MONIN-OBUKHOV SIMILARITY FOR REFRACTIVE-INDEX REVISITED

Monin-Obukhov similarity applied to the real part of the refractive in dex variance n'2BAR is discussed. It is shown that, because the observ ed correlation coefficient r(TQ) between temperature and humidity is l ess than unity, scaling by n = n'w'/u*BAR (where u* is the friction v elocity) makes the dimensionless variance n'2/n2BAR dependent on two dimensionless parameters, on dimensionless height z/L (where L is the Monin-Obukhov length), and on a parameter R, which is related to the B owen ratio. As the Monin-Obukhov similarity framework is applied, a la rge scatter of the dimensionless refractive index variance is expected for certain values of the Bowen ratio. Such a scatter can be eliminat ed if a new scale N, defined as a combination of temperature and humi dity scales, is employed.