Long-term statitics of turbulence, winds and pressure fluctuations in a forested environment

A field study has been underway for two and half years at the Howland Research Forest in Howland, ME. The study site includes six three-dimensional sonic anemometers (3 at each of two towers), 149 tree sway sensors, and two pressure sensors to monitor turbulent fluctuations. The overall research goal of this project is to improve the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the aerodynamic interactions between turbulence structures in the canopy roughness sublayer (CRSL) and tree sway motions in a forest canopy. The work presented concentrates on the variability of the long-term statistics of velocity profiles, drag coefficients and turbulence in both time and space. Comparisons of these statistics in unstable and stable atmospheric conditions are also presented. Finally, the challenges associated with measuring turbulent pressure fluctuations within a natural forested canopy will are discussed.