S. A. Hsu

Models for estimating offshore winds from onshore meteorological measurements

To understand and estimate wind speed differences across the coastal zone, two models, one theoretical and another semi-empirical, have been developed and verified by available data sets. Assuming that: (1) mean horizontal motion exists across the coastal zone; and (2) the geostrophic wind does not change appreciably at the top of the planetary boundary layer (PBL), the equation of motion in the direction of the wind can be reduced so that 341-01, where U, H, and CD are wind speed, height of PBL, and drag coefficient over the sea and land, respectively. For practice, CD SEA has been modified from a formula with ULAND as the only input. HSEA may be estimated routinely from known HD LANDLAND and the temperature difference between land and sea, which can be provided by such means as remote sensing from meteorological satellites. For a given coast, Cmay be estimated also. This formula is recommended for weather forecasters. The semiempirical formula is based mainly on the power law wind distribution with height in the PBL. The formula states that 341-02. Simultaneous offshore and onshore wind measurements made at stations ranging from Somalia, near the equator, to the Gulf of Alaska indicated that values of a and b are 2.98 and 0.34 with a correlation coefficient of -0.95. For oceanographic applications, a simplified equation, i.e., 341-03, is also proposed.

A note on estimating the height of the convective internal boundary layer near shore

When cool air flows from the sea over a warm coast, the air is thermally modified. It is shown that h = cX1/2, where h is the height (in meters) of this thermal or convective internal boundary layer (CIBL) over the coast, X is the distance downwind (in meters) from the shoreline (i.e., the fetch), and c is a coefficient that relates to the shear velocity and wind speed inside the CIBL, potential temperature difference and entrainment coefficient across the CIBL, and the lapse rate outside the CIBL. This equation is a simplification of a theoretical equation and is supported by three similar formulations based on thermodynamic and dimensional analyses. Pertinent field experiments conducted near shorelines in France, Sweden, and Japan indicate that c is approximately 1.91, with a standard deviation of 0.38. All observations are within 95% confidence limits.

On the log-linear wind profile and the relationship between shear stress and stability characteristics over the sea

Wind and stability characteristics in the atmospheric surface boundary layer at a height,Z, less than 20 m above the sea were examined in nine oceanic investigations. The analysis lends further support to the utility of the log-linear wind-profile law in the stability region of −0.4⩽Z/L⩽0.9, whereL is the Monin-Obukhov length. However, it is also shown that, inasmuch as better than 90% of the measurements fall within the range of ¦Z/L¦⩽ 0.25, and inasmuch as this correction to the drag coefficient under neutral conditions amounts to less than 10%, the familiar logarithmic wind law may be used rather than the log-linear form. A wind-stress drag coefficient,Cd (=1.2×10−3 between 1.0 m ⩽Z⩽ 18.3 m), is thus recommended for general deepwater oceanic applications. The situation over shallow water, which is different, is discussed briefly.

Mesoscale nocturnal jetlike winds within the planetary boundary layer over a flat, open coast

Mesoscale nocturnal jetlike winds have been observed over a flat, open coast. They occur within the planetary boundary layer between 100 and 600 m. At times the wind shear may reach 15 m s-1 per 100 m. Unlike the common low-level jet that occurs most often at the top of the nocturnal inversion and only with a wind from the southerly quadrant, this second kind of jet exists between nocturnal ground-based inversion layers formed by the ‘cool pool’, or mesohigh, and the elevated mesoscale inversion layer over the coast. It occurs mostly when light % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGaaiikaiabgs% MiJkaaiwdacqGHsislcaaI2aGaaeyBaiaabccacaqGZbWaaWbaaSqa% beaacqGHsislcaaIXaaaaOGaaiykaaaa!3FCF!\[( \leqslant 5 - 6{\text{m s}}^{ - 1} )\] geostrophic winds blow from land to sea and when the air temperature over adjacent seas is more than 5 °C warmer than that over the coast. This phenomenon may be explained by combined Venturi and gravity-wind effects existing in a region from just above the area a few kilometres offshore to 100–600 m in height approximately 40–50 km inland because this region is ‘sandwiched’ between the aforementioned two inversion layers.

