Richard J.A.M. Stevens

Physics of Fluids · University of Twente

Publication 89 · Atmospheric turbulence

Universal Wind Profile for Conventionally Neutral Atmospheric Boundary Layers

L. Liu, S.N. Gadde, R.J.A.M. Stevens, Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 104502 (2021).

Main finding

The study supplies a compact and physically motivated representation that is strongly consistent with its calibration LES. It does not provide independent evidence for a universal wind profile, a parameter-free derivation, or transfer beyond the sampled CNBL family.

Mean wind speed profiles with the logarithmic law and a new model against simulation data
How to read the figure. Vertical profiles of mean wind speed for two conventionally neutral boundary layer cases: filled symbols are the simulation, the dashed line the logarithmic law, the solid line the paper's profile. The logarithmic law departs from the data well below the boundary layer top while the new profile follows it through the full depth - a nominally neutral surface layer is already feeling the inversion above it. The profile is calibrated on this family of cases, so the figure is not independent evidence that it is universal. Open the full-resolution figure. Figure 4. L. Liu et al. (2021). No separate licence is stated here; consult the original publication and credited source before reuse.

Why this matters

A nominally neutral surface layer can still feel the stable inversion above it, altering the full wind profile.

Research context

This work builds on Geostrophic drag law for conventionally neutral atmospheric boundary layers… supplies the revised CNBL GDL used in the supplement to express the profile in terms of u_; cross-source comparison maps three Ro–Zi points onto its phi=50 deg configurations. A wavenumber-frequency spectral model for atmospheric boundary layers provides distinct ABL spectral modelling and is not independent support for this profile. Later papers that extend, revise, or contradict it: The completed Vertical structure of conventionally neutral atmospheric boundary layers baseline develops the component-wise vertical structure by importing the present heat-flux basis and epsilon=0.12 and reusing all six present LES cases in its Figures 3–4.

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