Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
(a)
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
Relative variance in potential temperature
(b)
1.2
1.0
Production
0.8
0.6
Turbulent
transport
Molecular
destruction
0.4
0.2
Radiation
0
−
1000
−
100
−
10
0
10
100
1000
Relative strength of terms in potential temperature variance budget
Figure 18.10
(a) Typical relative strength of daytime temperature variance as a function of height relative to the top of the
ABL. (b) Typical relative strength of terms in the prognostic equation for daytime temperature variance as a function of
height relative to the top of the ABL. Note that there is very substantial variability around these typical values.
where the gradient in potential temperature is largest). The transport term
describes the movement of temperature variance within the ABL upwards to
the top and downwards to the lower ABL where most dissipation of temperature
variance occurs.
