Aircraft measurements of turbulence spectra in the marine stratocumulus-topped boundary layer

Abstract

At least four of these phenomena contribute to the turbulence spectra: eddies that result directly from shear and buoyant production of turbulent kinetic energy (the microscale energy production subrange); smaller eddies that result from the inertial cascade of energy (the inertial subrange); quasi-two-dimensional mesoscale variations; and gravity waves. The velocity, temperature, and moisture spectra are affected differently by each of these phenomena. The turbulence spectra highlight the differences between the cold-current marine stratocumulus-topped boundary layer and the overland convective boundary layer. -from Authors