This document discusses the planetary boundary layer (PBL), the lowest layer of the atmosphere directly influenced by the surface. It notes that the PBL experiences heating/cooling from below via radiation and inversions form at night that suppress mixing. During the day, a large lapse rate leads to more mixing. Wind speed increases with height according to Ekman theory and direction also changes. The depth of the PBL is deeper during the day and shallower at night, determined by factors like turbulence and mixing. Various atmospheric phenomena like jet streams, mid-latitude cyclones, sea/land breezes, and thunderstorms provide vertical transport of air within the PBL and to higher levels.
This document discusses the planetary boundary layer (PBL), the lowest layer of the atmosphere directly influenced by the surface. It notes that the PBL experiences heating/cooling from below via radiation and inversions form at night that suppress mixing. During the day, a large lapse rate leads to more mixing. Wind speed increases with height according to Ekman theory and direction also changes. The depth of the PBL is deeper during the day and shallower at night, determined by factors like turbulence and mixing. Various atmospheric phenomena like jet streams, mid-latitude cyclones, sea/land breezes, and thunderstorms provide vertical transport of air within the PBL and to higher levels.
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This document discusses the planetary boundary layer (PBL), the lowest layer of the atmosphere directly influenced by the surface. It notes that the PBL experiences heating/cooling from below via radiation and inversions form at night that suppress mixing. During the day, a large lapse rate leads to more mixing. Wind speed increases with height according to Ekman theory and direction also changes. The depth of the PBL is deeper during the day and shallower at night, determined by factors like turbulence and mixing. Various atmospheric phenomena like jet streams, mid-latitude cyclones, sea/land breezes, and thunderstorms provide vertical transport of air within the PBL and to higher levels.
Copyright:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
• (PBL) Lowest layer of atmos—directly influenced by the surface • PBL vs. Free Atmosphere • What happens in PBL? • Air is heated/cooled from below—radiation • Inversions (stable) at night—suppress mixing • Big lapse rate during day—less stable-lots of mixing • Mechanical Turbulence—roughness (day or night) • Wind Speed goes to zero at surface (no slip) • Speed increases with height according to Ekman Theory—direction also changes • The more mixing • the more θ is constant with height • the more mixing ratio constant with height • Height of PBL deep during day, shallow at night • Depth determined by Transporting Air From Surface to Higher Levels
Winds are stronger there
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