Reynolds Stress Deflections of the Bivane Anemometer

G. Chimonas CIRES/WPL, NOAA, Boulder, CO 80302

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Abstract

We show that a bivane anemometer or other elevation angle sensing device records a nonzero mean angle when responding to cross-correlated fluctuations in a mean wind. Our analysis shows how this mean offset can be used to derive the wind-aligned Reynolds stress directly.

This theory is applied to a historical data set. It is first shown that the prior derivation of a mean vertical wind component is erroneous, and then that reinterpretation of results in terms of the Reynolds stress response is consistent with other aspects of the record.

Abstract

We show that a bivane anemometer or other elevation angle sensing device records a nonzero mean angle when responding to cross-correlated fluctuations in a mean wind. Our analysis shows how this mean offset can be used to derive the wind-aligned Reynolds stress directly.

This theory is applied to a historical data set. It is first shown that the prior derivation of a mean vertical wind component is erroneous, and then that reinterpretation of results in terms of the Reynolds stress response is consistent with other aspects of the record.

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