Turbulence Scales of the Monin–Obukhov Similarity Theory in the Anisotropic Mountain Boundary Layer

Abstract

The characteristics of turbulence over mountainous terrain are investigated with an aim to predict propagation of short-wavelength electromagnetic waves (including optical waves). For this purpose, long-term observations of the day- and night-time stratification of atmospheric turbulence are continued at the Sayany solar observatory. A new mobile AMK-03-4 hard-and-software system is used, which is designed for measuring the characteristics of turbulent meteofields. New experimental data are obtained on the turbulent scales of velocity V* (friction velocity) and temperature T*, which are important characteristics in the Monin–Obukhov similarity theory. A comparison of the experimental results with the data obtained by the authors earlier in different periods of time and in different climatic and geographical regions is performed. An experimental validation of the similarity theory postulates in the atmospheric boundary layer is provided. It is shown that the traditional similarity theory can be extended to an arbitrary (e.g., mountainous) boundary layer. This offers a solution to the problem of predicting the characteristics of turbulence in an anisotropic layer, including that in the mountain regions.