Turbulence induced by prescribed horizontal heterogeneous water vapor concentrations in a nocturnal stable boundary layer

Abstract

High-resolution simulations of a nocturnal stable boundary layer with initial horizontal heterogeneous water vapor concentrations show three features; the main balancing circulation, internal gravity waves activity, and turbulence development. Two regions are found. One, close to the surface, is characterized by high variability of the velocity field, by high values of kinetic, and turbulent kinetic energy, and by local breaks of the virtual potential temperature vertical stratification. The second region, above the first one, is characterized by internal gravity waves variability, by low values of kinetic, and turbulent kinetic energies, and by a stable virtual potential temperature stratification for all times. Two frequencies are found to be dominant in the system; the lowest is dominant in the surface region, the highest is dominant in the upper region. Both are present in the whole domain.