On the Temporal Distribution of Bursts and Events in the Stable Marine Atmospheric Surface Layer

Abstract

A methodology for tracing the bursting phenomenon occurring in the turbulent boundary-layer is applied to stable marine atmospheric boundary-layer (MABL) data, collected within the framework of the Coupled Boundary Layer Air-Sea Transfer, Low wind component experiment at Nantucket Island, 2003, Massachusetts, USA. For the definition of the events contributing to the bursting phenomenon, the quadrant analysis of the momentum flux with varying threshold value is utilized. The present work aims at the better understanding of the time scales of the microstructures in the MABL, by providing the number of the events and the groups and their mean duration and the time difference of all quadrants of the quadrant analysis, for different thresholds and under different meteorological conditions. The interrelation of the different time scales as well as the correlation between the quadrants are investigated and discussed. Also, it is demonstrated that the procedure of grouping events leads to bursts with a mean duration that is independent of the threshold value, for the most important quadrants of the momentum transfer (2 and 4). It is found that the combination of near-neutral conditions with low wind speed permits the development of larger duration events within the stable MABL. Finally, it is shown that the groups of events maintain adequate time and flux coherence only for quadrants 2 and 4.