The Relationship between Vertical Kinematic Eddy Heat Flux, Air Temperature and Turbulent Kinetic Energy in Atmospheric Boundary Layer: Baghdad City

Abstract

Studying the heat flux in the boundary layer and understanding its relationship to the various atmospheric variables reflects positively on understanding the nature of turbulence in this layer and thus understanding the nature of the spread and movement of pollutants and the transmission and distribution of energy in this layer, also, the vertical heat flux is considered a significant influence on the movement of buoyancy and stability in the boundary layer and its effect on the horizontal wind movement, and therefore it is considered one of the important studies indirectly involved in the estimates of wind energy production, pollutant diffusion, and turbulence. This study involved the calculation of the Eddy Heat Flux and turbulent kinetic energy across Baghdad city. Our investigation revealed a correlation between the Eddy Heat Flux, temperature, and Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE). The observations have been made for wind speed with three components (u, v, w) and temperature by using a fast-response anemometer. As for the atmospheric pressure data, it was obtained from the automatic weather station located in the department of Atmospheric Sciences at Mustansiriyah University. The range of observations extended through the duration of thirty days for 24 hours from 1st July 2016 to 30th July 2016 every second. The maximum Eddy Heat Flux value was 0.092 J/(m2.s) at 10:00 on 23th July 2016, while the minimum Eddy Heat Flux value was -0.013 J/(m2.s) at 21:00 hour on 25th July 2016, the negative sign refer to a change in the direction of heat transfer,. It was also found that there is a positive relationship between the eddy heat flux and temperatures with a correlation coefficient of 0.93, as well as between the eddy heat flux and the turbulent kinetic energy with a correlation coefficient of 0.8.