Rd. Crago et W. Brutsaert, DEPENDENCE OF GEOSTROPHIC DRAG ON INTENSITY OF CONVECTION, BAROCLINICITY, AND ACCELERATION, Boundary - layer meteorology, 73(3), 1995, pp. 211-225
This paper examines the practical importance of stability, baroclinici
ty, and acceleration in the bulk ABL similarity formulations, in light
of the random errors inherent in field measurements. This is done by
propagating the measurement uncertainties through a theoretical model
for the bulk ABL similarity functions A(0) and B-0, under a range of a
ssumed (but always unstable) conditions. It is shown that random measu
rement errors and acceleration effects may overwhelm most effects of b
aroclinicity and stability, once conditions are at least slightly unst
able. Because of this, it is hard to discern a clear functional depend
ence of A(0) and B-0 on degree of instability. Thus, for a given value
of h(i)/z(0), where h(i) is the inversion height and z(0) is the surf
ace roughness, the geostrophic drag coefficient, which depends on A(0)
acid B-0, and weakly on h(i)/z(0), may also be taken to be nearly ind
ependent of degree of instability.