence that this turbulence is highly structured, and that its structure does not depend on the surface heat flux. In our model, turbulence is a 'self-organized' system of eddies whose structure remains the same right up to the top of the ASL, where it meets more powerful eddies produced by thermal convection in the outer part of the boundary layer. There is an abrupt transition in the nature of the turbulence at that level. Our model is the only one to predict this abrupt change, so observing the change and testing that its height agrees with our model is an important part of testing our model. Sudden changes like we expect have been observed by an aircraft equipped with turbulence instruments. We want to repeat and extend those observations. We want to find better ways of detecting the transition, and we want to make extra measurements so we can test our model's prediction of the height of the transition. In the longer term, we are working towards a better way of describing the surface layer in weather and climate models, so they can make better weather forecasts and climate predictions.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/C51494X/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Small Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Small Grants
This grant award has a total value of £30,597
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Staff | Total - T&S | Total - Other Costs | Total - Equipment | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £12,596 | £2,011 | £4,947 | £5,250 | £5,793 |
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