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For steady free-stream, zero and favorable pressure gradient turbulent boundary layers, the unsteadiness in the form of turbulent fluctuations was investigated. Phase ensemble-averaged flow characteristics of a large amplitude periodic unsteady turbulent boundary layer was also investigated at a reduced frequency k = 0.61 based on the length of the converging and diverging test section with amplitude to mean velocity ratio of 0.8. In steady flow cases, both zero and favorable pressure gradient flows show good two-dimensional flow characteristics and mean flow characteristics are compared with other researchers’ data. Measured power spectral data show good agreement with those of Klebanoff, Ueda and Hinze, Perry, Lim and Henbest for the zero pressure gradient flows and Jones and Launder for the favorable pressure gradient flow. The power spectral data measured in the turbulent wall region of the zero pressure gradient flow closely follow the model equation proposed by Perry, Lim and Henbest. Convective wave speed also show good agreement with those of Favre, Gaviglio and Dumas and Sternberg within the experimental uncertainties. In the inner region of the boundary layer where y+ < 40, convective wave speed is higher than local mean velocity at all eddy scales as observed by Kline, Reynolds, Schraub and Runstadler. In the unsteady flow case, in the absence of flow reversal, the flow behaves in a quasi-steady manner and can be described by the steady flow structure as in the case of moderate amplitude flows. The Ludwieg·Tillmann skin friction equation and the Perry-Schofield universal velocity defect law hold at these phases. Except the laminariscent velocity profile observed during the acceleration phases, the large amplitude unsteady flow shows basically the same flow characteristics as the moderate amplitude flows. / Master of Science

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Across the air-sea interface there is a transfer of momentum, heat and moisture. Knowledge of these is essential to the understanding of oceanic and atmospheric circulations. This study is an investigation of the vertical turbulent transfers of momentum, heat and moisture in the boundary layer of the atmosphere using an instrumented light aircraft. The data were collected at several altitudes between 18 m and 500 m in the Atlantic trade wind zone east of the island of Barbados. Since the tropical ocean is the primary source of heat input to the atmospheric heat engine, good estimates, in this region, of the transfers of heat and moisture and their vertical variations are essential to any global numerical atmospheric prediction scheme. The fluctuations of the velocity components, temperature and humidity and the transfers of momentum, heat and moisture were investigated, primarily by means of their spectra and cospectra. It was found that: ninety percent of the heat input to the atmosphere was in the form of latent heat; the sensible heat flux was positive (upward) at the small scales generated near the surface and negative at the large scales due to subsiding air; the latent heat flux was positive at all scales and similar in spectral distribution to the momentum flux; the flow appeared to be anisotropic even at scales one hundred times smaller than the distance from the boundary; the drag coefficient, from direct measurements of the momentum flux (or stress), was (1.45±0.08) x 10⁻³; shear generated turbulence was not entirely dissipated locally. / Science, Faculty of / Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of / Graduate

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Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / Langmuir circulations in a coastal environment at an inner shelf site with strong tidal forcing were examined using a 4-month observation of high-resolution velocity profiles during the ONR-sponsored CBLAST-Low air-sea interaction experiment. Because of their potential contributions to mixing processes in the surface boundary layer, Langmuir circulations are important for naval operations such as ASW, MCM and Amphibious operations in littoral waters. A detection algorithm for upwelling / downwelling velocities due to Langmuir circulations was developed. Analyses focused on long-fetch, unstratified water column conditions with locally developed seas. The observations showed that strong Langmuir circulations greatly reduced water column shear arising from the tidally forced bottom boundary layer, while there was no significant effect from the strong tidal boundary layer on the formation of Langmuir cells. Long fetch conditions had the strongest vertical velocities with Langmuir number 0.1-0.4, while short fetch conditions have weaker vertical velocities with Langmuir number greater than 0.5. Cell vertical velocities were correlated with the water friction velocity, but penetration depths did not depend on forcing mechanisms. Spacing and penetration depths were correlated for increasing wind speed and wave heights whereas this correlation was not seen for constant high wind speed and wave heights. / Lieutenant Junior Grade, Turkish Navy

