Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Characteristics of Land–Atmosphere Interaction Parameters over the Tibetan Plateau

Shuzhou Wang Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, and Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

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Yaoming Ma Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

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Print Publication:
01 Aug 2011
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JHM1275.1
Page(s):
702–708
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Abstract

In this study, eddy covariance flux data collected from three research stations on the Tibetan Plateau—Qomolangma for Atmospheric and Environmental Observation and Research, Nam Co for Multisphere Observation and Research, and Southeast Tibet Station for Alpine Environment Observation and Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences—are used to analyze the variation of momentum transfer coefficient (CD), heat transfer coefficient (CH), aerodynamic roughness length (z0m), thermal roughness length (z0h), and excess resistance to heat transfer (kB−1, where k is von Kármán’s constant and B−1 is a non-dimensional bulk parameter). The following results are found. The monthly average surface roughness, bulk transfer coefficient, and excess resistance to heat transfer at all three stations are obtained. The values of average heat bulk transfer coefficients are larger than those of average momentum bulk transfer coefficients at all three stations. The parameter kB−1 exhibits clear diurnal variations with lower values in the night and higher values in the daytime, especially in the afternoon. Negative values of kB−1 are often observed in the night for relatively smooth surfaces on the Tibetan Plateau, indicating that heat transfer efficiency may exceed that of momentum transfer.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Yaoming Ma, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China. E-mail: ymma@itpcas.ac.cn

Abstract

In this study, eddy covariance flux data collected from three research stations on the Tibetan Plateau—Qomolangma for Atmospheric and Environmental Observation and Research, Nam Co for Multisphere Observation and Research, and Southeast Tibet Station for Alpine Environment Observation and Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences—are used to analyze the variation of momentum transfer coefficient (CD), heat transfer coefficient (CH), aerodynamic roughness length (z0m), thermal roughness length (z0h), and excess resistance to heat transfer (kB−1, where k is von Kármán’s constant and B−1 is a non-dimensional bulk parameter). The following results are found. The monthly average surface roughness, bulk transfer coefficient, and excess resistance to heat transfer at all three stations are obtained. The values of average heat bulk transfer coefficients are larger than those of average momentum bulk transfer coefficients at all three stations. The parameter kB−1 exhibits clear diurnal variations with lower values in the night and higher values in the daytime, especially in the afternoon. Negative values of kB−1 are often observed in the night for relatively smooth surfaces on the Tibetan Plateau, indicating that heat transfer efficiency may exceed that of momentum transfer.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Yaoming Ma, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China. E-mail: ymma@itpcas.ac.cn
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Journal of Hydrometeorology

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