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Experimental demonstration of the coupling effect of vertical velocity on latent heat flux

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Abstract

According to the cross coupling theorem of atmospheric turbulence, latent heat flux comprises two components, a vertical humidity gradient flux and a coupling flux of vertical velocity. In this paper, observational data are employed to demonstrate and analyze the coupling effect of vertical velocity on latent heat flux. The results highlight the presence of a coupling zero-effect height. When the observational level exceeds or underlies the coupling zero-effect height, the coupling effect suppresses or enhances the latent heat flux, respectively. Above the heterogeneous terrain in the experimental region, the overall difference between the estimated and the observed latent heat fluxes decreases from 27% to 2% (for ascending flow) and from 47% to 28% (for descending flow), after compensating for gradient flux. The coupling theorem of atmospheric turbulence is well validated by our analysis, supporting a role for experimental datasets in unraveling the mysteries of atmospheric turbulence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Land Surface Process and Climate Change in Cold and Arid Regions; Cold and Arid Regions Environment and Engineering Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    JinBei Chen, YinQiao Hu, ShiHua Lü & Ye Yu

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  1. JinBei Chen
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  2. YinQiao Hu
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  3. ShiHua Lü
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  4. Ye Yu
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Correspondence to JinBei Chen.

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Chen, J., Hu, Y., Lü, S. et al. Experimental demonstration of the coupling effect of vertical velocity on latent heat flux. Sci. China Earth Sci. 56, 684–692 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-012-4574-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-012-4574-1

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