Abstract
The scalar front generated by the horizontal self advection of a dipolar vortex through a mod-est scalar gradient is investigated. This physical scenario is an idealization of the emergenceof strong temperature ramps in the stable atmospheric boundary layer. The proposed mecha-nism is discussed and a two-dimensional analogy is studied in depth using direct numericalsimulation. More specifically, the scalar-gradient sharpening is investigated as a function ofthe Reynolds number. It appears that the process of gradient sharpening at large-eddy scalesmay be challenging for turbulence-resolving methods applied to the stable-boundary-layerregime.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 149-156 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Boundary-Layer Meteorology |
| Volume | 176 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2020 |
Keywords
- Dipolar vortex
- Direct numerical simulation
- Scalar fronts
- Stable boundary layer
- Temperature ramps