Nonlinear development of the ekman layer structures

The nonlinear modes of coherent structure development in the Atmospheric boundary layer are investigated. Two-scale model of Atmospheric boundary layer is used in the calculation. The velocity field splits into large-scale profile of horizontal wind velocity and three-scale velocity field. The former depends only on the vertical coordinate. The latter is connected with roll circulation and is subject to the vertical coordinate and the coordinate perpendicular to the roll direction. The influence of turbulence is parameterized by turbulent viscosity. The modification of wind profile by rolls is taken into account. Depending on the Reynolds number, different types of the hydrodynamic instabilities specific to the Atmospheric boundary layer occurred. This appears at the relative orientation of the arising geostrophic wind and roll circulation, and also at the scales and space periods of the structures. As the Reynolds number grows, the mean energy and helicity increase. Within the range of the Reynolds number between 200÷300 the dependence is close to linear, which points to the possibility of utilizing weakly nonlinear theory methods, where perturbation amplitudes increase as Re1/2. The rise of the roll asymmetry followed by remarkable growing of the extreme amplitude of a longitudinal velocity component in the direction opposite to geostrophic wind compared to the amplitudes along the lines of geostrophic wind is detected. Increase of the positive component of helicity by contrast to the negative ones is observed simultaneously. A qualitative comparison between the modeling findings and the measured characteristics of the coherent structures observed in the Atmospheric boundary layer is carried out. In July 2007, these structures were measured by acoustic sounding methods in Kalmykia, where asymmetry in the distribution of longitudinal velocity component was observed as well. An apparent pattern of roll circulation begins to reproduce in the mesoscale atmospheric model RAMS under grid size about 500 meters. Reasonably good correspondence between simulation findings and observable vortex with centers lying about 1200÷1300 meters high is received. The values of turbulent viscosity and effective Reynolds number are typical for unstable stratification conditions.