Horizontal Kinetic Energy Research Articles

Physical oceanographic conditions around the S1 mooring site

We describe physical oceanographic conditions around the S1 biogeochemical mooring site (30°N, 145°E) between February 2010 and July 2013. At the S1 mooring site, there is a clear seasonal variability of the mixed layer depth, wind forcing as well as horizontal kinetic energy in a near-inertial band. Interannual variability of the winter mixed layer was observed. The winter mixed layer depth was shallower in early 2010 and became deeper afterwards. Several mesoscale eddies and typhoons passed by the S1 mooring sites every year. Based on observed events, we suggest that those physical processes possibly affected biogeochemical properties around the S1 mooring site.

Experimental investigations on a low frequency horizontal pendulum ocean kinetic energy harvester for underwater mooring platforms

In the interest of extending the operation time of underwater mooring platforms, it is promising and feasible to harvest energy from ocean. A low frequency horizontal pendulum ocean kinetic energy harvester for underwater mooring platforms was presented in this paper. Several series of experimental tests on energy harvesting were carried out. The present research investigates the influence of parameters including excitation frequency, excitation amplitude, inertia modification (ballasting) and pendulum rod length, on the energy harvesting performance. Results show that this type of horizontal pendulum energy harvester has the best performance at resonant frequencies 0.2, 0.25 and 0.3 Hz, with the pendulum pitch angle 3°, 4° and 5°, respectively. It is indicated that the energy harvester can slightly tune the natural frequency to meet the prominent excitation frequency through varying the pendulum pitch angle. The test results also show that the optimal output power take off damping is 30 or 40 Ω in most case, and the maximum average output power can reach 0.3 W, with high normalized power density of 3453.8 kg/m3. Similarly, the results show that three parameters, excitation amplitude, inertia modification (ballasting), and pendulum rod length, have a significant influence on the energy harvesting. This work constitutes a preliminary step towards the development of a low frequency horizontal pendulum ocean kinetic energy harvester for underwater mooring platforms.

Experimental Analysis of Horizontal Turbulence of Flow over Flat and Deformed Beds

Abstract Laboratory experiments in a straight flume were carried out to examine the evolution of large-scale horizontal turbulent structures under flat-bed and deformed-bed conditions. In this paper, the horizontal turbulence of flow under these conditions is analyzed and compared. The conditioned quadrant method is applied to verify the occurrence of turbulent events. The distributions of horizontal Reynolds shear stress and turbulent kinetic energy are also presented and discussed. Results show the occurrence of an “initial” sequence of horizontal vortices whose average spatial length scales with the channel width. Under deformed-bed conditions, this spatial length does not change.

