An Improved Approach for Parameterizing Surface-Layer Turbulent Transfer Coefficients in Numerical Models

Abstract

Based on classic iterative computation results, new equations to calculate the surface turbulent transfer coefficients are proposed, which allow for large ratios of the momentum and heat roughness lengths. Compared to the Launiainen scheme, our proposed scheme generates results closer to classical iterative computations. Under unstable stratification, the relative error in the Launiainen scheme increases linearly with increasing instability, even exceeding 15%, while the relative error of the present scheme is always less than 8.5%. Under stable stratification, the Launiainen scheme uses two equations, one for 0 < RiB ≤ 0.08 and another for 0.08 < RiB ≤ 0.2, and does not consider the condition that RiB > 0.2, while its relative errors in the region 0 < RiB ≤ 0.2 exceed 31 and 24% for momentum and heat transfer coefficients, respectively. In contrast, the present scheme uses only one equation for 0 < RiB ≤ 0.2 and another equation for RiB > 0.2, and the relative error of the present scheme is always less than 14%. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.