New method of acoustic sounding of the parameters of atmospheric turbulence

Abstract

A new method of simultaneous acoustic sounding of vertical profiles of the thermal and velocity structure parameters and the outer scale of turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer is suggested. The method was used to process the velocity and backscattered signal power measured with the Zvuk-2 three-channel monostatic Doppler sodar developed at the Institute of Atmospheric Optics of the SB RAS. The thermal structure parameter was reconstructed from the sodar measurements of the backscattered signal power. In so doing, the proportionality coefficient was determined with sodar calibration against the thermal structure parameter measured in developed convection with an ultrasonic thermometer/anemometer. The vertical profiles of the velocity structure parameter was determined from the transverse velocity structure function measured at the same range gate at different times. Peculiarities of the sodar- derived vertical profiles of the thermal and velocity structure parameters and the outer scale of turbulence are discussed. Contributions of the thermal and dynamic turbulence to the sound refractive index structure parameter are analyzed.