Abstract
In recent years, Thorpe analysis has been used to retrieve the characteristics of turbulence in free atmosphere from balloon-borne sensor data. However, previous studies have mainly focused on the mid-high latitude region, and this method is still rarely applied at heights above 30 km, especially above 35 km. Therefore, seven sets of upper air (>35 km) sounding data from the Changsha Sounding Station (28°12′ N, 113°05′ E), China are analyzed with Thorpe analysis in this article. It is noted that, in the troposphere, Thorpe analysis can better retrieve the turbulence distribution and the corresponding turbulence parameters. Also, because of the thicker troposphere at low latitudes, the values of the Thorpe scale and turbulent energy dissipation rate remain greater in a larger height range. In the stratosphere below the height of 35 km, the obtained is higher, and Thorpe analysis can only be used to analyze the characteristics of large-scale turbulence. In the stratosphere at a height of 35–40 km, because of the interference of sensor noise, Thorpe analysis can only help to retrieve the rough distribution position of large-scale turbulence, while it can hardly help with the calculation of the turbulence parameters.
Highlights
Atmospheric turbulence is an important research hotspot in the field of atmospheric science
Our lack of understanding of the latter is the result of the fact that the detection of free atmosphere is limited by its quality and quantity [6,7], and that the free atmospheric turbulence is episodic [8,9]
In order to retrieve the characteristics of turbulence of free atmosphere from balloon sounding data, many researchers have used Thorpe analysis, which was originally applied to the study of ocean mixing, to analyze balloon sounding data [15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22]
Summary
Atmospheric turbulence is an important research hotspot in the field of atmospheric science. In order to retrieve the characteristics of turbulence of free atmosphere from balloon sounding data, many researchers have used Thorpe analysis, which was originally applied to the study of ocean mixing, to analyze balloon sounding data [15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22]. We hope to improve our knowledge of the characteristics of the free atmospheric turbulence in the low-altitude regions aside from the equatorial area and of the application effect of Thorpe analysis in the height range of 30–40 km.
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