Bulk transfer coefficients of the atmospheric momentum and sensible heat over desert and Gobi in arid climate region of Northwest China

Abstract

By utilizing the data of the intensive observation period (May—June, 2000) of Dunhuang land-surface process field experiment that belongs to “Land-atmosphere Interactive Field Experiment over Arid Region of Northwest China”, the bulk momentum transfer coefficient Cd and bulk sensible heat transfer coefficient Ch between surface and atmosphere over desert and Gobi in the arid region are determined according to three different methods. The result shows that, though these bulk transfer coefficients are different, they are in the same order. Especially, the means of Cd and Ch are close. Moreover, through analyzing the wind direction, the interference of the building near the observational station with the data is eliminated. From this, the relation between the bulk transfer coefficients and the bulk Richardson number and the range of the typical values of the bulk transfer coefficients over desert and Gobi in the typical arid region are obtained.