17th Symposium on Boundary Layers and Turbulence
27th Conference on Agricultural and Forest Meteorology

J4.8

Instability of the stable boundary layer?

Bas J. H. Van de Wiel, Wageningen University and Research-Centre, Wageningen, Netherlands; and A. F. Moene, G. J. Steeneveld, and A. A. M. Holtslag

Many observations of artic boundary layers and nighttime boundary layers in general show low temperatures and weak winds near the surface. These weak wind conditions coincide with extremely low intensities of turbulence. As a result, the upper part of the boundary seems to be de-coupled from the surface. Despite the omnipresence and importance of this decoupling phenomenon its physical background is not yet understood. This coupling therefore stands out as one of the key-problems in the modeling of the climate in cold regions on earth. The current study aims to explain and predict this decoupling phenomenon by applying the physical theory of linear stability analysis (LSA).

extended abstract  Extended Abstract (200K)

wrf recording  Recorded presentation

Joint Session 4, Stable Boundary Layers 2 (Joint between 17BLT and 27 AgForest)
Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 8:00 AM-10:00 AM, Kon Tiki Ballroom

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