Preliminary estimates of the vertical profiles of inner and outer scales from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, VHF radar observations

Abstract

There are very few reliable results of the inner and outer scales of turbulence in the remote atmosphere. Knowledge of these parameters is of high interest to the propagation and remote sensing communities. Seasonal profiles from 5 to 20 km above mean sea level of the inner scale have been estimated based on the kinematic viscosity and eddy dissipation rates which were determined from 5 years of nearly continuous 49.25‐MHz radar observations at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. Inner scale values were found to increase from about 1 cm at 5 km to near 7 cm at 19 km altitude. Outer scale profile determinations were made using a method proposed by Tatarskii [1971] that involves vertical wind shear and the eddy dissipation rate, both derived from the longterm VHF radar measurements. The outer scale decreased from about 60 m at 5 km altitude for all seasons to 12–20 m at 15 km (depending on season) and then increased to 22 m at 19 km. Seasonal differences in the inner and outer scales and background meteorological conditions are also presented and discussed.