Engineering an Effective and Economic Measurement of Atmospheric Stability

The Stability of the Atmosphere affects the in situ measurement of traditional site parameters within the surface boundary layer, but to what extent? How can we measure this convective phenomenon effectively and economically?

This study compares various schemes, both qualitative and quantitative, to help with the design of a suitable system which may be deployed with future site measurement campaigns to observe and quantify Stability. Schemes compared are SRDT, Standard Deviation of Wind Direction, Okukhov Length, Bulk and Flux Richardson Methods, and Temperature Gradient Method. This study was conducted using data gathered from an instrument array installed on a purpose built 50 m tubular mast, which enables original observation of events. Assessment of the underlying principles as well as performance comparison at various heights was carried out, the results from which are useful for evaluating the integrity and agreement between Stability schemes within the surface boundary layer in the context of wind energy yield prediction.