Parameterizations of daytime friction velocity, temperature scale, and upslope flow over gently inclined terrain in calm synoptic conditions

A set of new parameterizations for the friction velocity and temperature scale over gently sloped terrain and in calm synoptic conditions are theoretically derived. The friction velocity is found to be proportional to the product of the square root of the total accumulated heating in the boundary layer and the sinusoidal function of the slope angle, while the temperature scale is proportional to the product of the boundary layer depth, the sinusoidal function of the slope angle and the potential temperature gradient in the free atmosphere. Using the new friction velocity parameterization, together with a parameterization of eddy diffusivity and an initial potential temperature profile around sunrise, an improved parameterization for the thermally induced upslope flow profile is derived by solving the Prandtl equations. The upslope flow profile is found to be simply proportional to the friction velocity.

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An edited version of this paper was published by Springer. Copyright 2009, Chinese National Committee for International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Science Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH.
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Author Zhang, Zhanhai
Zhou, Mingyu
Zhong, Sharon
Lenschow, Donald
Wang, Qing
Publisher UCAR/NCAR - Library
Publication Date 2009-05-01T00:00:00
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Topic Category geoscientificInformation
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Metadata Date 2023-08-18T18:58:37.888320
Metadata Record Identifier edu.ucar.opensky::articles:17106
Metadata Language eng; USA
Suggested Citation Zhang, Zhanhai, Zhou, Mingyu, Zhong, Sharon, Lenschow, Donald, Wang, Qing. (2009). Parameterizations of daytime friction velocity, temperature scale, and upslope flow over gently inclined terrain in calm synoptic conditions. UCAR/NCAR - Library. http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d77h1kv3. Accessed 25 June 2025.

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