Dynamics of stratified turbulence decaying from a high buoyancy Reynolds number

We present direct numerical simulations (DNS) of unforced stratified turbulence with the objective of testing the strongly stratified turbulence theory. According to this theory the characteristic vertical scale of the turbulence is given by $\ell _{v}\sim u_{h}/N$, where $u_{h}$ is the horizontal velocity scale and $N$ the Brunt–Väisälä frequency. Combined with the hypothesis of the energy dissipation rate scaling as ${\it\epsilon}\sim u_{h}^{3}/\ell _{h}$, this theory predicts inertial range scalings for the horizontal spectrum of horizontal kinetic energy and of potential energy, according to $E(k_{h})\propto k_{h}^{-5/3}$. We begin by presenting a scaling analysis of the horizontal vorticity equation from which we recover the result regarding the vertical scale, $\ell _{v}\sim u_{h}/N$, highlighting in the process the important dynamical role of large-scale vertical shear of horizontal velocity. We then present the results from decaying DNS, which show a good agreement with aspects of the theory. In particular, the vertical Froude number is found to reach a constant plateau in time, of the form $Fr_{v}=u_{h}/(N\ell _{v})=C$ with $C=O(1)$ in all the runs. The derivation of the dissipation scaling ${\it\epsilon}\sim u_{h}^{3}/\ell _{h}$ at low Reynolds number in the context of decaying stratified turbulence highlights that the same scaling holds at high $\mathscr{R}=ReFr_{h}^{2}\gg 1$ as well as at low $\mathscr{R}\ll 1$, which is known (see Brethouwer et al., J. Fluid Mech., vol. 585, 2007, pp. 343–368) but not sufficiently emphasized in recent literature. We find evidence in our DNS of the dissipation scaling holding at $\mathscr{R}=O(1)$, which we interpret as being in the viscous regime. We also find ${\it\epsilon}_{k}\sim u_{h}^{3}/\ell _{h}$ and ${\it\epsilon}_{p}\sim u_{h}^{3}/\ell _{h}$ (with ${\it\epsilon}={\it\epsilon}_{k}+{\it\epsilon}_{p}$), in our high-resolution run at earlier times corresponding to $\mathscr{R}=O(10)$, which is in the transition between the strongly stratified and the viscous regimes. The horizontal spectrum of horizontal kinetic energy collapses in time using the scaling $E_{h}(k_{h})=C_{1}{\it\epsilon}_{k}^{2/3}k_{h}^{-5/3}$ and the horizontal potential energy spectrum is well described by $E_{p}(k_{h})=C_{2}{\it\epsilon}_{p}{\it\epsilon}_{k}^{-1/3}k_{h}^{-5/3}$. The presence of an inertial range in the horizontal direction is confirmed by the constancy of the energy flux spectrum over narrow ranges of $k_{h}$. However, the vertical energy spectrum is found to differ significantly from the expected $E_{h}(k_{v})\sim N^{2}k_{v}^{-3}$ scaling, showing that $Fr_{v}$ is not of order unity on a scale-by-scale basis, thus providing motivation for further investigation of the vertical structure of stratified turbulence.

Applications of a Moist Nonhydrostatic Formulation of the Spectral Energy Budget to Baroclinic Waves. Part II: The Upper-Tropospheric Energy Spectra

Abstract In this second part of a two-part study, a newly developed moist nonhydrostatic formulation of the spectral energy budget of both kinetic energy (KE) and available potential energy (APE) is employed to investigate the dynamics underlying the mesoscale upper-tropospheric energy spectra in idealized moist baroclinic waves. By calculating the conservative nonlinear spectral fluxes, it is shown that the inclusion of moist processes significantly enhances downscale cascades of both horizontal KE and APE. Moist processes act not only as a source of latent heat but also as an “atmospheric dehumidifier.” The latent heating, mainly because of the depositional growth of cloud ice, has a significant positive contribution to mesoscale APE. However, the dehumidifying reduces the diabatic contribution of the latent heating by 15% at all scales. Including moist processes also changes the direction of the mesoscale conversion between APE and horizontal KE and adds a secondary conversion of APE to gravitational energy of moist species. With or without moisture, the vertically propagating inertia–gravity waves (IGWs) produced in the lower troposphere result in a significant positive contribution to the upper-tropospheric horizontal KE spectra at the large-scale end of the mesoscale. However, including moist processes generates additional sources of IGWs located in the upper troposphere; the upward propagation of the convectively generated IGWs removes much of the horizontal KE there. Because of the restriction of the anelastic approximation, the three-dimensional divergence has no significant contribution. In view of conflicting contributions of various direct forcings, finally, an explicit comparison between the net direct forcing and energy cascade is made.

Variation of flow properties during a collision event of two mesoscale eddies in the Gulf Stream region from numerical simulation

The temporal variation of the flow structure and consequent mixing process during the collision of two counter-rotating mesoscale eddies are investigated by analyzing the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model simulation for the Gulf Stream region using Eulerian parameters—Okubo-Weiss parameters and horizontal kinetic energy (KE)—and Lagrangian parameters—finite-size Lyapunov exponent (FSLE) and relative dispersion coefficients (Kr). During the collision process, a transport barrier constructed by FSLE ridges develops between the two eddies and hyperbolic points are formed at both ends of the barrier. High values of the shear components of strain (> mean + standard deviation) are observed around the hyperbolic points, indicating possible deformation of the eddy. The magnitudes of spatially averaged KE and FSLE values increase (~20% and ~25%, respectively) during the collision as the flows around the main eddy become more energetic and dispersive. The Eulerian measures—the relative vorticity and the shear components of strain—show different temporal evolutions. The former does not significantly vary (~3%) while the latter has a peak value (~34%) at the time of maximum impact of the collision. In contrast, the Lagrangian measures show a similar pattern of temporal variations as both FSLE and Kr values generally increase (~25% and ~35%, respectively) during the collision, which indicates increased mixing due to the collision.