An overwater stability criterion for the offshore and coastal dispersion model

The Offshore and Coastal Dispersion (OCD) model proposed and evaluated by Hanna et al. (1985) requires the Monin-Obukhov length to compute the stability class. Both wind shear and heat flux are needed for this computation; since these parameters are not normally observed, the stability length has been converted into a nomogram which consists of routinely measured wind speed and air-sea temperature difference. An analysis of the vertical turbulence intensity as a function of the stability length demonstrates that under neutral conditions, the stability scheme used in the OCD model is reasonable.

An Operational Forecasting Model for the Variation of Mean Maximum Mixing Heights Across the Coastal Zone

Variation exists in the maximum mixing height (MMH) across the coastal zone because of major differences in heat capacity between land and sea. By assuming that synoptic and microscale effects are all small as compared to the contribution from mesoscale temperature differences, a model is proposed to explain this variation. The model states that the variation of the MMH across the coastal zone is due primarily and is linearly proportional to the difference in maximum temperature between land and sea. Since the MMH is one of the most important parameters in the computation of distribution and concentration of aerosols, water vapor, and pollutants, a simple equation is also provided for the operational forecasting of the MMH or the mixing height over the sea. All inputs into the equation are routinely available. The model has been verified by available data and a relevant field experiment.

A verification of an analytical formula for estimating the height of the stable internal boundary layer

A stable thermal internal boundary layer (IBL) develops when warm air is advected from warmer land upstream to a cooler sea downstream. It is shown that the analytical model for estimating the height (h) of this stable IBL as formulated by Garratt (1987) is verified. It is also demonstrated that a simpler equation, % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4baFfea0dXde9vqpa0lb9% cq0dXdb9IqFHe9FjuP0-iq0dXdbba9pe0lb9hs0dXda91qaq-xfr-x% fj-hmeGabaqaciGacaGaaeqabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacaWGObGaeyisIS% RaaGymaiaaiAdacaWGybWaaWbaaSqabeaadaWcgaqaaiaaigdaaeaa% caaIYaaaaaaaaaa!390B!\[h \approx 16X^{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 2}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 2}} \] (where h is in meters and X, the fetch downwind, is in kilometers), is useful operationally as a first approximation.

Measurements of the height of the convective surface boundary layer over an arid coast on the Red Sea

The height of the convective boundary layer over an arid coast on the Red Sea was measured by high-resolution radiosondes. These measurements can be used to compute sensible heat flux by the method devised by Danard (1981). The average heat flux computed is in good agreement with results obtained independently by both the energy balance method and the free-convection equation.

A verification of two shear velocity equations for the wind-wave interaction in a lake environment

Under growing wind-wave conditions the shear velocity,u*, over the water surface equalsg2Hs2Ba2Cp3, whereg is the gravitational acceleration,Hs is the significant wave height,Ba is a constant, andCp is the wave celerity. From an independent field experiment in a lake environment which provided all three parameters (u*,Hs, andCp), the value ofBa is found to be 0.89, which is slightly lower than but consistent (within 20%) with the literature value between 0.90 and 1.06 obtained from an oceanic environment. Since thisu* equation does not include the wind speed,U10, anotheru* formulation withU10 in addition to the wave information is also evaluated. It is shown that the latter equation which includesU10 is superior to the former withoutU10.

Determination of the momentum flux at the air-sea interface under variable meteorological and oceanographic conditions: Further application of the wind-wave interaction method

Simultaneous observations of wind, wave, and stability parameters made recently by several authors provide an evaluation of the contribution of these factors to the determination of wind stress on the sea surface. It is shown that under diabatic conditions the wind-wave interaction method of determining wind stress is superior to the method utilizing correction for stability. The implication is that the contribution from waves is more important to the stress than that from stability. Thus, the wind-wave interaction method may be applicable under a variety of conditions. For general meteorological-oceanographic applications, a nomograph is also provided for estimating the wind stress from commonly available wind and wave parameters.