25th Agricultural and Forest Meteorology/12th Air Pollution/4th Urban Environment

Wednesday, 22 May 2002
Observations of the similarity theory stability correction terms for momentum and temperature, psim and psih over agricultural fields and forests
Peter L. Finkelstein, NOAA/ARL, Research Triangle Park, NC
Many observations of temperature and wind speed profiles have been taken over "ideal" terrain and analyzed to develop the stability correction terms which are commonly used in the application of similarity theory. Fewer observations have been taken and analyzed in this manner over more "real world" conditions. In this study four extensive data sets from recently completed field studies of atmospheric deposition are used to derive values of the stability correction terms. Observations were made over a corn field, a soybean field, a deciduous forest, and a mixed deciduous - coniferous forest. Because observations of effective surface temperature were not available, the temperature stability correction term is presented as it would be used to estimate differences in temperature between two levels in the atmosphere. Similarities and differences in the observations as a function of site, stability, and other variables are presented and discussed. Comparisons are made to published models. Points of agreement and disagreement are noted and discussed.

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