Near‐inertial kinetic energy budget of the mixed layer and shear evolution in the transition layer in the Arabian Sea during the monsoons

AbstractWe present the horizontal kinetic energy (KE) balance of near‐inertial currents in the mixed layer and explain shear evolution in the transition layer using observations from a mooring at 15.26° N in the Arabian Sea during the southwest monsoon. The highly sheared and stratified transition layer at the mixed‐layer base varies between 5 m and 35 m and correlates negatively with the wind stress. Results from the mixed layer near‐inertial KE (NIKE) balance suggest that wind energy at times can energize the transition layer and at other times is fully utilized within the mixed layer. A simple two layer model is utilized to study the shear evolution in the transition layer and shown to match well with observations. The shear production in this model arises from alignment of wind stress and shear. Although the winds are unidirectional during the monsoon, the shear in the transition layer is predominantly near‐inertial. The near‐inertial shear bursts in the observations show the same phasing and magnitude at near‐inertial frequencies as the wind‐shear alignment term.

Toward an internal gravity wave spectrum in global ocean models

AbstractHigh‐resolution global ocean models forced by atmospheric fields and tides are beginning to display realistic internal gravity wave spectra, especially as model resolution increases. This paper examines internal waves in global simulations with 0.08° and 0.04° (~8 and 4 km) horizontal resolutions, respectively. Frequency spectra of internal wave horizontal kinetic energy in the North Pacific lie closer to observations in the 0.04° simulation than in the 0.08° simulation. The horizontal wave number and frequency (K‐ω) kinetic energy spectra contain peaks in the semidiurnal tidal band and near‐inertial band, along with a broadband frequency continuum aligned along the linear dispersion relations of low‐vertical‐mode internal waves. Spectral kinetic energy transfers describe the rate at which nonlinear mechanisms remove or supply kinetic energy in specific K‐ω ranges. Energy is transferred out of low‐mode inertial and semidiurnal internal waves into a broad continuum of higher‐frequency and higher‐wave number internal waves.

Applications of a Moist Nonhydrostatic Formulation of the Spectral Energy Budget to Baroclinic Waves. Part I: The Lower-Stratospheric Energy Spectra

Abstract The authors investigate the mesoscale dynamics that produce the lower-stratospheric energy spectra in idealized moist baroclinic waves, using the moist nonhydrostatic formulation of spectral energy budget of kinetic energy and available potential energy by J. Peng et al. The inclusion of moist processes energizes the lower-stratospheric mesoscale, helping to close the gap between observed and simulated energy spectra. In dry baroclinic waves, the lower-stratospheric mesoscale is mainly forced by weak downscale cascades of both horizontal kinetic energy (HKE) and available potential energy (APE) and by a weak conversion of APE to HKE. At wavelengths less than 1000 km, the pressure vertical flux divergence also has a significant positive contribution to the HKE; however, this positive contribution is largely counteracted by the negative HKE vertical flux divergence. In moist baroclinic waves, the lower-stratospheric mesoscale HKE is mainly generated by the pressure and HKE vertical flux divergences. This additional HKE is partly converted to APE and partly removed by diffusion. Another negative contribution to the mesoscale HKE is from the forcing of a visible upscale HKE cascade. Besides the conversion of HKE, however, the three-dimensional divergence also has a significant positive contribution to the mesoscale APE. With these two direct APE sources, the lower-stratospheric mesoscale also undergoes a much stronger upscale APE cascade. These results suggest that both downscale and upscale cascades through the mesoscale are permitted in the real atmosphere and the direct forcing of the mesoscale is available to feed the upscale energy cascade.

