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Calculation of particle trajectories in the presence of a gradient in turbulent-velocity variance

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Abstract

Recent papers by Wilson et al. (1981b) and Legg and Raupach (1982) give methods for the calculation of particle trajectories in turbulence with a gradient in vertical velocity variance Σ 2 w. However the two methods seem contradictory.

This paper demonstrates that in systems in which l(dΣ w /dz) (where / is the length scale) varies only slowly with height z, the two methods give similar predictions, and indicates why this is the case. For a particular system in which the restriction on l(dΣ w /dz) is not satisfied, it is shown that neither method is correct but that a simple modification of the method of Wilson et al. (1981b) gives reasonable predictions.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New Zealand Meteorological Service, P.O. Box 722, Wellington, New Zealand

    J. D. Wilson

  2. Department of Land Resource Science, University of Guelph, N1G 2W1, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

    J. D. Wilson

  3. National Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Wrest Park, MK45 4HS, Silsoe, Bedford, England

    B. J. Legg

  4. Meteorological Office, London Road, RG12 2SZ, Bracknell, Berkshire, England

    D. J. Thomson

Authors
  1. J. D. Wilson
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  2. B. J. Legg
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  3. D. J. Thomson
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Wilson, J.D., Legg, B.J. & Thomson, D.J. Calculation of particle trajectories in the presence of a gradient in turbulent-velocity variance. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 27, 163–169 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239612

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239612

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