Research on atmospheric turbulence by Wilfried Brutsaert and collaborators

Abstract

In this paper, several lines of investigation of atmospheric turbulence, by Wilfried Brutsaert, his students, and collaborators, are reviewed. Overall, we classify these lines as K-theory, surface roughness parameterization dealing with momentum and scalar fluxes, radiative effects on temperature fluctuations, stable conditions, scalar similarity, and atmospheric boundary-layer parameterization. Emphasis is placed on turbulence parameterization. Although these topics are presented more or less in chronological order, this order is broken whenever connections need to be established. Hopefully, these connections are the most interesting part of this review: it is there that Brutsaert's insights and long-range scientific questions may be found. His approach invariably included a careful formulation of the physical and mathematical basis of the problem at hand, and proceeded to focus on some essential issues that allowed analytical, numerical or statistical treatment. There is much to be learned from this approach; it is hoped that some of it can be glimpsed here. © 2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.