On the Local Available Energetics in a Moist Compressible Atmosphere

Abstract A new derivation of local available energetics for a fully compressible, nonhydrostatic, moist atmosphere is presented. The available energetics is defined relative to an arbitrary dry reference state in hydrostatic balance with stable stratification. By introducing the modified potential temperature, a positive-definite expression of the moist available potential energy (APE) is derived. The change of the moist APE must include the role of convection to function both as a source of latent heat and as an atmosphere dehumidifier. The sum of this moist APE and the available elastic energy (AEE) is the moist available energy. In the local energy cycle, the moist available energy is partly used to generate kinetic energy (KE) and partly used to lift the water vapor to the higher level where it precipitates, resulting in the increase of gravitational energy of moist species. The moist APE is converted into vertical KE through the buoyancy term; the vertical KE is converted into the AEE through the vertical perturbation pressure gradient term; and the AEE is converted into horizontal KE through the horizontal divergence/convergence term. In addition, there exist two adiabatic nonconservative processes, which act on the AEE and APE, respectively. A suitable choice of the reference state should make these two processes much less significant than the conversions between the available energy and KE. An alternative method is presented to construct such a reference state. Application to the idealized baroclinic atmosphere shows that this reference state is much more relevant to the local available energy analysis than the isothermal one.

Stratified turbulence forced with columnar dipoles: numerical study

This paper builds upon the investigation of Augier et al. (Phys. Fluids, vol. 26 (4), 2014) in which a strongly stratified turbulent-like flow was forced by 12 generators of vertical columnar dipoles. In experiments, measurements start to provide evidence of the existence of a strongly stratified inertial range that has been predicted for large turbulent buoyancy Reynolds numbers $\mathscr{R}_{t}={\it\varepsilon}_{\!K}/({\it\nu}N^{2})$, where ${\it\varepsilon}_{\!K}$ is the mean dissipation rate of kinetic energy, ${\it\nu}$ the viscosity and $N$ the Brunt–Väisälä frequency. However, because of experimental constraints, the buoyancy Reynolds number could not be increased to sufficiently large values so that the inertial strongly stratified turbulent range is only incipient. In order to extend the experimental results toward higher buoyancy Reynolds number, we have performed numerical simulations of forced stratified flows. To reproduce the experimental vortex generators, columnar dipoles are periodically produced in spatial space using impulsive horizontal body force at the peripheries of the computational domain. For moderate buoyancy Reynolds number, these numerical simulations are able to reproduce the results obtained in the experiments, validating this particular forcing. For higher buoyancy Reynolds number, the simulations show that the flow becomes turbulent as observed in Brethouwer et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 585, 2007, pp. 343–368). However, the statistically stationary flow is horizontally inhomogeneous because the dipoles are destabilized quite rapidly after their generation. In order to produce horizontally homogeneous turbulence, high-resolution simulations at high buoyancy Reynolds number have been carried out with a slightly modified forcing in which dipoles are forced at random locations in the computational domain. The unidimensional horizontal spectra of kinetic and potential energies scale like $C_{1}{\it\varepsilon}_{\!K}^{2/3}k_{h}^{-5/3}$ and $C_{2}{\it\varepsilon}_{\!K}^{2/3}k_{h}^{-5/3}({\it\varepsilon}_{\!P}/{\it\varepsilon}_{\!K})$, respectively, with $C_{1}=C_{2}\simeq 0.5$ as obtained by Lindborg (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 550, 2006, pp. 207–242). However, there is a depletion in the horizontal kinetic energy spectrum for scales between the integral length scale and the buoyancy length scale and an anomalous energy excess around the buoyancy length scale probably due to direct transfers from large horizontal scale to small scales resulting from the shear and gravitational instabilities. The horizontal buoyancy flux co-spectrum increases abruptly at the buoyancy scale corroborating the presence of overturnings. Remarkably, the vertical kinetic energy spectrum exhibits a transition at the Ozmidov length scale from a steep spectrum scaling like $N^{2}k_{z}^{-3}$ at large scales to a spectrum scaling like $C_{K}{\it\varepsilon}_{\!K}^{2/3}k_{z}^{-5/3}$, with $C_{K}=1$, the classical Kolmogorov constant.

