On the influence of spatial heterogeneity on an internal boundary layer at a short fetch

Abstract

Surface layer meteorological data collected at a coastal site, at Vasco-Da-Gama (15°21′N, 73°51′E, 58.5m MSL) (13–18 July, 2002) with prevailing southwesterly surface winds are analyzed to study the characteristics of internal boundary layer at a short fetch using an instrumented tower (9 m). The spectral and turbulence characteristics of wind are compared with earlier measurements made at a comparatively homogeneous terrain and the standards available in literature. The study show the smaller eddies in the vertical velocity spectrum attains equilibrium with the underlying surface at a short fetch itself and follows spectral similarity. However, this is not followed by longitudinal and transverse velocity spectra under unstable as well as stable conditions.