Stratospheric Turbulence and Vertical Effective Diffusion Coefficients

Abstract

Computations of the observed frequency distribution of the magnitudes of vertical shears of horizontal winds between 5 and 20 km altitude are reported. The probability distribution of turbulent layers for various values of vertical thickness is discussed. An effective vertical-diffusion coefficient, Ke, is estimated from a simple model using this empirical turbulence probability distribution. Specifically, the authors calculate the effect of clear-air turbulence (CAT) upon vertical transport, using a model consisting of a vertical column of thin, randomly-spaced mixing (turbulent) layers separated by thick non-mixing atmospheric layers.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 29, 1975
Accession Number
ADA019708

Entities

People

  • E. M. Dewan
  • N. W. Rosenberg

Organizations

  • Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Atmospheric Motion
  • Buoyancy
  • Clear Air Turbulence
  • Diffusion
  • Diffusion Coefficient
  • Environment
  • Frequency
  • Measurement
  • Probability
  • Probability Distributions
  • Richardson Number
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Stratified Fluids
  • Stratosphere
  • Temperature Gradients
  • Turbulence
  • Turbulent Mixing

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology

Technology Areas

  • Space