Characteristics of internal waves in the Martian atmosphere obtained on the basis of an analysis of vertical temperature profiles of the Mars Global Surveyor mission

An original method of determining the characteristics of an internal gravity wave (IGW) was developed using the data of an analysis of individual vertical temperature profile in the planet’s atmosphere. The method is based on an analysis of relative wave amplitude determined from the vertical temperature profile, as well as on the proposition of the IGW linear theory, according to which the wave amplitude is limited by the processes of dynamic (shear) instability in the atmosphere. It is supposed that, when the amplitude of the internal wave reaches the shear instability threshold as the wave propagates upward, a dissipation of wave energy occurs such that the IGW amplitude is maintained at the atmospheric instability threshold. The application of the developed method to vertical temperature profiles obtained from radio occultation measurements of the MGS (Mars Global Surveyor) mission made it possible to identify IGWs in the Martian atmosphere and determine the values of key wave parameters such as intrinsic frequency, amplitudes of the vertical and horizontal disturbances of wind velocity, vertical and horizontal wavelength, intrinsic vertical and horizontal phase (and group) velocities, kinetic, potential, and total energy of IGWs per unit mass, vertical fluxes of wave energy and horizontal momentum. Identified in the Martian atmosphere IGWs, with a vertical wavelength of 4.5–8.2 km, are waves with low intrinsic frequencies close to inertial frequency. Their kinetic energy, as a rule, is greater than potential energy by an order of magnitude. The propagation of these waves causes a significant modulation of the stability of atmospheric stratification that leads to shear instability and the occurrence of thin layers of intermittent turbulence in the Martian atmosphere.

Direct and inverse energy cascades in a forced rotating turbulence experiment

We present experimental evidence for a double cascade of kinetic energy in a statistically stationary rotating turbulence experiment. Turbulence is generated by a set of vertical flaps, which continuously injects velocity fluctuations towards the center of a rotating water tank. The energy transfers are evaluated from two-point third-order three-component velocity structure functions, which we measure using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry in the rotating frame. Without global rotation, the energy is transferred from large to small scales, as in classical three-dimensional turbulence. For nonzero rotation rates, the horizontal kinetic energy presents a double cascade: a direct cascade at small horizontal scales and an inverse cascade at large horizontal scales. By contrast, the vertical kinetic energy is always transferred from large to small horizontal scales, a behavior reminiscent of the dynamics of a passive scalar in two-dimensional turbulence. At the largest rotation rate, the flow is nearly two-dimensional, and a pure inverse energy cascade is found for the horizontal energy. To describe the scale-by-scale energy budget, we consider a generalization of the Kármán-Howarth-Monin equation to inhomogeneous turbulent flows, in which the energy input is explicitly described as the advection of turbulent energy from the flaps through the surface of the control volume where the measurements are performed.

Numerical Modeling of Surf Zone Hydrodynamics over Movable Bed

Shin, S.; Cox, D., and Yoon, H.D., 2014. Numerical modeling of surf zone hydrodynamics over movable bed.Understanding of hydrodynamics over moveable bed is crucial for predicting rip current generation. The capability of a numerical model based on Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, COBRAS (COrnell BReaking waves And Structures), to simulate hydrodynamics over a movable barred beach was verified. The numerical simulation results were validated with the data collected from a large-scale two-dimensional experiment, which was conducted at the Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory at Oregon State University. In this study, numerical model results were compared with the experimental results in terms of significant wave heights, wave setup, time-averaged horizontal velocities, and turbulent kinetic energy in different cross-shore locations. The COBRAS model successfully predicted the significant wave heights and setup from the offshore boundary to the vicinity of the bar location, but it slightly overestimated the significant wave heights when broken waves propagated to the shoreline. The numerical simulation was able to predict time-averaged horizontal velocities and turbulent kinetic energy well for all measurement locations. Overestimation of the turbulent kinetic energy at bar trough is because of the limitation of the turbulence closure scheme. Overall, based on the results of this study, the COBRAS model can be used to predict hydrodynamics in barred beaches, but improvement of the turbulence closure scheme is still required.

