Observations of Fluxes and Inland Breezes over a Heterogeneous Surface

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Abstract
Repeated aircraft runs at about 33 m over heterogeneous terrain are analyzed to study the spatial variability of the mesoscale flow and turbulent fluxes. An irrigated area, about 12 km across, generates a relatively cool moist inland breeze. As this air flows out over the warmer, drier surrounding land surface, an internal boundary layer develops within the inland breeze, which then terminates at a well-defined inland breeze front located about 1½ km downstream from the change of surface conditions. This front is defined by horizontal convergence, rising motion, and sharp spatial change of moisture, carbon dioxide, and ozone. Both a scale analysis and the observations suggest that the overall vertical motion associated with the inland breeze is weak. However, the observations indicate that this vertical motion and attendant vertical transport are important in the immediate vicinity of the front, and the inland breeze does lead to significant modification of the turbulent flux. In the inland breez... Abstract Repeated aircraft runs at about 33 m over heterogeneous terrain are analyzed to study the spatial variability of the mesoscale flow and turbulent fluxes. An irrigated area, about 12 km across, generates a relatively cool moist inland breeze. As this air flows out over the warmer, drier surrounding land surface, an internal boundary layer develops within the inland breeze, which then terminates at a well-defined inland breeze front located about 1½ km downstream from the change of surface conditions. This front is defined by horizontal convergence, rising motion, and sharp spatial change of moisture, carbon dioxide, and ozone. Both a scale analysis and the observations suggest that the overall vertical motion associated with the inland breeze is weak. However, the observations indicate that this vertical motion and attendant vertical transport are important in the immediate vicinity of the front, and the inland breeze does lead to significant modification of the turbulent flux. In the inland breez...

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