This thesis describes the refinements, modifications and additions to a prototype Very High Frequency (VHF) Boundary Layer (BL) Spaced Antenna (SA) radar initially installed at the University of Adelaide's Buckland Park field site in 1997. Previous radar observations of the lowest few kilometres of the atmosphere, in particular the Atmospheric Boundary Layer, have used Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) radars. Unlike VHF radars, UHF radars are extremely sensitive to hydro-meteors and have difficulty in distinguishing clear-air echoes from precipitation returns. The advantages and requirements of using a VHF radar to observe the lowest heights is discussed in conjunction with some of the limitations. The successful operation of the system over long periods has enabled in-depth investigation of the performance of the system in a variety of conditions and locations. Observations were made from as low as 300m and as high as 8 km, dependent upon conditions. Comparisons between the radar and alternative wind measuring devices were carried out and examined. The antenna system of the radar is a critical component which was analysed in depth and subsequently re-designed. Through the use of numerical models and mea- surements, evaluation of different designs was accomplished. Further calibration of the remaining components of the full system has enabled estimations of the absolute received power. Additional parameters which can be derived with a calibrated radar were compared with values obtained by other authors, giving favourable results. Full Correlation Analysis (FCA) is the predominant technique used in this work. A brief discussion of the background theory and parameters which can be measured is described. A simple one-dimensional model was developed and combined with a 'radar backscatter model' to investigate potential sources of errors in the parameters determined using FCA with the VHF Boundary Layer Radar. In particular, underes- timations in the wind velocity were examined. The integration of a Radio Acoustic Sounding System (RASS) to obtain tempera- ture profiles is discussed. The theory of RASS measurements including the limitations and considerations which are required for the VHF BL radar are given. The difficulties encountered trying to implement such a system and the subsequent success using a Stratospheric Tropospheric (ST) Profiler in place of the BL radar is presented. Taken as a whole this thesis shows the success of the VHF BL to obtain mea- surements from as low as 300m. The validation of this prototype radar provides an alternative and, in certain situations, a superior device with which to study the lower troposphere. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Department of Physics and Mathematical Physics, 2001.

Graduation date: 1991

Weak-wind flow in the nocturnal boundary is one of the most poorly understood problems in the field of meteorology. The understanding of weak-wind flows is essential for the improvement of regulatory dispersion models which are currently rendered invalid under weak-wind conditions and stable stratification. Recently there have been increased efforts directed towards improving the understanding nocturnal boundary layer dynamics. The results of these studies have shown that nocturnal boundary layer flows are often dominated by intermittent turbulence and motions occurring on horizontal scales ranging from hundreds of meters to several kilometers and on time scales of 1 minute to 1 hour. We refer to these scales as sub-meso. This connection has led to the hypothesis that intermittent turbulence generation may be the result of sub-meso motions that are subject to external forcing originating in the deeper boundary layer. However, these processes have proven difficult to measure as traditional sensor networks have failed to provide the vertical and horizontal coverage necessary to observe the driving forces on these scales. This study sought to close this knowledge gap using SOund Detection And Ranging (SODAR). SODAR is a ground based acoustic remote sensing technology that is capable of measuring wind and turbulence at multiple heights in the boundary layer. Data were collected with a pair of SODAR systems with sequentially increasing separation distance at the Oregon State University Botany and Plant Pathology lab during the summer of 2010. The data have indicated that motion occurring on time scales of 2 minutes to 32 minutes are isolated to the lowest 50 meters of the nocturnal boundary layer. Surface-layer measurements were collected using a pair of sonic anemometers placed at heights of 1.5 and 7 meters above ground level. Comparisons of surface-layer measurements and deeper boundary layer measurements have shown that when the surface layer stratification is stable, processes within the surface layer are not likely to be influenced by external forcing from aloft. In contrast external forcing from the deeper boundary layer may still have an influence on weak, nocturnal surface flows when the surface layer is weakly stratified as is shown for the case of low-level jets. / Graduation date: 2013