Influence of wave and current flow on sediment-carrying capacity and sediment flux at the water-sediment interface.

In nearshore waters, spatial and temporal scales of waves, tidal currents, and circulation patterns vary greatly. It is, therefore, difficult to combine these factors' effects when trying to predict sediment transport processes. This paper proposes the concept of significant wave velocity, which combines the effects of waves, tides, and ocean currents using the horizontal kinetic energy superposition principle. Through a comparison of the relationship between shear stress at the water-sediment interface and sediment-carrying capacity, assuming equilibrium sediment flux, a new formula for sediment-carrying capacity, which incorporates the concept of significant wave velocities, is derived. Sediment-carrying capacity is a function of the critical velocity, which increases with water depth and decreases with increasing relative roughness of the sea bed. Finally, data from field observation stations and simulations are used to test the proposed formula. The results show that the new formula is in good agreement with both field and simulation data. This new formula for sediment-carrying capacity can be used to simulate nearshore sediment transport.

High-resolution large-eddy simulations of stably stratified flows: application to subkilometer-scale turbulence in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere

Abstract. Large-eddy simulations of stably stratified flows are carried out and analyzed using the mesoscale atmospheric model Méso-NH for applications to kilometer- and subkilometer-scale turbulence in the in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere. Different levels of turbulence are generated using a large-scale stochastic forcing technique that was especially devised to treat atmospheric stratified flows. The study focuses on the analysis of turbulence statistics, including mean quantities and energy spectra, as well as on a detailed description of flow topology. The impact of resolution is also discussed by decreasing the grid spacing to 2 m and increasing the number of grid points to 8 × 109. Because of atmospheric stratification, turbulence is substantially anisotropic, and large elongated structures form in the horizontal directions, in accordance with theoretical analysis and spectral, direct numerical simulations of stably stratified flows. It is also found that the inertial range of horizontal kinetic energy spectrum, generally observed at scales larger than a few kilometers, is prolonged into the subkilometric range, down to the Ozmidov scales that obey isotropic Kolmogorov turbulence. This study shows the capability of atmospheric models like Méso-NH to represent the turbulence at subkilometer scales.

Enhanced turbulent mixing induced by strong wind on the South China Sea shelf

Integrated observations were made on the South China Sea shelf at 19°37’ N, 112°04’ E, under strong wind and heavy raining weather conditions in August 2005. Current data were obtained using a moored 150-kHz Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate were measured with TurboMapII, and temperature was recorded by thermistor chains. Both the mixed layer thickness and the corresponding mean dissipation rate increased after the strong wind bursts. Average surface mixed layer thickness was 13.4 m pre-wind and 22.4 m post-wind, and the average turbulent dissipation rate in the mixed layer pre-wind and post-wind were 4.26 × 10−7 and 1.09 × 10−6 Wkg−1, respectively. The post-wind dissipation rate was 2.5 times larger than the pre-wind dissipation rate in the interior layer and four times larger in the intermediate water column. Spectra and vertical mode analysis revealed that near-inertial motion post-wind, especially with high modes, was strengthened and propagated downward toward the intermediate layer. The downward group velocity of near-inertial current was about 8.1 × 10−5 ms−1 during the strong wind bursts. The mean percentage of wind work transmitted into the intermediate layer is about 4.2 %. The ratio of post-wind high-mode energy to total horizontal kinetic energy increased below the surface mixed layer, which would have caused instabilities and result in turbulent mixing. Based on these data, we discuss a previous parameterization that relates dissipation rate, stratification, and shear variance calculated from baroclinic currents with high modes (higher than mode 1) which concentrate a large fraction of energy.

