Analysis of pressure-strain and pressure gradient-scalar covariances in cloud-topped boundary layers: A large-eddy simulation study

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Authors

  • Rieke Heinze
  • Dmitrii Mironov
  • Siegfried Raasch

External Research Organisations

  • Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. (MPG)
  • Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD)
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3-30
Number of pages28
JournalJournal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems
Volume8
Issue number1
Early online date5 Nov 2015
Publication statusPublished - 22 Apr 2016

Abstract

A detailed analysis of the pressure-scrambling terms (i.e., the pressure-strain and pressure gradient-scalar covariances) in the Reynolds-stress and scalar-flux budgets for cloud-topped boundary layers (CTBLs) is performed using high-resolution large-eddy simulation (LES). Two CTBLs are simulated - one with trade wind shallow cumuli, and the other with nocturnal marine stratocumuli. The pressure-scrambling terms are decomposed into contributions due to turbulence-turbulence interactions, mean velocity shear, buoyancy, and Coriolis effects. Commonly used models of these contributions, including a simple linear model most often used in geophysical applications and a more sophisticated two-component-limit (TCL) nonlinear model, are tested against the LES data. The decomposition of the pressure-scrambling terms shows that the turbulence-turbulence and buoyancy contributions are most significant for cloud-topped boundary layers. The Coriolis contribution is negligible. The shear contribution is generally of minor importance inside the cloudy layers, but it is the leading-order contribution near the surface. A comparison of models of the pressure-scrambling terms with the LES data suggests that the more complex TCL model is superior to the simple linear model only for a few contributions. The linear model is able to reproduce the principal features of the pressure-scrambling terms reasonably well. It can be applied in the second-order turbulence modeling of cloud-topped boundary layer flows, provided some uncertainties are tolerated.

Keywords

    cloud-topped boundary layers, large-eddy simulation, parameterizations, pressure-scrambling terms, second-order turbulence modeling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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Analysis of pressure-strain and pressure gradient-scalar covariances in cloud-topped boundary layers: A large-eddy simulation study. / Heinze, Rieke; Mironov, Dmitrii; Raasch, Siegfried.
In: Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, Vol. 8, No. 1, 22.04.2016, p. 3-30.

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title = "Analysis of pressure-strain and pressure gradient-scalar covariances in cloud-topped boundary layers: A large-eddy simulation study",
abstract = "A detailed analysis of the pressure-scrambling terms (i.e., the pressure-strain and pressure gradient-scalar covariances) in the Reynolds-stress and scalar-flux budgets for cloud-topped boundary layers (CTBLs) is performed using high-resolution large-eddy simulation (LES). Two CTBLs are simulated - one with trade wind shallow cumuli, and the other with nocturnal marine stratocumuli. The pressure-scrambling terms are decomposed into contributions due to turbulence-turbulence interactions, mean velocity shear, buoyancy, and Coriolis effects. Commonly used models of these contributions, including a simple linear model most often used in geophysical applications and a more sophisticated two-component-limit (TCL) nonlinear model, are tested against the LES data. The decomposition of the pressure-scrambling terms shows that the turbulence-turbulence and buoyancy contributions are most significant for cloud-topped boundary layers. The Coriolis contribution is negligible. The shear contribution is generally of minor importance inside the cloudy layers, but it is the leading-order contribution near the surface. A comparison of models of the pressure-scrambling terms with the LES data suggests that the more complex TCL model is superior to the simple linear model only for a few contributions. The linear model is able to reproduce the principal features of the pressure-scrambling terms reasonably well. It can be applied in the second-order turbulence modeling of cloud-topped boundary layer flows, provided some uncertainties are tolerated.",
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AU - Mironov, Dmitrii

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