Abstract
Airplane measurements of the stably stratified boundary layer obtained during the Severe Environmental Storms and Mesoscale Experiment (SESAME) over rolling terrain in south-central Oklahoma indicate that considerable horizontal variability exists in the flow on scales of several kilometers. Much of this wave-like structure appears to be tied to the terrain. The criteria for existence of stationary gravity waves indicate that these waves can exist under the observed conditions. The spectrum of terrain variations also supports the existence of these waves. Observed spectra of the vertical velocity have two peaks: one at wavelengths of several kilometers, which is due to waves and the other at wavelengths of about 100 m, which is due to turbulence. The variance at several kilometers wavelength increases somewhat with height at least up to about 800 m, but the variance contributed by turbulence decreases rapidly with height.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
André, J. C. and Mahrt, L.: 1982, ‘The Nocturnal Surface Inversion and Influence of Clear-Air Radiative Cooling’, J. Atmos. Sci. 39, 864–878.
Caughey, S. J., Wyngaard, J. C., and Kaimal, J. C.: 1979, ‘Turbulence in the Evolving Stable Layer’, J. Atmos. Sci. 36, 1041–1052.
Clarke, R. H., Dyer, A. J., Brooks, R. R., Reid, D. G., and Troup, A. J.: 1971, ‘The Wangara Experiment: Boundary-Layer Data’, Technical Paper No. 19, Division of Meteorological Physics, CSIRO, Aspendale, Australia, 340 pp.
Gossard, E. E. and Hooke, W. H.: 1975, Waves in the Atmosphere, Elsevier Scientific Publ. Co., New York, p. 456.
Hunt, J. C. R., Kaimal, J. C., and Gaynor, J. E.: 1985, ‘Some Observations of Turbulence Structure in Stable Layers’, Quart. J. R. Meteorol. Soc. 111, 793–815.
Kaimal, J. C., Eversole, R. A., Lenschow, D. H., Stankov, B. B., Kahn, P. H., and Businger, J. A.: 1982, ‘Spectral Characteristics of the Convective Boundary Layer Over Uneven Terrain’, J. Atmos. Sci. 39, 1098–1114.
Mahrt, L.: 1985, ‘Vertical Structure and Turbulence in the Very Stable Boundary Layer’, J. Atmos. Sci. 42, 2333–2349.
Rotunno, R.: 1977, ‘Internal Gravity Waves in a Time-Varying Stratification’, J. Fluid Mech. 82, part 4, pp. 609–619.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lenschow, D.H., Zhang, S.F. & Stankov, B.B. The stably stratified boundary layer over the great plains. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 42, 123–135 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119878
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119878