Mesoscale Energy Spectra of the Mei-Yu Front System. Part II: Moist Available Potential Energy Spectra

Abstract In Part II of this study, a new formulation of the spectral energy budget of moist available potential energy (MAPE) and kinetic energy is derived. Compared to previous formulations, there are three main improvements: (i) the Lorenz available potential energy is extended into a general moist atmosphere, (ii) the water vapor and hydrometeors are taken into account, and (iii) it is formulated in a nonhydrostatic framework. Using this formulation, the mesoscale MAPE spectra of the idealized mei-yu front system simulated in Part I are further analyzed. At the mature stage, the MAPE spectra in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere also show a distinct spectral transition in the mesoscale: they develop an approximately −3 spectral slope for wavelengths longer than 400 km and − spectral slope for shorter wavelengths. In the upper troposphere, mesoscale MAPE is mainly deposited through latent heating and subsequently converted to other forms of energy at the same wavenumber. At wavelengths longer than roughly 400 km, the conversion of MAPE to horizontal kinetic energy (HKE) dominates, while at shorter wavelengths, the mechanical work produced by convective systems primarily adds to the potential energy of moist species and only secondarily generates HKE. However, this secondary conversion is enough to maintain the mesoscale − HKE spectral slope. Another positive contribution comes from the divergence term and the vertical flux. In the lower stratosphere, the main source of mesoscale MAPE is the conversion of HKE, although the vertical flux and the spectral transfer also have notable contributions.

Properties of rainfall in a tropical volcanic island deduced from UHF wind profiler measurements

Abstract. The microphysical properties of rainfall at the island of Réunion are analysed and quantified according to one year of wind profiler observations collected at Saint-Denis international airport. The statistical analysis clearly shows important differences in rain vertical profiles as a function of the seasons. During the dry season, the vertical structure of precipitation is driven by trade wind and boundary-layer inversions, both of which limit the vertical extension of the clouds. The rain rate is lower than 2.5 mm h−1 throughout the lower part of the troposphere (about 2 km) and decreases in the higher altitudes. During the moist season, the average rain rate is around 5 mm h−1 and nearly uniform from the ground up to 4 km. The dynamical and microphysical properties (including drop size distributions) of four distinct rainfall events are also investigated through the analysis of four case studies representative of the variety of rain events occurring on Réunion: summer deep convection, northerly-to-northeasterly flow atmospheric pattern, cold front and winter depression embedded in trade winds. Radar-derived rain parameters are in good agreement with those obtained from collocated rain gauge observations in all cases, which demonstrates that accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis can be inferred from wind profiler data. Fluxes of kinetic energy are also estimated from wind profiler observations in order to evaluate the impact of rainfall on soil erosion. Results show that horizontal kinetic energy fluxes are systematically one order of magnitude higher than vertical kinetic energy fluxes. A simple relationship between the reflectivity factor and vertical kinetic energy fluxes is proposed based on the results of the four case studies.

Level locomotion in wood ants: evidence for grounded running

In order to better understand the strategies of locomotion in small insects, we have studied continuous level locomotion of the wood ant species Formica polyctena. We determined the three-dimensional centre of mass kinematics during the gait cycle and recorded the ground reaction forces of single legs utilising a self-developed test site. Our findings show that the animals used the same gait dynamics across a wide speed range without dissolving the tripodal stride pattern. To achieve higher velocities, the ants proportionally increased stride length and stepping frequency. The centre of mass energetics indicated a bouncing gait, in which horizontal kinetic and gravitational potential energy fluctuated in close phase. We determined a high degree of compliance especially in the front legs, as the effective leg length was nearly halved during the contact phase. This leads to only small vertical oscillations of the body, which are important in maintaining ground contact. Bouncing gaits without aerial phases seem to be a common strategy in small runners and can be sufficiently described by the bipedal spring-loaded inverted pendulum model. Thus, with our results, we provide evidence that wood ants perform 'grounded running'.