Single Column Modeling of Turbulence and Chemistry After Convective Storms in the Amazon of Brazil

Recent results from the GOAmazon 2014/2015 project showed that upper air intrusion during convective storms drives ozone enhancement within the Amazon boundary layer. The magnitude and duration of such ozone enhancements depended on the nature of the storm, but it is also affected by the convective boundary layer recovery in the post convective environment. This is a period when turbulent and chemical exchange processes are simultaneously in effect. To compare the relative importance of turbulence and chemistry in these situations, a single column model is implemented. It solves prognostic equations for mean wind components and temperature, as well as for turbulence dissipation rate and the turbulent kinetic energy budget, through which the turbulent exchange coefficients are determined. Convective and stable long-tail stability functions are used, allowing the model to reproduce the diurnal cycle. The basic photochemical cycle of ozone and nitrogen oxides is also included in the model, which therefore solves prognostic equations for these chemical species. Initial profiles of the meteorological quantities are provided by observations performed during the GOAmazon project in conditions immediately following the occurrence of convective storms. The model temporal evolution is then compared to subsequent observed profiles. The analysis indicates how the boundary layer recovery depends on the time of the day of the convective event. The model is also used to investigate how the different ozone enhancements provided by distinct convective formations evolve in the post-convective environment.